Water Soluble Vitamins List

By Editorial Team , Onlymyhealth editorial team

Mar 21, 2013

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The water-soluble vitamins (B and C) pass freely from one tissue to other. If you consume water-soluble vitamins in excess amounts than needed, they are usually excreted by the kidneys and do not cause toxicity like fat-soluble vitamins. Small frequent doses of these vitamins are needed as they are not stored. Some water soluble vitamins like niacin, vitamin B6, folate, choline, and vitamin C have upper consumption limits like fat-soluble vitamins. If you eat a balanced nutritious diet your body will get all the water soluble vitamins in enough quantity and you won’t need supplements. Some people like---- people more than 50 years of age and some vegetarians may need vitamin supplements.

Water-soluble vitamins
Nutrient	Function	Sources
Thiamine (vitamin B1)	Forms part of an enzyme involved in energy metabolism, needed for nerve function	Present in moderate amount in all nutritious foods—milk, eggs, meat, whole-grain or enriched breads and cereals, legumes, nuts and seeds
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)	Forms part of an enzyme involved in energy metabolism, needed for normal vision and skin health	Milk and milk products, green leafy vegetables, whole-grains, enriched breads and cereals
Niacin (vitamin B3)	Forms part of an enzyme involved in energy metabolism, important for optimal functioning of nervous system, digestive system, needed for skin health	Meat, poultry, fish, whole-grain or enriched breads and cereals, vegetables (like mushrooms, asparagus, green leafy vegetables), peanut butter
Pantothenic acid	necessary for several vital functions of the cells, needed for the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats	Found in most plants and animals foods---rich sources are meats, liver, kidney, fish/shellfish, chicken, vegetables, legumes, yeast, eggs, and milk
Biotin	Needed for proper functioning of several enzymes	Found in most plants and animals foods; is produced in intestinal tract by bacteria
Pyridoxine (vitamin B6)	needed for utilization of energy from foods you eat, production of red blood cells, and functioning of nerves	Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, vegetables, fruits, wheat germ, walnuts
Folic acid	Needed for making DNA and healthy new cells in the body, especially red blood cells	leafy green vegetables, fruits, dried beans, peas and nuts, enriched breads, cereals and other grain products
Cobalamin (vitamin B12)	Needed for maintaining healthy nerve cells, formation of DNA and RNA	Found only in animal foods---good dietary sources are meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, milk and milk products; vitamin B12 is not found in plant foods
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)	Needed to form collagen in bones, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels, aids in the absorption of iron, is an anti-oxidant	Found in fruits and vegetables--especially citrus fruits, cabbage family, strawberries, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, papayas, mangoes, kiwifruit