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HEALTH
Water-Soluble Vitamins no. 9.312
by J. Anderson and L. Young 1 (8/08)

Vitamins are essential nutrients found in foods. The requirements are

small but they per­form specific and vital functions essential for maintaining
health.
Quick Facts... The two types of vitamins are classified by the materials in which they
will dis­solve. Fat-soluble vitamins — vitamins A, D, E and K — dissolve in
fat before they are absorbed in the blood stream to carry out their functions.
B-complex vitamins and vitamin Excesses of these vitamins are stored in the liver. Because they are stored, they
C are water-soluble vitamins that are not needed every day in the diet.
are not stored in the body and By contrast, water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and are not stored;
must be replaced each day. they are eliminated in urine. We need a continuous supply of them in our diets.
The water-soluble vitamins are the B-complex group and vitamin C.
These vitamins are easily Water-soluble vitamins are easily destroyed or washed out during food
destroyed or washed out during storage or preparation. Proper storage and preparation of food can min­imize
food storage and preparation. vitamin loss. To reduce vitamin loss, refrig­erate fresh produce, keep milk and
grains away from strong light, and use the cooking water from vegetables to
The B-complex group is found in prepare soups. (See Table 1.)
a variety of foods: cereal grains,
meat, poul­try, eggs, fish, milk, Vitamin B-Complex
Eight of the water-soluble vitamins are known as the B-complex group:
legumes and fresh vegetables.
thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin
B12, biotin and pantothenic acid. These vitamins are widely distributed in foods.
Citrus fruits are good sources of
(See Table 2.) Their influence is felt in many parts of the body. They function as
vitamin C.
coenzymes that help the body obtain energy from food. They also are important
for nor­mal appetite, good vision, healthy skin, healthy nervous system and red
Use of megadoses of vitamins is
blood cell formation.
not recom­mended. Beriberi, pellagra and pernicious anemia are three well-known B-vitamin
deficien­cies. These diseases are not a problem in the Uni­ted States, but
occasionally they occur when peo­ple omit certain foods or overeat certain foods
at the expense of others. Alcoholics are especially prone to thiamin deficiency
because alcohol repla­ces food. Vegans will need a B12supplement.
When grains and grain products are refined, essential nutrients lost
during processing are put back into these foods through a process called
enrichment. Among the nutrients added during the enrichment process are
thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, folate and iron. Some examples of enriched grain
products are white rice, many breakfast cereals, white flour, breads and pasta.
For some populations, rice is the main dietary staple. When “polishing”
rice (removing its outer layers) became popular, thiamin deficiency, or beriberi,
increased significantly.
© Colorado State University In the early 1900s, the most wides­pread vitamin deficiency disease in
Extension. 3/02.
Revised 8/08. the United States was pellagra, or niacin deficiency. At that time, pellagra caused
www.ext.colostate.edu thousands of deaths and many cases of mental and physical illness among the
Table 1: Water-soluble vitamins and their characteristics.
Common food Deficiency Overconsumption
sources Major functions symptoms symptoms Stability in foods
Vitamin C (abscorbic acid)
Citrus fruits, broccoli, Formation of collagen (a component Bleeding gums; wounds Nontoxic under normal Most unstable under heat,
strawberries, melon, of tis­sues), helps hold them together; don’t heal; bruise easily; conditions; rebound drying, storage; very
green pepper, wound healing; maintaining blood dry, rough skin; scurvy; scurvy when high doses soluble in water, leaches
tomatoes, dark green vessels, bones, teeth; absorption of sore joints and bones; discontinued; diarrhea, out of some vegetables
vegetables, potatoes. iron, cal­cium, folacin; production of increased infections. bloating, cramps; during cooking; alkalinity
brain hormones, immune factors; increased incidence of (baking soda) destroys
antioxidant. kidney stones. Vitamin C.
Thiamin (vitamin B1)
Pork, liver, whole Helps release energy from foods; Mental confusion; muscle None known. Losses depend on cooking
grains, enriched grain promotes normal appetite; weakness, wasting; method, length, alkalinity of
products, peas, meat, important in function of nervous edema; impaired growth; cooking medium; destroyed
legumes. system. beriberi. by sulfite used to treat
dried fruitssuch as apricots;
dissolves in cooking water.
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
Liver, milk, dark Helps release energy from foods; Cracks at corners of None known. Sensitive to light;
green vegetables, promotes good vision, healthy mouth; dermatitis around unstable in alkaline
whole and enriched skin. nose and lips; eyes solutions.
grain products, eggs. sensitive to light.
Niacin (nicotinamide, nicotinic acid)
Liver, fish, poultry, Energy production from foods; aids Skin disorders; diarrhea; Abnormal liver function;
meat, peanuts, digestion, promotes normal appetite; weakness; mental cramps, nausea; irritability.
whole and enriched promotes healthy skin, nerves. confusion; irritability.
grain products.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine)
Pork, meats, whole Aids in protein metabolism, Skin disorders, dermatitis, None known. Considerable losses during
grains and cereals, absorption; aids in red blood cell cracks at corners of mouth; cooking.
legumes, green formation; helps body use fats. irritability; anemia; kidney
leafy vegetables. stones; nausea; smooth tongue.
Folacin (folic acid)
Liver, kidney, dark Aids in protein metabolism; promotes Anemia; smooth tongue; May mask vitamin B12 Easily destroyed by
green leafy vege- red blood cell forma­tion; prevents diarrhea. deficiency (pernicious storing, cooking and
tables, meats, fish, birth defects of spine, brain; lowers anemia). other processing.
whole grains, fortified homocystein levels and thus coronary
grains and cereals, heart disease risk.
legumes, citrus fruits.
Vitamin B12
Found only in animal Aids in building of genetic material; aids Pernicious anemia, anemia; None known.
foods: meats, liver, in development of normal red blood neurological disorders;
kidney, fish, eggs, cells; maintenance of nervous system. degeneration of peripheral
milk and milk products, nerves that may cause
oysters, shellfish. numbness, tingling in fingers
and toes.
Pantothenic acid
Liver, kidney, meats, Involved in energy production; aids in Uncommon due to availability None known. About half of pantothenic
egg yolk, whole formation of hormones. in most foods; fatigue; nausea, acid is lost in the milling of
grains, legumes; abdominal cramps; difficulty grains and heavily refined
also made by intestinal sleeping. foods.
bacteria.
Biotin
Liver, kidney, egg yolk, Helps release energy from carbo- Uncommon under normal None known.
milk, most fresh hydrates; aids in fat synthesis. circumstances; fatigue; loss
vegetables, also made of appetite, nausea, vomiting;
by intestinal bacteria. depression; muscle pains;
anemia.
Table 2: Major food sources of water-soluble vitamins.
Grains Fruits Vegetables Meats, Eggs Legumes, Nuts, Seeds Milk, Dairy
Thiamin X X X
Riboflavin X X
Niacin X X X
Biotin X X X
Pyridoxine X X X
Pantothenic acid X X X X X X
Vitamin B12 X X
Folate X X
Vitamin C X X

poor in the Southeast. The enrichment of flour, rice and wheat products helped to
eliminate the deficiency problems found in people who depended on these food
items for most of their daily calories.
Table 3 summarizes the new standards for nutrient recommendations:
The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI). The recommendations meet the average
daily nutritional needs of all healthy people. To ensure the needs of all in the
population, the DRI usually exceeds the requirements for most people. They do
not cover requirements for illness and special health dis­orders.

Vitamin C
Why do we need vitamin C? Like the other vitamins, the body needs
vitamin C to keep it in good working order. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin
C helps hold body cells together, aids in wound healing, assists in bone and tooth
forma­tion, strengthens the blood vessel walls, is vital for the function of the
immune system, and im­proves absorption and utilization of iron. It also helps
Table 3: Dietary reference intakes (DRI). Selected prevent nutritional ailments such as scurvy, the
recommended levels for individual intakes. disease that did the most to bring public atten­tion
RDA or A1 to vitamin deficiency diseases.
(ages 19-50 yrs) Our bodies cannot make vitamin C.
Nutrient Male Female Therefore, every day we must eat foods containing
Thiamin (mg) 1.2 1.1
Riboflavin (mg) 1.3 1.1
this vitamin. Although the body has a constant
Niacin (mg) 16 14 need for vitamin C, it has a limited storage
Vitamin B6 (mg) 1.3 1.3 capacity. A regular and adequate intake is essential.
Folate (mcg) 400 400 Eating vitamin C-rich foods is the best
Vitamin B12 (mcg) 2.4* 2.4* method to ensure an adequate intake of this
Pantothenic acid (mg) 5* 5*
vitamin. While many common foods contain
Biotin (mcg) 30* 30*
Vitamin C (mg) 90 75 vitamin C, the best food sources are citrus fruits.
(mg = milligrams, (mcg = micrograms)
One orange, a kiwi fruit, 6 oz. of grapefruit juice or
1
RDA and Adequate Intake (AI) values from the 1997/1998 DRI reports. 1/3 cup of chopped sweet red pepper each supply
* AI value. enough vitamin C for one day.
Some conditions have been shown to
increase vitamin C requirements. They are:
• environmental stress,
• use of certain drugs (such as oral contra­ceptives),
• tissue healing of wounds,
• growth (children and pregnant women),
• fever and infection, and
• smoking.
The controversy over megadoses of vitamin C to prevent or cure the
common cold and other disorders has not been resolved. Vitamin supplements
will not necessarily provide extra energy, clear up skin problems, or prevent and
cure the common cold, heart disease, and cancer. Unlike pellagra, beriberi, or
scurvy, these problems are not the result of a vitamin deficiency. What is known
is that the only disease a vitamin will cure is the one caused by a deficiency of
that vitamin.
References Vitamin C also serves as an antioxidant. It works with vitamin E as a
Alexander, S.W. 1995. Specific nutrients free-radical scavenger. Studies suggest that vitamin C may reduce the risk of
and the immune response. Nutrition. certain cancers, heart disease, and cataracts. Research continues to document the
11:229. degree of these effects.
Gershoff, S.N. 1993. Vitamin C, new
roles, new requirements? Nutrition Definitions
Reviews. 51:(Nov)313. Dietary Reference Intake (DRI): The new standards for nutrient
recommendations that can be used to plan and assess diets for healthy people.
Greenwald, P. 1994. Antioxidant vitamins
Think of Dietary Reference Intakes as the umbrella term that includes the
and cancer risk. Nutrition. 10:433.
following values.
“Nutrient Requirements Get a Makeover: Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): A nutrient intake value that is
The Evolution of the Recommended estimated to meet the requirement of half the healthy individuals in the group. It
Dietary Allowances,” Food Insight, is used to assess nutritional adequacy of intakes of population groups. In addition,
September/October 1998.
EARs are used to calculate RDAs.
RDAs and Estimated Safe and Adequate Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): This value is a goal for
Daily Dietary Intake (ESADDI), Food individuals and is based on the EAR. It is the daily dietary intake level that is
and Nutrition Board, 1989. sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of 97 to 98 percent of all healthy
Wardlow, G.M., and Insel, P.M. individuals in a group. If an EAR cannot be set, no RDA value can be proposed.
1995. The water soluble vitamins. In: Adequate Intake (AI): This is used when an RDA cannot be
Perspectives in Nutrition. 3rd edition, pp. determined. A recommended daily intake level based on an observed or
437-479. St. Louis, Mosby. experimentally determined approximation of nutrient intake for a group (or
groups) of healthy people.
Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): The highest level of daily nutrient
intake that is likely to pose no risks of adverse health effects to almost all
individuals in the general population. As intake increases above the UL, the risk
of adverse effects increases.
Source: Food Insight, September/October 1998.

1
J. Anderson, Colorado State University
Extension food and nutrition specialist Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Colorado counties cooperating.
and professor; and L. Young, M.S. , former Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. No endorsement of products
graduate student. mentioned is intended nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned.