Vitamins: the big overview of all 13

Remember a single number and you've almost cracked the whole vitamin topic: 13. That's exactly how many vitamins there are – no more, no less. Four of them are fat-soluble (A, D, E, K), nine are water-soluble (the eight B vitamins plus vitamin C). This one distinction determines a surprising amount: how you take a vitamin, whether your body can store it and where typical gaps tend to open up in everyday life.

In short: there are 13 essential vitamins. The fat-soluble ones (A, D, E, K) are best taken with a meal that contains some fat, and your body stores them. The water-soluble ones (8 B vitamins + C) are barely stored – here it's the regular, ideally daily, intake that counts. This overview sorts all 13 by function, names the EU-approved claims in their correct wording, shows the best food sources and guides you straight to every in-depth guide.

The key points at a glance

• 13 vitamins: 4 fat-soluble (A, D, E, K), 9 water-soluble (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7/biotin, B9/folate, B12, C).
• Fat-soluble = take with a little fat, stored by the body. Water-soluble = barely storable, any excess is excreted – regular intake is what counts.
• Vitamins are essential: the body can't produce them itself – the only exception is vitamin D via sunlight.
• Almost every vitamin has approved functions – from the immune system and nervous system to energy metabolism.
• Typical gaps in Germany: vitamin D (winter), B12 (vegan/vegetarian), folate (trying to conceive & pregnancy).

What vitamins actually do in the body

Vitamins are organic compounds that your body needs in tiny amounts but can't produce itself (or not in sufficient quantity) – which is why they have to come in through food. Unlike carbohydrates or fats, they provide no energy. Instead, many of them act as coenzymes: small helpers without which central metabolic reactions would simply grind to a halt. Picture an enzyme as a tool and the vitamin as the handle that makes it usable in the first place – that's how your food is turned into energy you can actually use. Other vitamins have special jobs: vitamin E protects cell structures from oxidative stress, vitamin K governs blood clotting, and vitamin D acts in the body almost like a hormone. Precisely because they sit at so many switching points, a lasting shortfall makes itself broadly felt – and that's exactly why a structured look at all 13 pays off.

Fat-soluble or water-soluble? The most important distinction

This one distinction explains almost everything practical. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) need dietary fat in order to be absorbed through the gut – which is why you're best off taking them with a meal that includes some oil, nuts or avocado. The body builds up stores for them (mainly in the liver and fatty tissue), so you don't have to hit the exact amount every single day. The flip side: because they accumulate, consistently and significantly exceeding the recommended amount is more of a concern with them than with the water-soluble vitamins.

Water-soluble vitamins (the eight B vitamins and vitamin C) dissolve in water, are barely stored and are excreted via the kidneys as soon as more is supplied than needed. That means two things: too much is rarely a problem – but the regular, ideally daily, intake is all the more important. Another practical point: some water-soluble vitamins are sensitive to heat and light and leach into the water during cooking. Cook your vegetables gently and you'll retain more of them. For how to bring all this together in everyday life, see Can you take too many vitamins?

The 4 fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, K

Vitamin A contributes to normal vision, to the function of the immune system and to the maintenance of normal skin and mucous membranes. It occurs as retinol in animal sources (liver, egg yolk, butter) and as the provitamin beta-carotene in orange and dark-green vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach. Details in Vitamin A: effect & daily requirement.

Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin and a special case: given enough sunlight, the body produces it itself in the skin – but during the dark half of the year this barely works at our latitudes because the sun sits too low. Only a few foods (oily fish, egg yolk) provide meaningful amounts. Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones, to normal muscle function and to the normal function of the immune system, as well as to the normal absorption of calcium. Go deeper with Vitamin D: dosage, blood level & winter, The dark season: light & vitamin D and Vitamin D deficiency: signs.

Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress and is found above all in plant oils, nuts and seeds – more in Vitamin E: antioxidant & effect. Vitamin K contributes to normal blood clotting and to the maintenance of normal bones; it's abundant in green leafy vegetables. The popular combination with vitamin D is explained in Vitamin D3 & K2: the combination and Vitamin K: blood clotting & bones. Anyone taking blood thinners should clear vitamin K supplements with a doctor beforehand.

The 8 B vitamins: the energy and nerve team

The B vitamins are a well-drilled team: many of them contribute to normal energy metabolism, to the function of the nervous system, to normal psychological function and to the reduction of tiredness. They often work in concert – which is why looking at them together makes sense. The compact all-in-one overview is provided by B vitamins: overview from B1 to B12, and how the B vitamins interact with magnesium and iron is shown in Energy: magnesium, iron & B vitamins.

Four are especially relevant in practice: biotin (B7) contributes to the maintenance of normal hair and skin – a classic in the beauty space, see Biotin (B7): skin & hair. Folate/folic acid (B9) contributes to blood formation and to the growth of maternal tissue during pregnancy – which is why it's in focus for those trying to conceive, see Folic acid & folate: effect & form and Folate deficiency: signs. Finally, vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal foods and is therefore the most critical vitamin on a plant-based diet – see Vitamin B12: forms & methylcobalamin and Covering vitamin B12 on a vegan diet.

Vitamin C: the water-soluble all-rounder

Vitamin C has several approved functions at once, making it one of the most versatile nutrients there is: it contributes to the normal function of the immune system, to normal collagen formation for skin, bones, cartilage, teeth and blood vessels, it helps protect cells from oxidative stress, contributes to the reduction of tiredness – and increases iron absorption from plant-based foods. This last property in particular makes it the ideal companion to iron, for instance as a glass of orange juice with an iron-rich meal – details in Combining vitamin C & iron. Rich sources of vitamin C include bell peppers, berries, citrus fruits, broccoli and rosehip. Everything else in Vitamin C: effect & daily requirement, Vitamin C: acerola vs. synthetic and Vitamin C: liposomal or regular?

Where do typical gaps open up?

Not every vitamin is equally critical. A varied diet covers most of them well. In practice, a closer look pays off above all for three vitamins and in certain life situations:

• Vitamin D during the winter half of the year – the body's own production via the skin drops sharply when the sun is low, regardless of how much time you spend outdoors.
• Vitamin B12 on a purely plant-based diet – here supplementation is practically the standard, see Nutrients for vegans and Nutrients for vegetarians.
• Folate when trying to conceive and during pregnancy – here a targeted intake is widely recommended, see Nutrients when trying to conceive & during pregnancy.

Certain life stages also raise the need to keep an eye on things – for example with vital nutrients from 50 onwards. Whether a single supplement or a combination makes more sense is clarified in Multivitamin vs. single supplements. And whether synthetic or natural vitamins are better is answered in Synthetic or natural vitamins? If symptoms persist, it's worth having a possible deficiency clarified by a doctor rather than dosing high on suspicion.

What research is investigating on vitamins

That each of the 13 vitamins fulfils defined bodily functions is established textbook knowledge, captured in the approved health claims – there's nothing here you have to "believe". What's actively being researched, by contrast, is the fine-tuning: what is the optimal vitamin D status at different life stages? Which form of folate is best utilised? How does dietary pattern affect B12 supply over the long term? These questions are being studied continuously, and the recommendations keep evolving. The core, however, remains stable: in cases of genuine shortfall, topping up demonstrably restores adequate supply.

Honestly put into perspective

Vitamins are no miracle cure, but they are indispensable – that's the crux. What's established: each of the 13 vitamins fulfils defined functions, and in cases of genuine shortfall, topping up restores adequate supply. What doesn't hold, on the other hand: that "more is more". Anyone who is already well supplied generally draws no further benefit from additional amounts – and with fat-soluble vitamins, a lasting excess can even be undesirable. The sensible approach is therefore a targeted one: eat well, keep an eye on the known gaps (D, B12, folate) and, when in doubt, have your status determined by a doctor.

Matching products from Scheunengut

In our Vitamins category you'll find all 13 individually – from Vitamin D and Vitamin C to the B vitamins and Vitamin K. If you'd rather cover a broad base, take a look at Multivitamin. All Scheunengut supplements are lab-tested and made in Germany.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How many vitamins are there and how are they classified?

There are exactly 13 essential vitamins. Four of them are fat-soluble (A, D, E, K), nine are water-soluble (the eight B vitamins plus vitamin C). This classification determines how you take a vitamin and whether your body can store it: fat-soluble ones are stored, water-soluble ones barely – here it's the regular intake that counts.

Why do you take fat-soluble vitamins with food?

Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) need a little dietary fat in order to be absorbed through the gut. That's why you're best off taking them with a meal that includes some oil, nuts or avocado. Water-soluble vitamins, by contrast, don't depend on fat.

Which vitamins are most likely to be in short supply in Germany?

In practice, a closer look pays off above all for three vitamins: vitamin D during the winter half of the year, vitamin B12 on a purely plant-based diet, and folate when trying to conceive and during pregnancy. A varied diet covers most of the remaining vitamins well.

Can you take too many vitamins?

With water-soluble vitamins, any excess is usually excreted, so too much is rarely a problem here. With fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), however, a lasting and significant exceeding of the recommended amount can accumulate and become undesirable. Anyone who is already well supplied generally draws no further benefit from additional amounts.