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Everyday Health
Do You Know Which Vitamins Are Water Soluble - and Why They Matter?
By By Sarah Garone. Medically Reviewed by Reyna Franco, RDN,
2024-07-30
Your body doesn't produce vitamins, so you must get the nine water-soluble vitamins through food and supplements. Getty Images
Your body needs vitamins to function. Water-soluble vitamins, which include vitamin C and the B complex vitamins, are ones that dissolve in water before being transported in the bloodstream.
Here are the benefits of water-soluble vitamins and how to get the proper amounts.
What Makes a Vitamin Water Soluble?
Vitamins are organic substances your body needs to carry out basic functions. Unlike other nutrients, vitamins aren't produced in our bodies, so we must get them from food and supplements. Vitamins fall into one of two categories: water soluble or fat soluble.
Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and get carried around the body in our bloodstream, explains Will Bulsiewicz, MD , a gastroenterologist in Charleston, South Carolina. Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed with fat from food and stored in the body's fatty tissues and the liver.
Are Water-Soluble Vitamins Better for You Than Other Types?
Water-soluble vitamins aren't better for you than fat-soluble ones - they're simply absorbed differently and support different physical processes.
Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, which are stored in the liver and fatty tissues, water-soluble vitamins don't stay in your system for long. "In otherwise healthy individuals, the kidneys will excrete excess water-soluble vitamins in the urine," says Emma Laing, PhD, RDN , spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and director of dietetics at the University of Georgia.
For this reason, it's rare to have too much of any water-soluble vitamin in your system.
However, it's still possible for water-soluble vitamins to build up, leading to potentially harmful side effects. "More is not always better when it comes to their safety," Dr. Laing says. For example, getting too much vitamin B6 can make the skin extremely sensitive to sunlight and even lead to nerve damage. Meanwhile, excess vitamin C is linked to diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramps.
Dangerous amounts of water-soluble vitamins are likely to come from supplements - not diet. "The upper limits [the maximum amount you can safely consume] set for many water-soluble vitamins are based on dietary supplements and medications, not on the amounts found naturally in foods and beverages," Laing says.
Which Vitamins Are Water Soluble?
There are nine water-soluble vitamins. Here's a brief look at what each does in the body and which foods offer the nutrient:
Vitamin C helps reduce inflammation and promotes collagen production, strong bones and teeth, healthy blood vessels, and iron absorption. You can find vitamin C in citrus fruits, broccoli , potatoes , tomatoes , and bell peppers.
Vitamin B1 ( Thiamine ) helps pull energy from the foods you eat and is involved in the growth, development, and function of the body's cells. Get your fill from whole and fortified grains, seeds, soybeans, pork, and fish.
Vitamin B2 ( Riboflavin ) is important for metabolism (turning food into energy) and is an antioxidant. Sources of riboflavin include animal products like steak and liver and fortified breakfast cereals.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) is important for metabolism and cell function, helps regulate cholesterol and blood pressure, and supports brain and skin health. It's found in beef liver, poultry, fish, nuts , and whole grains .
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) helps create and metabolize fats. Almost all plant- and animal-based foods contain this nutrient. However, the richest sources include beef, poultry, whole grains, organ meats, and fortified cereals.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) supports immune health, helps your body create and use protein, and builds red blood cells. Organ meats, fish, starchy vegetables (like potatoes), fruits (except citrus), and fortified cereals are the richest sources of this vitamin.
Vitamin B7 ( Biotin ) Although biotin is touted as a hair and nail strengthener, these benefits are still under investigation. Evidence is well established for its role in converting carbohydrates , fats, and protein into energy. Biotin is found in meat, fish, eggs , organ meats, nuts and seeds, sweet potatoes , spinach, and broccoli.
Vitamin B9 (Folate) Your body needs folate to make DNA and red blood cells. It's also essential during pregnancy because it supports healthy fetal development. Rich sources of folate include dark green vegetables (such as spinach), organ meats, oranges , nuts, and legumes (such as black-eyed peas).
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) helps make DNA and red blood cells and supports blood and nerve cell health. Eating nutritional yeast, eggs, meat, beef liver, oysters, and clams amplifies your cobalamin intake, which helps the body maintain energy levels.
3 Tips for Getting the Right Amount of Water-Soluble Vitamins
Maximize the benefits of water-soluble vitamins by meeting your daily intake. Use these tips to get the right amount of each:
Eat a diverse diet. Since so many foods contain vitamin C and B vitamins, a diverse diet that includes plenty of whole foods and fruits and vegetables is likely to meet your needs, Laing says. Use a food-first approach whenever possible - whole foods provide more beneficial compounds than you get through supplements alone.
Stay hydrated. Water-soluble vitamins are dissolved in water before they're transported in the bloodstream. So stay on top of hydration . "You should hydrate and take your water-soluble vitamins at the same time," recommends Dr. Bulsiewicz. (Or, for food, drink water or other fluids with meals.)
Ask your doctor about supplements. Although a balanced diet can supply most people's water-soluble vitamin needs, some circumstances call for supplements - for example, those who follow a limited diet (such as vegan or vegetarian) or have a health condition that impacts digestion, such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease . Excessive alcohol use and alcohol use disorder are risk factors for vitamin deficiency, too. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned you're not getting enough of these nutrients.
The Takeaway
The nine water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and B complex vitamins. Each provides unique health benefits and is easy to absorb, and any excess is quickly eliminated via urine. Eating regular meals with a variety of foods and supplementing when necessary can help you get the water-soluble vitamins your body needs.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy . We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Columbia University.
In her private practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, food allergies, eating disorders, and childhood nutrition. To serve her diverse patients, she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and knowledge of customary food practices. She applies the tenets of lifestyle medicine to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for her patients.
Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size. She taught sports nutrition to medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, taught life cycle nutrition and nutrition counseling to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College, and precepts nutrition students and interns. She created the sports nutrition rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship program.
She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist Member Interest Group. She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, having previously served in many other leadership roles for the organization, including as past president, awards committee chair, and grant committee chair, among others. She is active in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too.
Sarah Garone is a licensed nutritionist, registered nutrition and dietetics technician, freelance health and wellness writer, and food blogger in Mesa, Arizona. She has written for T he Washington Post , Healthline, Greatist, Verywell, and Eat This, Not That, among other outlets. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. See full bio See Our Editorial Policy Meet Our Health Expert Network
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