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Go Local
- Services and providers for Vitamins in the U.S.
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National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Vitamins is the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Vitamins
Vitamins are substances that your body needs to grow and develop normally. There are 13 vitamins your body needs. They are vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate). You can usually get all your vitamins from the foods you eat. Your body can also make vitamins D and K. People who eat a vegetarian diet may need to take a vitamin B12 supplement.
Each vitamin has specific jobs. If you have low levels of certain vitamins, you may develop a deficiency disease. For example, if you don't get enough vitamin D, you could develop rickets. Some vitamins may help prevent medical problems. Vitamin A prevents night blindness.
The best way to get enough vitamins is to eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods. In some cases, you may need to take a daily multivitamin for optimal health. However, high doses of some vitamins can make you sick.
Start Here
- Fortify Your Knowledge about Vitamins(Food and Drug Administration)
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Vitamins and Minerals: What You Should Know(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish
| Basics | Learn More | Multimedia & Cool Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Research | Reference Shelf | For You |
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Overviews
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Dietary Supplements Labels Database
(National Library of Medicine)
- Dietary Supplements: Nutrition in a Pill?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Vitamins(Harvard School of Public Health)
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Dietary Supplements Labels Database
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Latest News
- Vitamin B12 Key to Aging Brain(09/08/2008, HealthDay)
- High Doses of Vitamin D Safe for Children(09/01/2008, Reuters Health)
- Study Backs Low Vitamin D-Diabetes Link(09/01/2008, Reuters Health)
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Key Gaps Remain in Understanding Health Effects of Vitamin D(08/12/2008, National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
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Vitamin C Injections Slow Tumor Growth in Mice(08/04/2008, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Cancer Institute)
- More News on Vitamins
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Methylmalonic Acid(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
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Specific Conditions
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Vitamin A and Carotenoids(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
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Vitamin B12(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
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Vitamin B6(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
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Vitamin D(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
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Vitamin E(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)
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Vitamin A and Carotenoids
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Related Issues
- Arthritis Today's 2005 Vitamin Guide(Arthritis Foundation)
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Calcium and Vitamin D: Important at Every Age(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
Also available in Spanish
- Herbs, Vitamins, and Minerals(American Cancer Society)
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Important Information to Know When You Are Taking: Coumadin and Vitamin K(National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center) - Links to PDF
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Vitamin A and Bone Health(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
- Vitamin and Mineral Supplements and Your Eyes(American Academy of Ophthalmology)
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Games
- Get on Board with Eijkman to Fight Beriberi(Nobel Foundation) - Requires Flash Player
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Micronutrients(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vitamins(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Micronutrients
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Research
- Do Low Vitamin D Levels Increase Risk for Hip Fracture?(American College of Physicians)
- Don't Seek the Sun: Top Reasons to Get Vitamin D from Your Diet(American Academy of Dermatology)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and risk for hip fractures.
- Article: Do low vitamin D levels increase risk for hip fracture?
- Article: 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and the risk of mortality in the...
- Vitamins -- see more articles
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Directories
- Find a Nutrition Professional(American Dietetic Association)
- Nutrient Lists(Dept. of Agriculture) - Links to PDF
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Organizations
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
- Food and Nutrition Information Center
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National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements
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Law and Policy
- FDA Law Enforcers Protect Consumers' Health(Food and Drug Administration)
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Children
- Does Your Child Need Vitamin Supplements?(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Vitamins(Nemours Foundation)
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Teenagers
- Vitamins and Minerals(Nemours Foundation)
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Women
- Prenatal Vitamins : How Much Is Too Much?(American Pregnancy Association)
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Seniors
- Should Everyone over Age 75 Take a Multivitamin?(Cleveland Clinic Foundation)
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Date last updated: 09 September 2008 Topic last reviewed: 12 March 2008 |