All vitamins in one table (+ their function, sources, and symptoms of deficiency)

Vitamins They are organic molecules that are strongly affected by their environment. Among other things, they can be sensitive to light, heat and oxygen, and are therefore “lost” during storage or cooking. At the very least the vitamin content can change significantly. However, the body cannot survive without important vitamins, at least not in the long term. But what vitamins actually exist?

All vitamins in one table: what you need to know in advance

Vitamins are micronutrients essential for the body's survival. However, we cannot produce most vitamins ourselves. So it is absorbed through food. There are a total of 13 known vitamins, which are divided into fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. To those that dissolve in fats Vitamins Including: Vitamin D, Vitamin AAnd vitamin K and Vitamin E. All of them can be stored to a greater or lesser extent by the body. Therefore, overdosing is easier than taking water-soluble vitamins. Any excess is usually excreted in the urine. According to the Consumer Advice Centre, the urine then turns bright yellow. Water-soluble vitamins include all B vitamins and B vitamins Vitamin C.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW: The terms vitamin D, C, etc. are actually collective terms. They group substances that have a similar chemical connection. However, they can also be differentiated because they have a slightly different structure and occur with different frequencies in foods. Some of them are also used differently by the body. This is called bioavailability. In the case of vitamin A, for example, the main active ingredient is retinol, and vitamin C is also chemically called ascorbic acid. So every vitamin has a chemical name by which it is known. A good example is folic acid. Here are three terms that mean almost the same thing: folic acid, folate, and vitamin B9. According to the German Nutrition Society, “folic acid” refers only to the synthetically produced chemical found in nutritional supplements. The compound that reacts like vitamin B9 in the body and found in food is called folic acid, not folic acid.

Minerals such as zinc or selenium are also micronutrients, but not vitamins. However, they are also essential for the body.

All vitamins in one table – their function, deficiency symptoms and foods

In the following table you will find all the vitamins at a glance. Its function in the body is presented in a very simplified manner, and the symptoms of its deficiency cannot be limited to those mentioned in the table. The table is therefore intended to serve as a pure overview. In order for you to know more detailed information, we have listed more links in the last column.