This page provides information on what these vitamins do, how much you need, how to get them through a healthy, balanced diet and what can happen if you have too much.
There are two main groups of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble.
Vitamins in a healthy balanced diet
Vitamins are nutrients your body needs to work properly and stay healthy. Find out about common vitamins and how to get them through a healthy, balanced diet
Vitamins
Fat soluble vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins are found in plant and animal foods that contain fat, like nuts, seeds, milk, butter, vegetable oils, eggs, liver and oily fish. Our bodies can store fat-soluble vitamins, which means we don’t need to consume them every day. It can be harmful to consume a lot more fat-soluble vitamins than we need.
Fat-soluble vitamins include:
What does it do?
- helps maintain the health of skin
- helps strengthen the immune system to fight infections
- helps vision in dim light
What are good sources?
- dark green leafy vegetables
- orange-coloured fruits and vegetables
- dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt
- eggs
- oily fish (such as mackerel)
- fortified low fat spreads
Liver is very high in vitamin A, so it’s best to eat liver or liver products no more than once a week, especially if you also take supplements containing vitamin A.
Vitamin A and pregnancy
If you're pregnant, or thinking of having a baby, you should avoid eating liver, as too much vitamin A can be harmful during pregnancy. In addition to avoiding eating liver or liver products, you should also avoid taking supplements including fish liver oil (except on the advice of your GP) that contain vitamin A. Ask your GP or midwife if you would like more information. Visit our page on pregnancy for more advice.
How much do I need?
You should be able to get all the vitamin A you need from your daily diet. This is:
- 0.7mg (700 µg) a day for men
- 0.6mg (600 µg) a day for women
What happens if I have too much?
You should be able to get all the vitamin A you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you do decide to take a supplement that contains vitamin A, make sure you don't have more than a total of 1.5mg per day from your food and supplements. Many multivitamins contain vitamin A. Other supplements, such as fish liver oil, are also high in vitamin A, so check the label to make sure you aren’t getting more than 1.5mg (1,500 µg).
Some research suggests that having more than an average of 1.5mg (1,500 µg) per day of vitamin A over many years may affect your bones and make them more likely to fracture when you're older. This is especially important for older people, particularly women, who are already at a higher risk of osteoporosis (a condition that weakens bones, making them more fragile).
If you aren't getting enough vitamin D, you might be more at risk of the harmful effects of too much vitamin A. You can see our vitamin D advice for more information.
What does it do?
- helps protect cells and keeps them healthy
- helps the body absorb iron from plant sources
What are good sources and how much do I need?
Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables such as:
• peppers, broccoli and brussels sprouts
• sweet potatoes
• oranges and kiwi fruit
Vitamin C can't be stored in the body, which means you need it in your diet every day. Adults need 40mg a day, which you should be able to get from your daily diet.
What happens if I have too much?
Taking large amounts of vitamin C can cause stomach pain, diarrhoea and flatulence. But these symptoms should disappear once you stop taking the supplements.
You should be able to get all the vitamin C you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take vitamin C supplements, it's important not to take too much because this could be harmful.
Taking 1000mg or less of vitamin C supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.
It's important that people get enough vitamin D as it has a number of important functions and is needed to support bone and muscle health. We’re encouraging everyone in Scotland to consider taking a vitamin D supplement between October and March. Learn more about vitamin D.
Water-soluble vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins come from food like fruit, vegetables, milk, dairy and grains. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, our bodies can't store them. This means we need to eat them more often. If we consume more than we need, our bodies flush out the extra through urine.
Water-soluble vitamins can be destroyed more easily by heat or exposure to air than fat-soluble vitamins. They can also get lost in water when cooking, especially when boiling food.
Water-soluble vitamins include:
What does it do?
- helps protect cells and keeps them healthy
- helps the body absorb iron from plant sources
What are good sources and how much do I need?
Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables such as:
- peppers, broccoli and brussels sprouts
- sweet potatoes
- oranges and kiwi fruit
Vitamin C can't be stored in the body, which means you need it in your diet every day. Adults need 40mg a day, which you should be able to get from your daily diet.
What happens if I have too much?
Taking large amounts of vitamin C can cause stomach pain, diarrhoea and flatulence. But these symptoms should disappear once you stop taking the supplements.
You should be able to get all the vitamin C you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take vitamin C supplements it's important not to take too much because this could be harmful.
Taking 1000mg or less of vitamin C supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.
What does it do?
- works with other B-group vitamins to help break down and release energy from the food we eat
- helps keep nerves and muscle tissue healthy
What are good sources?
Thiamine is found in many types of food including:
- fruit and vegetables such as peas and oranges
- dairy products such as milk and cheese
- eggs
- whole grain breads
- fortified products such as some breakfast cereals
How much do I need?
Thiamine can't be stored in the body, which means you need it in your diet every day. You should be able to get all the thiamine you need from your daily diet. This is:
- 1mg a day for men
- 0.8mg a day for women
What happens if I have too much?
You should be able to get all the thiamine you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take supplements it's a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful.
There isn't enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of thiamine supplements each day.
What does it do?
- works with other B-group vitamins to help break down and release energy from the food we eat
- helps keep skin, eyes and the nervous system healthy
- helps produce red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body
What are good sources?
Riboflavin is found in small amounts in many foods, but is easily destroyed, so it’s best to keep these foods out of direct sunlight. Good sources include:
- milk
- eggs
- fortified products such as some breakfast cereals
- rice
- mushrooms
How much do I need?
Riboflavin can't be stored in the body, which means you need it in your diet every day. You should be able to get all the riboflavin you need from your daily diet. This is:
- 1.3mg a day for men
- 1.1mg a day for women
What happens if I have too much?
You should be able to get all the riboflavin you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take supplements it's a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful.
There isn't enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of thiamine supplements each day. Taking 40mg or less of riboflavin supplements per day is unlikely to cause any harm.
What does it do?
- works with other B-group vitamins to help break down and release energy from the food we eat
- helps keep both the nervous and digestive system healthy
What are good sources?
There are two forms of niacin: nicotinic acid and nicotinamide, and both are found in food. Good sources include:
- milk
- eggs
- wheat and maize flour
- chicken
- pork
- beef
How much do I need?
Niacin can't be stored in the body, which means you need it in your diet every day. You should be able to get all the niacin you need from your daily diet. This is:
- 16.5mg a day for men
- 13.2mg a day for women
What happens if I have too much?
Taking high doses of nicotinic acid supplements can cause skin flushes. Taking high doses for a long time could lead to liver damage. There isn't enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of nicotinamide supplements each day.
You should be able to get the amount you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take supplements it's a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful.
Taking 17mg or less of nicotinic acid supplements a day, or taking 500mg or less of nicotinamide supplements a day, is unlikely to cause any harm.
What does it do?
- allows the body to use and store energy from the food we eat
- helps the body form haemoglobin (the substance that carries oxygen around in the blood)
What are good sources?
Pyridoxine is found in a wide variety of foods including:
- meat and fish such as chicken, turkey, cod and pork
- whole cereals such as oatmeal, rice, wheatgerm and wholegrain bread
- eggs
- vegetables and potatoes
- soya beans
- peanuts
- milk
- some fortified breakfast cereals
How much do I need?
Pyridoxine can't be stored in the body, which means you need it in your diet every day. You should be able to get all the pyridoxine you need from your daily diet. This is:
- 1.4mg a day for men
- 1.2mg a day for women
What happens if I have too much?
Taking large amounts of vitamin B6 (more than 200mg a day), or taking it for a long time, can lead to a loss of feeling in the arms and legs - known as peripheral neuropathy. Generally, these symptoms are reversible - so once you stop taking the supplements, the symptoms usually stop. However, in a few cases when people have taken large amounts of vitamin B6, especially for more than just a few months, the effect has been irreversible.
You should be able to get the amount you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take supplements it's a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful.
Taking doses between 10 and 200 mg a day, for short periods of time, might not cause any harm. But there isn't enough evidence to say for how long these doses could be taken safely. Do not take more than 10 mg of vitamin B6 supplements a day, unless advised by a medical professional.
What does it do?
- helps produce red blood cells
- has an important role during pregnancy in reducing the risk of neural tube defects like spina bifida
What are good sources?
Folate (also known as folic acid) can be found in:
- vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus and peas
- chickpeas
- fortified breakfast cereals
- brown rice
- fruits such as oranges and bananas
What is the current advice if you are thinking of having a baby or are pregnant?
If you're pregnant or thinking of having a baby you should take a 400 microgram (400μg) folic acid supplement daily, from the time you stop using contraception until the 12th week of pregnancy. Some women may need to take 5mg (5,0004μg)) of folic acid each day until the 12th week of pregnancy, so you should speak to your GP or midwife.
In Scotland, all pregnant women are entitled to free vitamins which contain folic acid, vitamin D and vitamin C. You don’t have to qualify for these - just ask your midwife or health visitor for more information.
How much do I need?
Folic acid is a water soluble vitamin which means you need it in your diet every day because it can't be stored in the body. Unless you're pregnant or thinking of having a baby, you should be able to get all the folate you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Adults need 200 micrograms (200μg) a day.
What happens if I have too much?
People who take folic acid supplements should be aware that it is important not to take more than 1mg (1000 micrograms) per day as this could be harmful and could mask the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. Over time, this can damage the nervous system if it’s not treated. This is particularly a concern for older people because it becomes more difficult to absorb vitamin B12 as you get older.
Taking 1mg or less a day of folic acid supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.
What does it do?
- works with other B-group vitamins to help break down and release energy from the food we eat
- helps make red blood cells
- keeps the nervous system healthy
- is needed to process folic acid
What are good sources?
Vitamin B12 is only found naturally in meat, fish and animal products, but some foods and drinks have added B12. Good sources include:
- meat and fish
- dairy products such as milk and cheese
- eggs
- fortified products such as some breakfast cereals and non-dairy alternative drinks
How much do I need?
Vitamin B12 can't be stored in the body, which means you need it in your diet every day. If you eat meat, fish or animal products then you should be able to get enough vitamin B12 from your diet. However, because there aren’t plant sources of vitamin B12, those who don’t eat meat, fish or animal products might not get enough, and are at higher risk of deficiency. Adults need about 1.5 micrograms (1μg) a day
You can visit our page on vegetarian and vegan diets to learn more about making sure you are getting the nutrients you need.
What happens if I have too much?
If you eat meat, fish or animal products, you should be able to get all the vitamin B12 you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take vitamin B12 supplements it's a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful.
There isn't enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of vitamin B12 supplements each day. Taking 2mg or less of vitamin B12 supplements per day is unlikely to cause any harm.