The 13 Essential Vitamins: Which Ones Are Commonly Under-Consumed?
Most people have heard of vitamins A, C, D, and B12—on a cereal box, a multivitamin label, or a reminder at your last checkup. Fewer could name all 13 essential vitamins, and fewer still know which ones are commonly under-consumed in U.S. diets. This guide gives you the full list, explains the difference between fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins, and focuses on the vitamins worth paying closer attention to. Along the way, we’ll also make an important distinction: falling short on a vitamin through food is not the same thing as having a clinical deficiency.
What makes a vitamin “essential”?
In nutrition, “essential” means your body cannot make enough of a nutrient on its own, so you need to get it from food, fortified foods, supplements, or (in the case of vitamin D) your skin. There are 13 essential vitamins. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc are also essential nutrients, but they are a separate category.
Fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K
Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed along with dietary fat and can be stored in the body. As with any nutrient, it’s important to follow recommended amounts rather than assuming more is better.
Water-soluble vitamins: vitamin C and the B vitamins
Vitamin C and the eight B vitamins are water-soluble, and your body generally stores less of them than fat-soluble vitamins. One important exception is B12, which your body can store for years.
The 13 essential vitamins at a glance
The table below gives each vitamin a basic job and a few common food sources. It is not a ranking: all 13 are essential, even though some are more likely than others to be under-consumed.
Which vitamins are commonly under-consumed in the U.S.?
A nationwide analysis of NHANES data gathered between 2005 and 2016 looked at how many U.S. adults had vitamin intakes from food below the Estimated Average Requirement, or EAR.
Below the EAR does not mean deficient. It means estimated intake from food fell below a population benchmark. Your actual vitamin status can depend on supplements, absorption, health factors, and—for vitamin D—sunlight.
Common vitamin intake gaps in the U.S.
Vitamin D: a common intake gap with an important caveat
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and supports normal bone health. It is unusual because food is only one source: your skin can also make vitamin D when exposed to UVB radiation. That makes dietary-intake numbers especially easy to misread. You can have low vitamin D intake from food without necessarily having low blood levels—and the reverse can also be true. Your vitamin D status can also be affected by season, geography, age, time outdoors, skin pigmentation, body composition, and some health conditions.
If you have darker skin, greater amounts of melanin can reduce how much vitamin D your skin makes from sunlight. That does not tell you on its own whether your vitamin D level is low, but it can be one factor to consider when discussing your vitamin D needs with a healthcare professional.
Common food sources include fatty fish, fortified milk and plant beverages, some fortified cereals, and egg yolks. If you’re wondering about your vitamin D level, it’s a fair question to bring to your next appointment. Your doctor can help you decide whether testing or a supplement makes sense for you.
Vitamin E: widely under-consumed from food alone
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and also supports immune function. In the NHANES food-only analysis, 84% of adults had estimated vitamin E intake below the EAR. Good food sources include nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. A handful of almonds or sunflower seeds is an easy place to start.
Vitamin C: commonly low in the diet
Vitamin C supports collagen formation, antioxidant activity, and iron absorption. In the same NHANES analysis, 46% of adults had food-only intake below the EAR. Good sources include citrus, peppers, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli, and tomatoes. If you smoke, you need more vitamin C because your body uses more of it.
Vitamin A: another gap that often reflects the overall diet pattern
Vitamin A supports vision, immune function, reproduction, and normal cell growth. In the same NHANES analysis, 45% of adults had food-only intake below the EAR. You can get vitamin A from liver, eggs, and dairy, as well as orange and dark-green vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and kale.
When averages don’t tell the whole story
Population averages can show where vitamin gaps are common, but they don’t tell you everything about your own needs. Folic acid and vitamin B12 are two good examples.
Folate and folic acid: especially important before and during early pregnancy
Folic acid is the form of folate (vitamin B9) used in fortified foods and many supplements. CDC recommends getting 400 micrograms of folic acid every day if you could become pregnant—adequate folic acid intake before and during early pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects. This is a pregnancy-related recommendation, not evidence that most adults are folate deficient.
Vitamin B12: pay attention to age, diet, and absorption
Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy nerve and blood cells and is needed to make DNA. You get it naturally from animal foods such as fish, meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy, as well as some fortified foods. If you eat little or no animal food, getting adequate B12 from reliable sources such as fortified foods or supplements becomes especially important. Your risk of falling short can also increase with age or if you have a condition or surgery that affects absorption. Because your body stores B12, a shortfall can take time to develop.
What about the other B vitamins and vitamin K?
Thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), vitamin B6, biotin (B7), and vitamin K are all essential, but they are not among the largest food-only intake gaps highlighted in the population data used here. A varied diet usually provides these vitamins through a mix of whole grains, beans, vegetables, nuts and seeds, dairy, eggs, fish, poultry, and meat. Still, diet, medications, alcohol use, issues with absorption, and other health factors may affect how much you absorb or how easily you meet your needs.
Can you get all 13 essential vitamins from food?
You can usually meet most of your vitamin needs through a varied diet built around nutrient-dense foods—things like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and other legumes, nuts and seeds, dairy or fortified alternatives, eggs, fish, and other protein foods. But “food first” does not have to mean “food only.” Fortified foods or supplements can make sense when a nutrient is harder to get from your usual diet, when you avoid major food sources, or when your needs change because of life stage or health. Vitamin D, vitamin B12 on a vegan diet, and folic acid around pregnancy are good examples of why your own context matters.
Do you need a multivitamin to get the vitamins you need?
A multivitamin can help fill nutrient gaps when your diet does not consistently provide enough of certain vitamins. That does not mean everyone needs one, and it cannot replace the broader benefits of a varied diet. There is no single standard formula, either. Two products labeled “multivitamin” can contain very different nutrients and amounts. A multivitamin may make sense depending on your diet, life stage, and individual needs—for example, if you avoid major food groups or regularly fall short on certain nutrients. Pregnancy, diagnosed deficiencies, and some medical or absorption conditions may call for more specific guidance than a general multivitamin can provide.
How to evaluate a multivitamin
If you take prescription medication, are pregnant, have a diagnosed deficiency, or have a condition that affects digestion or absorption, talk with a healthcare professional before building a supplement routine.
- Are there any vitamins I’m more likely to fall short on because of my diet or life stage?
- Would a blood test help before I take a targeted supplement?
- Would a multivitamin make sense for me, or should I focus on a specific nutrient?
- Could any supplements interact with my medications?
- Could I be getting too much of anything by combining supplements?
- What should I focus on getting from food?
Questions to ask about your vitamin needs
