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What is a vitamin?
Medicine & HealthLesson on requestFree to read
Quick answer
A vitamin is a substance your body needs in small amounts to work properly but mostly can't make itself, so you get it from food. Vitamins help with everything from energy and vision to healing and strong bones — and each does a specific job.
Key things to understand
- Vitamins are essential micronutrients — needed in tiny amounts, but vital for health.
- Your body can't make most of them, so they must come from a varied diet.
- Each has specific roles: vitamin C for healing and immunity, vitamin D for bones, vitamin A for vision, B vitamins for energy.
- They're either water-soluble (B, C — not stored, so needed regularly) or fat-soluble (A, D, E, K — stored in the body).
- Too little causes deficiency diseases (like scurvy from lack of vitamin C); balance matters.
People also ask
Why do we need vitamins?
They help run essential body processes — immunity, energy release, vision, blood clotting, and bone health — and most can't be made by the body, so food supplies them.
What's the difference between water- and fat-soluble vitamins?
Water-soluble ones (B, C) aren't stored and are needed regularly; fat-soluble ones (A, D, E, K) are stored in body fat, so excess can build up.
Can you get all your vitamins from food?
A varied, balanced diet usually supplies them. Supplements help when a diet falls short or for specific needs, but more isn't always better. This is general information, not medical advice.