List of vitamins: All 13 with RDAs and deficiency signs

A list of vitamins names the 13 essential vitamins the body needs from food or supplements. Four are fat-soluble (A, D, E and K) and nine are water-soluble (the eight B vitamins plus vitamin C).

This reference gives each vitamin’s chemical name, main function, adult RDA, food sources and deficiency signs. Practitioners use it to screen supplement use at intake, record doses consistently and spot the few vitamins that need a clinical check.

Key takeaways

Nutrition science recognizes 13 essential vitamins: four fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and nine water-soluble vitamins (eight B vitamins plus vitamin C).

Fat-soluble vitamins need dietary fat for absorption and build up in body tissue, while water-soluble vitamins are stored minimally and need regular intake.

RDA and upper intake limits vary by age, sex and pregnancy status, so check the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements figures when you counsel patients.

In Pabau’s practice management software, digital intake forms capture each patient’s vitamin supplements and deficiency history as structured data in the patient record.

What is a list of vitamins?

A clinical vitamin list documents the vitamins the body cannot make in sufficient amounts and must get from diet or supplements. Unlike minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc, vitamins are organic compounds that drive metabolism, immunity and wound healing.

In practice, the list does three jobs:

• It structures intake screening, so you capture supplement use and likely deficiencies.
• It gives you a shared script for explaining why a vitamin matters for a patient’s goals.
• It documents the basis for any supplement you recommend as part of a wellness or treatment plan.

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements publishes the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). These are the intake standards to cite when you counsel patients on adequate levels.

How to use the list in your practice

Start with your intake form. Ask about current supplements by name, not just “Do you take any medications?” Many patients leave over-the-counter vitamins off a medication list unless prompted.

1. Screen at intake: Walk through each group (fat-soluble vitamins, the B complex and vitamin C) so the supplement history comes back complete.
2. Document in the clinical record: Record the vitamin name, dose, frequency and duration. Note any deficiency symptoms the patient reports, such as fatigue, poor wound healing or bone pain.
3. Flag interactions: Cross-reference vitamin K if the patient takes warfarin. Note high-dose vitamin A risks in pregnancy, and review vitamin D in patients with known hypercalcemia. Monitor B12 in patients on metformin.
4. Educate patients: Use the list in consultations to explain why one vitamin matters for their condition. Vitamin D supports bone health, folate supports cell division and vitamin C supports wound healing.
5. Build protocols: Check the RDA and UL columns before recommending a supplement, so every dose stays inside a safe range you can explain.

When screening points to a likely deficiency, follow up with a full nutrition assessment form before you recommend a supplement. Then store the vitamin list in your digital intake forms, so every clinician on your team uses the same names and fields.

The 13 essential vitamins at a glance

All 13 vitamins fall into two solubility classes, each with its own absorption and storage pattern.

Fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, K

Fat-soluble vitamins need dietary fat for absorption and are stored in body tissue. Excess intake can therefore build up to toxic levels over time. That storage helps patients with patchy diets, but it calls for caution with high-dose supplement protocols.

• Vitamin A (retinol): Essential for night vision, immune function and skin integrity. Found in liver, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach. Deficiency causes night blindness and dry skin, while chronic excess can cause bone pain and cognitive effects.
• Vitamin D (cholecalciferol / ergocalciferol): Regulates calcium absorption for bone health and modulates immune responses. The skin makes it in sunlight, and fatty fish, egg yolks and fortified milk supply it. Deficiency causes rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
• Vitamin E (tocopherol): An antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative damage. Found in nuts, seeds, oils and leafy greens. Deficiency is rare outside malabsorption disorders, and doses above 400 IU a day raise bleeding risk in some patients.
• Vitamin K (phylloquinone / menaquinone): Needed for blood clotting (K1) and bone mineralization (K2). K1 comes from leafy greens, and K2 from gut bacteria and fermented foods. Deficiency causes easy bruising and bleeding, and patients on warfarin need a consistent intake.

Water-soluble vitamins: B complex and vitamin C

Water-soluble vitamins are stored in small amounts, and the body excretes the excess in urine. Your patients need a steady intake from food or supplements, and toxicity is uncommon.

The eight B vitamins work together in energy metabolism, nerve function and DNA synthesis. That is why many practitioners recommend a B-complex supplement rather than a single B vitamin.

• B1 (thiamine): Converts food to energy and supports nerve function. Deficiency (beriberi) causes peripheral neuropathy and heart problems, and appears mostly with alcohol misuse and malnutrition.
• B2 (riboflavin): Supports energy production and cell growth. Deficiency causes cracked lips, eye sensitivity and a sore throat.
• B3 (niacin): Essential for DNA repair and energy metabolism. High doses can cause flushing, and deficiency (pellagra) causes dermatitis, diarrhea and cognitive changes.
• B5 (pantothenic acid): Involved in hormone and cholesterol synthesis. Deficiency is extremely rare.
• B6 (pyridoxine): Supports brain development and immune function. Deficiency causes depression, confusion and neuropathy, and more than 100 mg a day long term can also cause neuropathy.
• B7 (biotin): Supports hair, skin and nail health, which makes it popular with aesthetic patients. High doses can distort some lab results, including thyroid and troponin tests, so ask about biotin before bloodwork.
• B9 (folate / folic acid): Needed for cell division and DNA synthesis. The standard pregnancy recommendation is 400 mcg a day to help prevent neural tube defects.
• B12 (cobalamin): Essential for nerve and red blood cell function. Untreated deficiency causes anemia and lasting nerve damage, so screen vegans and patients on metformin routinely.
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid): Supports immunity, collagen synthesis and antioxidant defense. Citrus, berries and bell peppers are rich sources. Deficiency (scurvy) causes poor wound healing, bruising and gum disease, and smokers need an extra 35 mg a day.

How to document supplements in the patient record

When a patient reports taking vitamins, record the specific vitamin (not just “multivitamin”), the dose, frequency, duration and reason for use. Add any side effects the patient mentions.

Supplement interactions slip through medication reviews when the record only says “takes vitamins.” Some answers need a clinical check every time, and the table below shows the six this guide covers.

Record supplements next to the patient’s OTC medication list, so one review covers both. A structured supplement section in your patient records system then gives every clinician the same history at the next visit.

Why a shared reference improves your records

A structured vitamin reference makes screening more complete. Many patients don’t think of vitamins as medication, so they leave them out unless a list prompts them.

It also gives your team one vocabulary. Without it, one clinician writes “B12 supplement 1000 mcg weekly” and another writes “cobalamin 1 mg IM monthly.” Notes like these are hard to compare during handoffs and audits.

It grounds patient education in evidence. When a patient asks whether they need a vitamin, you can point to the RDA instead of an opinion. Record the reason for each recommendation so the patient understands it, too.

Finally, consistent supplement records support compliance. They show an inspector or auditor exactly what was recommended, at what dose and why.

Minerals worth adding to the same sheet

Minerals matter just as much for bone health, nerve function and enzyme activity. Many practitioners record vitamins and minerals together on one reference sheet.

Calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and iodine are the minerals wellness practices supplement most. Each has its own RDA, absorption needs and toxicity threshold. Iron, for example, absorbs better alongside vitamin C.

Weight management practices often use a combined vitamin-and-mineral intake form, because restricted diets can leave patients short on both. Good weight loss clinic software keeps that form next to the patient’s meal plans and progress notes.

For patient-friendly background, see the Mayo Clinic’s vitamins and supplements guide and the MedlinePlus vitamin reference.

Using the list in consultations

In a consultation, the patient’s vitamin list becomes a teaching tool. If a patient reports fatigue, check iron, B12 and vitamin D, since these deficiencies often sit behind low energy. If a patient is pregnant, confirm they take at least 400 mcg of folic acid a day.

Ask about duration (“How long have you taken vitamin D?”) and source (“Who recommended it?”). Patients often keep taking supplements with no clear reason. Asking opens a conversation about whether each one still fits their goals.

How Pabau keeps supplement histories in the patient record

Most practices collect supplement answers on a paper form or a free-text field. The answers then sit apart from the treatment notes, and nobody can search them.

Pabau turns the vitamin list into a digital intake form with set fields for name, dose and frequency. Patients complete it before their visit, and their answers flow straight into the patient record.

Your team then sees the supplement history next to treatment notes at every follow-up. You can check what was recommended, how the patient tolerated it and whether their symptoms improved.

See how Pabau simplifies supplement documentation

Capture vitamin and supplement intake with digital forms, and store each patient’s complete supplement history in one searchable record.

Book a demo

Conclusion

A vitamin list does its work on the intake form, where every patient meets the same questions. Put the 13 vitamins on your form, ask for dose and frequency every time and check the six high-risk answers before treatment.

The trade-off is a few extra intake questions. In return, you get supplement records your whole team can read the same way. Book a demo to see how Pabau turns this list into a digital intake form that files every answer in the patient record.

Continue your research

Need a quick nutrient reference for appointments? Nutrition cheat sheet puts key nutrient targets on one page for busy consultations.

Turning a deficiency into a plan? Nutrition care plan structures goals, interventions and follow-up for each patient.

Documenting a nutrition consultation? Nutrition SOAP note gives you a consistent format for recording assessments and plans.

Building meals around a patient’s needs? Nutritionist meal plan helps you map daily meals to a patient’s targets.

Helping patients track what they eat? Nutrition worksheet gives patients a simple way to log intake between visits.

Frequently asked questions about vitamins