Vitamins are important for your healthy living. Throughout the day, you intake vitamins in a variety of ways. From foods to sunlight, vitamins are available from so many spheres. But are all of them the same? How long do vitamins stay in your system once you intake them?
Vitamins have different types. The longevity of vitamins depends on those types. Metabolism is another aspect to consider for vitamins. Generally, the fat-soluble ones last more than water-soluble vitamins – for weeks or even months. On the other hand, water-soluble vitamins stay for a day or two.
To sustain a healthy living, you should know when this crucial resource is about to run out. It will help you replenish your vitamin storage and stay healthy.
Vitamin longevity will vary depending on how you intake vitamins, your body, and your health. There are some deep facts regarding these factors. Stick along, and let’s dive deeper.
Water-soluble vitamins are difficult for your body to store for future use. As a result, the excess amount of this type of vitamin leaves your body through urine.
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How Long Do Vitamins Stay In Your System?
What are vitamins? It is a question all of us are familiar with. As we all know, they are some of the vital ingredients that keep our bodies running. But have you wondered how long do vitamins stay in your system?
Vitamins have types of their own. Mainly fat and water-soluble vitamins are out there. But how long they will stay in your body still remains a mystery.
There is no exact answer to the question. However, depending on the type and your metabolism, vitamins can stay in your body for various amounts of time.
Usually, fat-soluble vitamins tend to stay longer than water-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in fats, and they stay for a period starting from 15 hours to even a month.
Your body very rapidly uses water-soluble vitamins. They don’t stay as long as the fat-soluble ones. Your body exerts the excess vitamins through urine or sweat.
So to ensure you are healthy, you should regularly take foods that can replenish your body’s vitamin needs.
How to Know You Are Low On Vitamins?
We all know how important vitamins are, right? Your body would not run at all without them. That is why your doctors would always suggest you take foods that contain rich amounts of vitamins.
If you don’t, you will get a disease called vitamin deficiency. But how would you know that you are low on vitamins?
When you stop or reduce ingesting nutritious food, your body will surely go against you. You will find some unpleasant symptoms. A lack of vitamins is what your body will try to tell you. So what are the common symptoms?
| Symptoms | Deficiency | Source of vitamin |
| Bleeding Gum | Vitamin C | Fruits and vegetables |
| Mouth ulcers | Iron and B Vitamins | Fish, meat, green veggies, seeds, nuts |
| Bad night vision | A vitamins | Meats, eggs, dairy, dark green and yellow-orange veggies |
| Hair fall | Iron, zinc, Vitamin B3 and B7 | Fish, organ meat, dairy, eggs, wheat, nuts |
| Dandruff and scaly patches | Zinc, vitamin B2, B3, B6 | Whole grain, fish, poultry, meat, starchy veggies, nuts |
| Brittle nails | Vitamin B7 | Fish, meat, nuts, spinach, broccoli, bananas |
Vitamin Overdose
Too much of a good thing can turn out pretty bad. The same goes for vitamins in your body. Though it is recommended that you take reasonable amounts of vitamins for healthy living, too much for a long time can turn ugly.
Your body can get rid of extra water-soluble vitamins. But it is difficult to excerpt the extra amounts of fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin A, in this case, can become toxic in excess amounts.
Vitamin overdose can result in several problems. Each type of vitamin impacts differently when you intake high amounts for a long period. Let’s see the following table.
| Overdose | Effects |
| Vitamin A | Liver damage, hair fall, vomiting, diarrhea, fever. |
| B Vitamins | Nerve damage, jaundice, nausea. |
| Vitamin D | constipation, muscle weakness, and unusual heart rhythm. |
| Vitamin EInterference in blood clotting. |
Confused if you should stop taking vitamins?!
Well, don’t worry. If you are taking extra vitamins, follow your doctor’s guidance. Be sure to maintain the schedule your doctor prescribes. You will be healthy and full of useful vitamins.
Vitamins: Fat-Soluble vs Water-Soluble
Once vitamins get inside your body, they will stay there depending on several factors. One is the place it’s being stored. There are two types of vitamins, mainly depending on this fact. While storing, once dissolved in water, another type in fat.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Amongst the two types of vitamins, fat solubles stay in your body longer. As the name suggests, when you intake such vitamins, they dissolve in fat, and your body stores them.
So which are the fat-soluble vitamins? Here is the list.
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
Fat-soluble vitamins do not directly go into the bloodstream. Instead, they are absorbed in the small intestine. Then after being transported through the lymphatic system, they go to your bloodstream.
These types of vitamins are stored differently depending on the body, metabolism, and more. If you are healthy, you should have enough vitamin D that should last you for three months.
Unless your body requires it, it will keep on storing fat-soluble vitamins inside your body. So you should have plenty of resources to maintain proper health.
Water-Soluble Vitamins
These types of vitamins dissolve in water when you intake them. So they are very easy for your tissues and muscles to absorb. It happens pretty quickly as well.
Water-soluble vitamins are difficult for your body to store for future use. As a result, the excess amount of this type of vitamin leaves your body through urine.
So it is necessary to replenish your storage in your body. This way, you would be able to avoid deficiencies that can negatively impact your body.
If we dive deeper, we will see there are nine water-soluble vitamins. These are-
- Vitamin B
- Folate
- Thiamine
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- pantothenic acid
- Biotin
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin C
These vitamins get dissolved in water inside your body. So they are not stored for a long period. They get absorbed rapidly by your tissues. It might take a day or two. But, Among B12 and Vitamin C are the exceptions in this case.
When you intake foods containing these vitamins, B12 gets stored in your liver. Vitamin C, on the other hand, gets stored in your adrenal glands. Your body can preserve it there for three to four months.
Since most of the water-soluble vitamins get absorbed or exerted very soon, you need to keep the supply of these running.
Multivitamin Supplements: Are They Beneficial?
If you lack vitamins and see symptoms, you might have started taking multivitamin supplements. If not, are you thinking of starting them? Do they work to fulfill your body’s vitamin needs?
Multivitamins are one of the most common supplements everyone takes at least once in their life. Depending on the brand, they contain vitamins, minerals, and other elements.
Multivitamins have many benefits, including dealing with your vitamin deficiencies. Studies show that they are good for your brain function and eyesight. If you cannot maintain a balanced diet regularly, multivitamin supplements can help you satisfy your body’s lack of vitamins.
However, there are some risks when taking multivitamin supplements. How long vitamins stay in your system- depends on the type of vitamin you are dealing with. When you sweat or urinate, your body gets rid of the excess water-soluble vitamins.
Fat-soluble vitamins, however, are difficult to excerpt when they are excess in amount. So what happens when your body possesses vitamins more than it needs? Let’s find out.
FAQs
How long do minerals stay in your body?
Vitamins and minerals can stay for different times in your body. Commonly water-soluble vitamins last up to 1 or 2 days. Then they are exerted from your body through sweat or urine.
Fat-soluble vitamins can stay in your body for a long time. They are also not that easy to get rid of. In general, they can stay in your body for months.
How long does vitamin c stay in your system?
If you are looking for the longevity of vitamin C in your body, you are in the right place. You can find vitamin C in fruits and vegetables. It is one of the water-soluble vitamins.
These types of vitamins are mixed with water when stored. So they are easy to absorb for your body. If any excess amount remains, your body simply flushes them out through sweat or urine. The longevity can last up to a day or two.
Final Words
The word vitamins come from the word vital amines – truly essential ingredients that make your life possible. But how long do vitamins stay in your system?
Your body gets different toes of vitamins from various sources – from your foods to the sunlight. Now, how long they will stay in your body depends on their type. Water-soluble vitamins are absorbed very rapidly, whereas fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A can stay for months in your body.
However, intaking excessive vitamins can cause unwanted symptoms – constipation, weakness, and more. So, consult your doctor before taking vitamins to live a healthy life.
