Fat-soluble vitamins: what the heck is that?

“What the heck are fat-soluble vitamins?”, asked an amazing photographer and friend of mine on a post on my Facebook page.

Otherwise known as ADEK vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E, and K are known as “fat-soluble vitamins” because they dissolve in fat. The B-vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, biotin, folic acid, and vitamin B12) and vitamin C are known as “water-soluble vitamins” because they dissolve in water.So why is this important? There are a number of reasons, the most important being that fat-soluble vitamins are more easily stored in body tissues (especially fatty tissues) over time. Since the body can store fat-soluble vitamins, it’s easier for them to accumulate to dangerous levels (i.e. vitamin toxicity) if you consume more then the recommended amount.It’s much harder (but possible) to accumulate dangerous levels of water-soluble vitamins, since they are easily excreted in the urine. Vitamins A and K cause the greatest risk to health if too much is consumed.Too much vitamin A can cause visual changes, bone pain, and liver damage. Vitamin K is involved in blood clotting, so too much can cause jaundice in newborns and blocks the effects of oral anticoagulant medications such as Warfarin (used commonly to prevent blood clots, stokes, and heart attacks).

Fat-soluble vitamins: the killer vitamins (maybe)

The good news is that it’s really hard to obtain dangerous levels of vitamins from food alone. Most mainstream dietary supplements do not contain more than the recommended daily value (DV) of fat-soluble vitamins. It’s always important to read the label, especially in regards to vitamins A and K. More good news.Most dietary supplements contain a large portion of vitamin A as beta-carotene (that orange pigment in carrots). Beta-carotene is utilized by your body as vitamin A but is not dangerous like vitamin A if you consume too much. Remember with supplements that more is not always better (i.e. don’t take more than the label and/or your doctor recommend).Dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, collard greens, spinach, and broccoli are good sources of many fat-soluble vitamins. Mix in just a little fat (like ½ of an avocado on a salad) with these dark green leafy vegetables, and the fat-soluble vitamins will be more easily absorbed by your body. Various meats and eggs are also a good source of vitamin A.