10/17/2025
Vitamin Cheat Sheet (Evidence-Based)
🔥 Strong = RCT/Meta-analysis | ⚖️ Moderate = Observational/Population Studies | ❓ Limited = Expert Opinion or Weak Data
🔥 Vitamin A: Vision & Immunity | Carrots, Spinach
⚠️ Avoid high doses in pregnancy — teratogenic risk.
🔥 Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Energy & Nerves | Whole Grains, Pork
🔥 Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Metabolism | Milk, Eggs
🔥 Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Skin & Cholesterol | Fish, Poultry
❓ Vitamin B5 (Pantothenate): Energy Metabolism | Avocado, Eggs — supplementation not recommended unless prescribed.
🔥 Vitamin B6: Brain & Mood | Bananas, Chicken
❓ Vitamin B7 (Biotin): Hair & Nails | Eggs, Almonds
🔥 Vitamin B9 (Folate): Fetal Growth | Leafy Greens, Legumes
🔥 Vitamin B12: Blood, Brain & Nerves | Meat, Dairy
🔥 Vitamin C: Antioxidant & Immunity | Citrus, Broccoli
🔥 Vitamin D: Bone Health (🔥) & Immunity (⚖️) | Sunlight, Salmon
❓ Vitamin D + K or A + D + K Combinations — evidence for added benefit is weak; use Vitamin D₂ or D₃ alone unless specifically prescribed by endocrinology or hepatology.
⚖️ Vitamin E: Antioxidant | Nuts, Seeds, Oils
⚠️ Avoid oral and topical supplements except when prescribed for biopsy-proven MASLD (NASH) per AASLD guidelines.
🔥 Vitamin K: Blood Clotting & Bones | Kale, Broccoli, Leafy Greens
⚠️ Patients on warfarin (Coumadin) must maintain consistent intake — sudden changes can cause bleeding or clotting; Vitamin K reverses warfarin.
⚠️ Avoid supplements with any blood thinner unless directed by a physician.
Key Nutrients Beyond Vitamins
🔥 Omega-3: Heart & Brain | Fatty Fish (Salmon, Sardines), Walnuts
🔥 Magnesium: Muscle & Nerves | Spinach, Nuts
⚖️ Probiotics: Gut Health | Yogurt, Ferments
🔥 Zinc: Immunity & Healing | Meat, Seeds
⚠️ Short-term use only — excess zinc impairs iron absorption and can cause deficiency.
🔥 Fiber: Digestion, Heart & Metabolic Health | Beans, Grains
🔥 Iron: Oxygen Transport | Red Meat, Lentils
🔥 Calcium: Bone Strength | Milk, Kale
❓ Multivitamins: Often low-dose, redundant, or incomplete; no proven health benefit in well-nourished adults. Use only for documented deficiencies or directed therapy.
Safe Supplement Use 💬
A healthy diet usually provides all essential nutrients. Supplements can fill gaps but may also affect how medications work.
🔥 Iron, Calcium, and Magnesium can reduce absorption of thyroid medication (e.g., levothyroxine) and some antibiotics.
⚖️ If iron-deficient and unable to tolerate iron supplements, consider Vitamin C (≈ 500 mg) with a large meal daily to enhance iron absorption from foods.