Vitamins: What They Do, Who Needs Them, and What Really Works

When you hear vitamins, organic compounds your body needs in small amounts to function properly. Also known as micronutrients, they don’t give you energy, but they make sure your body can use the energy from food. Think of them like tiny switches—flip one, and your metabolism, immune response, or nerve signals turn on. Without them, things break down quietly: tiredness, poor healing, weak bones, or numb hands aren’t always from aging—they could be from missing a single vitamin.

Not all vitamin deficiencies, a lack of essential nutrients that leads to physical symptoms are obvious. Low vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin made by skin in sunlight and critical for bone and immune health is common in India, even in sunny cities, because people stay indoors or cover up. Low B12 vitamin, a key nutrient for nerve function and red blood cell production, often lacking in vegetarian diets shows up as brain fog or tingling fingers, not just anemia. And while vitamin supplements, pills or powders designed to add missing nutrients to your diet are everywhere, most healthy people get enough from food. Taking more than you need doesn’t make you stronger—it can hurt your liver, kidneys, or even raise your risk of fractures.

What you see online—vitamins for glowing skin, energy boosts, or weight loss—often ignores the real science. If you eat balanced meals with veggies, eggs, dairy, lentils, and sunlight, you’re probably covered. But if you’re over 60, vegan, diabetic, or recovering from surgery, your needs change. That’s where testing and real advice matter. Below, you’ll find honest takes on who actually benefits from supplements, what’s overhyped, and which health conditions make vitamins a must—not a marketing gimmick.