Unlocking Fat-Soluble Vitamins: A, D, E, and K Functions, Major Sources, and Current Relevance

INTRODUCTION

Vitamins are actually more than just a health hype word. Vitamins are the essential or important compounds which your body requires to work at its best.

Among all the vitamins, the fat-soluble vitamins are really special and important. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are the fat-soluble vitamins.

The fat-soluble vitamins will not get washed out faster from your body, just like the water-soluble vitamins like B vitamin and C vitamin. Instead of that, it will get stored in your body’s fat and liver for a longer period, and because these fast-soluble vitamins stay longer, your body can use these vitamins very gradually as required, but keep in mind if you take them in larger amounts, they might get accumulated in your body and become toxic or harmful.

What Do the Fat-Soluble Vitamins Actually

Mean?

Actually, these are the vitamins which will get mixed with the fat, and they are absorbed into your body at the time when you consume or eat fatty foods. Your body is capable of storing them for a longer period of time, and because of that, you do not want to eat them every day. But anyway, it is really important to maintain sufficient levels for good health.

There are 4 fat-soluble vitamins, and they are:

Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K

Now we are going to learn or understand them in depth.

1) VITAMIN A

The most important functions of vitamin A include     

• Supporting vision and mainly night vision.
• Strengthening your immune system.
• Boost your skin health and cell growth.
• Major role in reproduction and proper development of the fetus

2025 Insight: A very new scientific study from the Journal of Nutrition Science made a great finding, and that is that the individuals over age 50 who get sufficient vitamin A through their food or diet have almost a 30% reduced risk of getting age-related macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration is a condition which badly affects your eyes and that can lead to vision loss as you get older.

⭐Now, from where can you receive vitamin A?

Some of the most important vitamin A sources are carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, beef liver, mangoes and egg yolk.

A Tip For You: Your body will be able to absorb the plant-based vitamin A, which is also called beta-carotene, efficiently only when there is the presence of some fat in your food. So that, if you are eating vegetables such as carrots or spinach, adding some drops of olive oil to them can really help your body to take in the vitamin A more efficiently.

2) VITAMIN D

While discussing the main functions of vitamin D, we can say that it helps in:

• Maintaining the levels of calcium and phosphorus in your body.
• Bone mineralization and strength in your body.
• Controlling and balancing your immune system
• Keeping your brain very healthy and stable (including the regulation of your mood)

2025 Insight: According to a report which was released in the year 2025 (International Osteoporosis Foundation), there are lots of individuals in this world who are living with low vitamin D levels, and this is mainly seen in the individuals who are staying indoors for a longer period of time or in the people who are living in highly polluted regions or areas where the sunlight is blocked. Now, this low level of vitamin D is also connected to a greater chance or risk of developing autoimmune diseases.

⭐Now, from where can you get vitamin D?

The easiest technique to get enough vitamin D is exposure to sunlight for 15-30 minutes between 10 AM and 3 PM.

Other than from sunlight, you can also get enough vitamin D from food sources like salmon, tuna, sardines, fortified dairy and plant milks, egg yolks, and UV-exposed types of mushrooms.

⭐Keep In Your Mind: The individuals with darker skin tones might need more sunlight than normal for the production of enough vitamin D.

A Real Case Story: James, Age:34

James is an IT professional in a very famous company. For the last 12 months, he has been suffering from tiredness and also muscle pain. He tested his blood as per the doctor’s advice and found that he is having a severe vitamin D deficiency, but he was a person who was already following a healthy diet plan (food or diet alone is not enough for making sufficient vitamin D). The reason for his vitamin D deficiency was lack of exposure to the sunlight because of his indoor job.

Understanding the situation, he started to take vitamin D supplements after speaking with the doctor, and he also started to go for a morning walk every day continuously for an 8 weeks period, and he himself experienced the energy boost.

3) VITAMIN E

Functions:

• Vitamin E is really a powerful antioxidant which functions very perfectly like a shield to give protection to your cells from the free radical, the dangerous molecule that can destroy them and lead to diseases or illnesses.
• Vitamin E gives support to your cells to stay truly healthy for a longer period. Because of that, your body ages much more slowly at the cellular level.
• Vitamin E can increase the speed of the healing process of wounds, cuts, or any other skin damage.
• Vitamin E will support your immune function.
• Vitamin E helps to reduce the inflammation.

New Insight 2025: A meta-analysis published in JAMA Dermatology had found solid proof that Vitamin E, when taken in combination with Vitamin C, can help in the protection of the skin from destruction caused by pollution and UV rays from the sun.

⭐I know, now you will be curious to know about the top food sources of vitamin E, right?

Sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, avocados, olive oil, and kiwi are considered the top sources of vitamin E.

Always Remember: If you are a person who loves to eat nuts which are roasted at high heat, then it can of course destroy the Vitamin E. Always consume the nuts in raw or lightly toasted versions for the maximum advantage.

4) VITAMIN K

Functions:

• Vitamin K is a crucial vitamin which helps in the blood clotting for the prevention of too much bleeding.
• Vitamin K has a role in the regulation of calcium and makes your bones very strong and healthy.
• Vitamin K, particularly vitamin K2, can stop the accumulation of calcium in your arteries or blood vessels.

⭐There are 2 types of vitamin K, and they are K1 and K2.

K1 is also called Phylloquinone, and this type of vitamin K is mainly seen in the plants, particularly in the green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and broccoli.

K2 is also called Menaquinone, and this type of vitamin K is mainly seen in the animal-based food items such as meat, liver, and egg yolks, and you can also get it from the fermented food items such as natto, some cheeses, and some fermented dairy items.

📌A very new study which has been done in The Lancet Public Health in the year 2025 clearly made a conclusion that the individuals aged more than 60 years who consume more food items which are high in vitamin K2 are seen to have much better heart health as compared to the people who eat fewer foods containing vitamin K2.

A Very Important Note: If you are a person who is currently using any blood thinners like warfarin, then you must speak with your doctor before making any alterations in your vitamin K consumption.

A Small Doubt Clearing Session

Doubt 1) Is it okay to take fast-soluble vitamin supplements each day?

You can take a daily fat-soluble vitamin supplement only if your doctor advises it; otherwise, you should not take these vitamin supplements every day. The fat-soluble vitamins, which means vitamins A, D, E, and K, are normally stored in your fatty tissues and in your liver. So that, if your fat-soluble vitamin intake is very high by means of supplements, particularly vitamin A or D, it can get accumulated or build up and lead to toxicity. So, because of this reason, you should consult with your doctor if you are planning to take these vitamin supplements for a longer period.

Doubt 2) Is there any way to understand that I’m lacking these vitamins?

Each fat-soluble vitamin shows different deficiency symptoms. If you are lacking vitamin A, then you will have poor night vision. If you are deficient in vitamin D, then you will experience bone pain or recurrent infections. If you are lacking vitamin E, then you will suffer from dry skin or compromised immunity. If you are lacking vitamin K, then you will have easy bruising. You can confirm your deficiency accurately through a blood test.

Doubt 3) Do cooking methods affect the vitamin levels of the food?

Of course yes, if you are overcooking or deep frying the foods which are rich in vitamins, then it can definitely destroy the vitamins. People following a healthy diet always prefer steaming or shallow frying with a small quantity of healthy fat, and that is always better.

CONCLUSION

The fat-soluble vitamins, or vitamins A, D, E, and K, are very essential or important to keep your body always healthy. These fat-soluble vitamins really serve some cool functions, like helping you to see better, keeping your bones very strong, making your skin look very healthy, and shielding you from getting illnesses or diseases. But we know that in this current world lots of people are mostly eating junk foods, and they are spending most of their time indoors, and due to these reasons, they are not getting enough vitamins.

But I’m telling you, if you want to stay healthy, then try to eat different types of colourful and fresh foods, get exposed to sunlight for at least 10-20 minutes every day, and speak with a doctor to understand how to keep your vitamin levels always balanced.

And I can assure you that when your vitamin levels are proper and well balanced, then your complete body functions better and you will feel healthier.