Q.Why cannot vitamin C be stored in our body?
Concept understanding — Water Soluble Vitamin
Water Soluble Vitamins: The First Meeting
Imagine you drop a spoonful of sugar into a glass of water. It dissolves completely, disappears into the liquid, and you can't see it anymore — but it's still there, molecule by molecule, spread evenly throughout the water. That's exactly what "water soluble" means: the substance mixes with water at the molecular level.
Now, a vitamin is a tiny organic compound your body needs in small amounts to function properly — it helps enzymes do their jobs, keeps your skin healthy, helps you see, and so on. Your body cannot make most vitamins on its own, so you must get them from food.
Put the two together: a water soluble vitamin is a vitamin that dissolves in water. This single property — solubility — determines almost everything about how these vitamins behave in your body.
The Precise Statement
Water soluble vitamins are vitamins that dissolve in water, are not stored in significant amounts in the body, and are excreted in urine when consumed in excess. They must be consumed regularly (daily or almost daily) to prevent deficiency.
The group includes the B-complex vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12) and Vitamin C. That's 9 vitamins total.
Why Solubility Matters So Much
Think about fat. Fat and water don't mix — oil floats on top of water. Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) behave like oil: they dissolve in fat, get stored in your liver and fatty tissues, and can stay in your body for weeks or months. You don't need them every single day.
Water soluble vitamins are the opposite. Because they dissolve in water, they travel freely in your blood (which is mostly water). But your kidneys are constantly filtering your blood and removing excess water-soluble substances into urine. So if you take more Vitamin C than your body needs right now, the extra gets flushed out within hours.
This does not mean you can take unlimited amounts safely. Very high doses of some water soluble vitamins (especially B6 and niacin/B3) can cause toxicity — just not as easily as fat soluble vitamins.
The Practical Consequences
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You need them frequently — ideally every day. Missing a day won't cause immediate harm, but weeks of low intake will lead to deficiency diseases (scurvy for Vitamin C, beriberi for B1, pellagra for B3, etc.).
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Cooking destroys them — because they dissolve in water, boiling vegetables leaches vitamins into the cooking water. If you throw that water away, you lose the vitamins. Steaming or microwaving with minimal water preserves them better.
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They are fragile — heat, light, and air can break them down. That's why fresh fruits and vegetables lose vitamin content over time.
The Two Families
| Family | Members | Key Role |
|---|---|---|
| B-complex | B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folate), B12 (cobalamin) | Energy metabolism — they help convert food into usable energy |
| Vitamin C | Ascorbic acid | Collagen synthesis, antioxidant, iron absorption |
The B vitamins often work together as a team. A deficiency in one can affect how others function. That's why B-complex supplements contain all eight — they're designed to work in concert.
The Big Picture
Water soluble vitamins are like daily fuel additives — your body uses what it needs right now and discards the rest. They keep your metabolism running, your nerves healthy, your blood cells forming properly, and your immune system strong. Because they don't stick around, you are the steward of your own supply: what you eat today determines what your cells have to work with tomorrow.
Water-soluble vitamins are part of the vitamins section of the NCERT Class 12 Chemistry chapter on biomolecules, and "water soluble vitamins list and deficiency diseases class 12" is a frequently searched short-answer topic in CBSE board exams. This B-complex-and-vitamin-C classification, with its storage and excretion behaviour, is the standard NCERT-aligned answer for this question type.
Why this formula?
Water-Soluble Vitamins: Understanding Why They Behave the Way They Do
Let’s start with the core idea: Water-soluble vitamins are a group of organic compounds that dissolve in water and are not stored in large amounts in the body. The key “formulae” here are not mathematical equations but chemical structures and physiological principles that explain their solubility, absorption, and excretion.
1. Why Are They Water-Soluble? The Chemical Reason
The fundamental “formula” is the presence of polar functional groups (like –OH, –COOH, –NH₂, –C=O) in their molecular structure.
- Polar groups form hydrogen bonds with water molecules.
- Example: Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) Its structure has multiple –OH groups and a lactone ring.
C6H8O6(with 4 –OH groups)
Each –OH can hydrogen-bond with water, making it highly soluble.
Why this matters:
Unlike fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) which are nonpolar and stored in fatty tissues, water-soluble vitamins dissolve in blood and interstitial fluid. This means they are rapidly absorbed but also quickly excreted by the kidneys.
Key takeaway: Solubility is not magic — it’s a direct consequence of molecular polarity.
2. The “No Storage” Principle: Why Excretion Happens
The body has no specific binding proteins to store most water-soluble vitamins (except B₁₂).
- Once absorbed, they circulate freely in blood.
- Kidneys filter blood continuously.
- If plasma concentration exceeds the renal threshold, excess is excreted in urine.
Derivation of the excretion logic:
Let Cp = plasma concentration of vitamin, T = renal threshold.
- If Cp≤T → all filtered vitamin is reabsorbed.
- If Cp>T → excess (Cp−T) is lost in urine.
Why this holds:
The transport proteins in kidney tubules have a maximum capacity (saturation). Once saturated, the extra vitamin cannot be reabsorbed.
Exam tip: This is why water-soluble vitamins need daily intake — no storage means deficiency can develop in weeks.
3. The B-Complex “Formula”: Coenzyme Activation
Most B vitamins are precursors to coenzymes. The “formula” here is:
Vitamin (inactive)enzymeCoenzyme (active)
Example: Thiamine (B₁) → Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP)
- Thiamine has a thiazole ring and a pyrimidine ring.
- In the body, it gets phosphorylated (adds two phosphate groups).
- The active form TPP is a coenzyme for decarboxylation reactions (e.g., in Krebs cycle).
Why this matters for exams:
You don’t need to memorize every step — just understand that the vitamin itself is not the active molecule. The body modifies it to create the functional coenzyme.
4. Vitamin C: The Redox “Formula”
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) acts as a reducing agent. Its key reaction:
Ascorbic acid⇌Dehydroascorbic acid+2H++2e−
Why this holds:
The molecule has an enediol group (–C(OH)=C(OH)–) which can donate electrons.
- In the reduced form (ascorbic acid), it has two –OH groups on adjacent carbons.
- Upon oxidation, these become a diketone (C=O groups).
- This reversible redox pair allows vitamin C to scavenge free radicals and regenerate other antioxidants (like vitamin E).
Key exam point: The ability to donate electrons is why vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis (proline hydroxylation requires reducing power).
5. Absorption: The “Active Transport” Formula
Water-soluble vitamins are absorbed in the small intestine via specific transporters.
General formula for absorption rate:
Rate=Km+[Vitamin]Vmax⋅[Vitamin]
- Vmax = maximum transport rate (saturation).
- Km = concentration at half-maximal rate.
Why this matters:
At low dietary intake, absorption is efficient. At high doses (supplements), transporters become saturated, and excess is not absorbed — it passes into feces.
Exception: Vitamin B₁₂
B₁₂ requires intrinsic factor (a protein from stomach) for absorption. Without it, even high doses fail — this is why pernicious anemia occurs.
Summary: The Core “Why” Behind Each Formula
| Aspect | Key Formula/Principle | Why It Holds |
|---|---|---|
| Solubility | Polar functional groups (–OH, –COOH) | Hydrogen bonding with water |
| Excretion | Renal threshold saturation | No storage proteins; kidney filters excess |
| Activation | Vitamin → Coenzyme (phosphorylation) | Body modifies structure for catalytic function |
| Redox (C) | Ascorbic acid ↔ Dehydroascorbic acid + 2e⁻ | Enediol group donates electrons reversibly |
| Absorption | Michaelis-Menten kinetics | Transporter saturation limits uptake |
Final exam-ready takeaway:
Water-soluble vitamins are polar, non-stored, coenzyme precursors that follow saturation kinetics in both absorption and excretion. Their chemistry (functional groups) dictates their biology (solubility, transport, and function).
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning it dissolves in water rather than being stored in fat or the liver.
- Water-soluble vitamins (like C and the B-complex) are not stored in significant amounts because the body uses what it needs and excretes the excess through urine.
- Unlike fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), which can be stored in fatty tissues and the liver for long periods, vitamin C has no dedicated storage depot.
- The body maintains a small pool of vitamin C in tissues (e.g., adrenal glands, eyes), but once this pool is saturated, any extra is rapidly filtered by the kidneys and lost.
Vitamin C cannot be stored because it is water-soluble and excess is quickly excreted in urine, with no significant body reservoir.
Vitamin C is water-soluble and not stored in the body because it dissolves in blood and is rapidly excreted by the kidneys, unlike fat-soluble vitamins that accumulate in fatty tissues.
The Concept: Water Solubility and Storage
Vitamins are classified into two broad groups based on their solubility — water-soluble and fat-soluble. This isn't just a chemistry detail; it determines how your body handles them.
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) dissolve in fats and can be tucked away in your liver and fatty tissues for months. Your body builds a reserve, like a pantry. Water-soluble vitamins (the B-complex group and vitamin C) dissolve in water. Since your blood and cells are mostly water, these vitamins circulate freely — but they also get flushed out easily through urine. Think of it like pouring a spoonful of sugar into a glass of water: it dissolves, and if you keep pouring water in, the sugar gets diluted and washed away.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is the classic water-soluble vitamin. Your body has no special storage depot for it. Once the blood is saturated, the excess is filtered out by the kidneys and excreted. That's the core reason.
Step-by-Step Reasoning
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Solubility determines transport and storage.
Vitamin C is a small, polar molecule — it dissolves readily in the aqueous environment of blood plasma and cell cytoplasm. It does not bind to fat or get sequestered in lipid-rich tissues. In contrast, a fat-soluble vitamin like vitamin A is carried by lipoproteins and stored in the liver's fat droplets.
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The kidneys act as a threshold regulator.
Your blood maintains a fairly constant level of vitamin C (about 50–80 µmol/L). When you consume more than the body needs, the excess spills into the urine. This is called renal threshold. For vitamin C, the threshold is low — once plasma levels exceed about 80 µmol/L, the kidneys start dumping the surplus. So any extra intake is lost within hours.
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No specialized binding proteins for long-term storage.
Your liver does not produce a specific "vitamin C storage protein" like it does for vitamin A (retinol-binding protein) or iron (ferritin). Without a protein to hold onto it, vitamin C simply circulates and gets cleared.
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Evolutionary context.
Most mammals can synthesize their own vitamin C from glucose. Humans, along with other primates and guinea pigs, lost the enzyme (L-gulonolactone oxidase) needed for this synthesis. Since our ancestors ate plenty of fresh fruits, there was no evolutionary pressure to develop a storage system — constant dietary intake was the norm.
A common mistake is to think that because vitamin C is "essential," the body must store it. In fact, essentiality has nothing to do with storage — it only means the body cannot make it. Many essential nutrients (like most B vitamins) are also water-soluble and not stored.
This is why you need to consume vitamin C daily — ideally from fruits and vegetables. A single orange provides about 70 mg, which is close to the recommended daily intake. Your body's pool turns over in about 2–3 weeks, so deficiency (scurvy) takes that long to develop after you stop eating vitamin C.
Vitamin C cannot be stored in the body because it is water-soluble and is rapidly excreted by the kidneys once blood levels exceed a low threshold, with no specialized storage mechanism available.
Method: Structure–Function Analysis of Water-Soluble Vitamins
Concept: Water-soluble vitamins (like vitamin C and the B-complex) dissolve in water and are not stored in significant amounts in the body. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are stored in fatty tissues and the liver.
Steps to answer "Why cannot vitamin C be stored?"
Step 1 – Identify the solubility class
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble vitamin. It dissolves in the aqueous (water-based) fluids of the body — blood, cytoplasm, interstitial fluid.
Step 2 – Understand the body’s handling of water-soluble substances
The kidneys filter blood continuously. Water-soluble molecules that are not bound to proteins are easily filtered out into urine.
- Fat-soluble vitamins travel with lipoproteins or carrier proteins and are reabsorbed in the kidneys.
- Water-soluble vitamins, including vitamin C, are excreted in urine when blood levels exceed the kidney’s reabsorption capacity (≈1.5–2.0 g/day for vitamin C).
Step 3 – Link to storage sites
The body has no specialized storage compartment for water-soluble vitamins.
- Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in adipose tissue and liver (lipid-rich environments).
- Vitamin C cannot be stored because it remains in water-based compartments and is rapidly lost via urine.
Step 4 – State the biological consequence
Since vitamin C is not stored, it must be consumed regularly in the diet. Excess intake is simply excreted, not saved for later use.
Final Answer (exam-ready)
Vitamin C cannot be stored because it is water-soluble.
Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in body fluids, are not bound to storage proteins, and are rapidly excreted by the kidneys when levels exceed the body’s immediate needs. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, there is no significant depot (like adipose tissue or liver) for water-soluble vitamins. Hence, regular dietary intake is essential.
Key takeaway: Solubility determines storage — water-soluble = no storage; fat-soluble = storage possible.
Here are the most common mistakes students make when answering "Why cannot vitamin C be stored in our body?" and how to avoid each.
Mistake 1: Confusing "Water-Soluble" with "Fat-Soluble" Properties
- The Mistake: Students often say "Vitamin C cannot be stored because it is water-soluble." While this is partially true, it is an incomplete answer. They forget to contrast it with fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) which can be stored in the liver and adipose tissue.
- Why it’s wrong: The examiner wants the mechanism. Simply saying "it's water-soluble" doesn't explain why the body doesn't hold onto it.
- How to Avoid: Always mention the key difference:
- Water-soluble vitamins (like C and B-complex) dissolve in water. Excess amounts are excreted in urine by the kidneys.
- Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in fat and are stored in the liver and fatty tissues.
- Correct Answer Structure: "Vitamin C is water-soluble. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, it is not stored in significant amounts in the body. Any excess is rapidly filtered by the kidneys and excreted in urine."
Mistake 2: Forgetting the Role of the Kidneys
- The Mistake: Students stop at "it is water-soluble" and don't mention the renal threshold or kidney excretion.
- Why it’s wrong: The body could theoretically store some, but the kidneys actively remove excess water-soluble vitamins to maintain balance.
- How to Avoid: Add this specific detail:
- "The kidneys have a low renal threshold for vitamin C. Once blood levels are saturated, the excess is quickly filtered out and lost in urine."
- Memory Tip: Think of the kidneys as a "drain" that opens when the vitamin C "bucket" is full.
Mistake 3: Saying "Vitamin C is Never Stored"
- The Mistake: Claiming the body has zero storage capacity for vitamin C.
- Why it’s wrong: The body does have a small pool of vitamin C in tissues (e.g., adrenal glands, white blood cells, eyes). It's just that this pool is very small (about 1.5–2 grams) and gets depleted quickly.
- How to Avoid: Use precise language:
- "Vitamin C is not stored in large amounts." or "It has a limited storage capacity."
- Correct phrasing: "The body cannot store vitamin C in significant quantities because it is water-soluble and excess is excreted. Only a small amount is maintained in tissues."
Mistake 4: Ignoring the "Why" – Evolutionary & Chemical Reason
- The Mistake: Giving only a biological answer (excretion) without the chemical or evolutionary reason.
- Why it’s wrong: The deeper reason is that humans (and other primates) lost the gene for the enzyme L-gulonolactone oxidase, which is needed to synthesize vitamin C from glucose. So we must get it from diet, and we cannot store it because our ancestors didn't need to (they ate fruits constantly).
- How to Avoid: Add this for a top-scoring answer:
- "Humans cannot synthesize vitamin C due to a mutation in the gene for L-gulonolactone oxidase. Therefore, we rely entirely on dietary intake. Because it is water-soluble and not stored, we need a regular daily supply."
Mistake 5: Mixing Up Vitamin C with B-Complex Vitamins
- The Mistake: Treating all water-soluble vitamins as identical in storage.
- Why it’s wrong: While both are water-soluble, Vitamin B12 is an exception — it can be stored in the liver for years. Vitamin C cannot.
- How to Avoid: Remember the B12 exception:
- "Most water-soluble vitamins (like C and B-complex except B12) are not stored. Vitamin B12 is stored in the liver because it binds to specific proteins."
- Exam Tip: If the question is specifically about Vitamin C, don't bring up B12 unless comparing.
Quick Revision Table: How to Avoid Mistakes
| Common Mistake | Correct Approach | Key Phrase to Use |
|---|---|---|
| "It's water-soluble" (vague) | Contrast with fat-soluble vitamins | "Unlike fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)..." |
| Forgetting kidneys | Mention renal excretion | "...excess is filtered by kidneys and excreted in urine." |
| "Never stored" | Say "limited storage" | "...not stored in significant amounts." |
| No chemical reason | Mention missing enzyme | "Humans lack L-gulonolactone oxidase..." |
| Confusing with B12 | Note B12 is an exception | "Vitamin B12 is stored; Vitamin C is not." |
Final Tip for Exams: Always start your answer with the definition: "Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble vitamin. Therefore, it cannot be stored in the body in large amounts. Any excess is rapidly excreted by the kidneys, so a daily intake is essential."
- AP EAPCET 2025Set ap-2025-05-19-FN1 markMCQQ.The disease caused by deficiency of pyridoxine is (A) Rickets (B) Convulsions (C) Scurvy (D) Beri-Beri
›Reveal solutionSolution
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) deficiency is classically linked to convulsions; the other three
diseases listed belong to different vitamins.
Concept and Intuition
Each water-soluble/fat-soluble vitamin has a signature deficiency disease used repeatedly
in exams:
- Vitamin A → night blindness / xerophthalmia
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) → Beri-Beri
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) → Convulsions (and dermatitis, anemia)
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) → Scurvy
- Vitamin D (Calciferol) → Rickets (children) / Osteomalacia (adults)
Step-by-Step Solution
- Identify the vitamin named in the question: pyridoxine = Vitamin B6.
- Recall its deficiency manifestations: because pyridoxine is a cofactor for many enzymes involved in amino acid and neurotransmitter metabolism, its deficiency disrupts normal nervous function, producing convulsions (seizures), along with anemia and dermatitis in severe cases.
- Eliminate the distractors: Rickets (Vitamin D), Scurvy (Vitamin C), and Beri-Beri (Vitamin B1) are all caused by different vitamins, not pyridoxine.
- The only disease among the options actually tied to pyridoxine deficiency is Convulsions.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing Beri-Beri (Thiamine, B1) with a B6 deficiency disease because both are "B-vitamins".
- Forgetting that pyridoxine deficiency has a specific neurological signature (convulsions), distinct from B1's neuromuscular/cardiovascular signature.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (B) — Convulsions.
ANSWER: B
- AP EAPCET 2025Set ap-2025-05-20-AN1 markMCQQ.The water soluble vitamin which is not excreted through urine easily is (A) Vitamin B12 (B) Vitamin C (C) Vitamin B1 (D) Vitamin B6
›Reveal solutionSolution
Vitamin B12 is the one water-soluble vitamin that the body stores (mainly in the liver) rather than excreting rapidly in urine.
Concept and Intuition
Vitamins are broadly split into fat-soluble (A, D, E, K — stored in fatty tissue and liver, can accumulate to toxic levels) and water-soluble (B-complex, C — generally not stored, excess is flushed out in urine, so daily intake is needed). Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is the notable exception within the water-soluble group: because of its unique storage and enterohepatic recycling in the liver, the body can retain a multi-year reserve, and it is not excreted as readily as the other B-vitamins or vitamin C.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Classify the options: B12, C, B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine) — all four are water-soluble vitamins.
- Recall general rule: water-soluble vitamins are not stored significantly and excess is excreted in urine.
- Recall the specific exception taught for B12: it is stored in the liver in significant quantity (years' worth), unlike B1, B6, and C, which are excreted quickly if taken in excess.
- Hence B12 is the vitamin that is not easily excreted through urine.
Common Mistakes
- Applying the blanket rule 'all water-soluble vitamins are excreted easily' without remembering the B12 exception.
- Confusing B12's liver storage with fat-soluble vitamin storage in adipose tissue — the mechanism differs but the practical effect (not readily excreted) is the tested fact here.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (A) — Vitamin B12.
ANSWER: A
- AP EAPCET 2023Set ap-2023-05-22-FN1 markMCQQ.A vitamin (X) is water soluble but can be stored in the body. Deficiency of X causes which disease? (A) Beri Beri (B) Convulsions (C) Pernicious anaemia (D) Cheulosis
›Reveal solutionSolution
Vitamin B12 is the unusual water-soluble vitamin that can be stored (in the liver), and its deficiency causes pernicious anaemia.
Concept and Intuition
Most water-soluble vitamins (B-complex, C) cannot be stored in the body in significant amounts and must be replenished regularly through diet, since excess is excreted in urine. Vitamin B12 is the notable exception: the liver stores several years' worth of B12, so its deficiency symptoms take a long time to appear even with a completely B12-deficient diet. Its deficiency specifically impairs red blood cell maturation, causing pernicious (megaloblastic) anaemia.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Identify the water-soluble vitamin that can still be stored in the body: this is a well-known distinguishing fact about Vitamin B12.
- Recall B12's deficiency disease: pernicious anaemia (also causes some neurological symptoms in severe cases).
- Eliminate distractors: Beri-beri is caused by B1 (thiamine) deficiency; convulsions can relate to B6 deficiency; cheilosis (cracked lips) relates to B2 (riboflavin) deficiency — none of these vitamins are notably "stored" like B12.
- So vitamin X = B12, and its deficiency disease is pernicious anaemia.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming all B-vitamins behave the same way regarding storage — B12 is a specific, commonly-tested exception.
- Mixing up B12 deficiency (pernicious anaemia) with B1 deficiency (beri-beri).
✓Final answerThe correct option is (C) — Pernicious anaemia.
ANSWER: C
- AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-17-FN1 markMCQQ.The source of vitamin, whose deficiency causes scurvy is (A) Amla (B) Carrot (C) Egg (D) Fish
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests knowing a natural dietary source of the vitamin whose deficiency causes scurvy. Answer: Amla.
Concept and Intuition
Scurvy results from a deficiency of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), a water-soluble vitamin the human body cannot synthesize and must obtain from diet. Citrus fruits and certain other fruits/vegetables are the main dietary sources. Amla (Indian gooseberry) is famously one of the richest natural sources of Vitamin C, containing far more per gram than most citrus fruits.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Identify that scurvy is a Vitamin C deficiency disease.
- Recall which of the given options is rich in Vitamin C: Amla is renowned in nutrition science and Ayurveda for its exceptionally high Vitamin C content.
- Carrot is a good source of Vitamin A (beta-carotene), not Vitamin C. Egg and fish are animal products essentially devoid of Vitamin C (animal tissues generally lack or have very little ascorbic acid, especially after cooking).
- Therefore Amla is the correct source among the choices.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming any fruit/vegetable is a good Vitamin C source; carrot in particular is often mistakenly picked because it's a "healthy" vegetable, but its major vitamin contribution is Vitamin A, not C.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (A) — Amla.
ANSWER: A
- AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-04-AN1 markMCQQ.Which of the following vitamins cannot be stored in the body? (A) A (B) C (C) E (D) K
›Reveal solutionSolution
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are stored in body fat/liver; water-soluble vitamins (B-complex, C) are not stored and are excreted if in excess. Answer: Vitamin C.
Concept and Intuition
Vitamins are classified as fat-soluble or water-soluble based on their solubility, which determines how the body handles excess intake. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) dissolve in dietary fats and can be stored in the liver and adipose tissue for later use, so deficiency symptoms develop slowly. Water-soluble vitamins (the B-complex group and vitamin C) dissolve in water, are not appreciably stored, and any excess is simply excreted in urine — so the body needs a continual dietary supply, and deficiency (e.g. scurvy for vitamin C) can appear relatively quickly.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Classify each option: A — fat-soluble (stored in liver); C — water-soluble (not stored); E — fat-soluble (stored in fatty tissue); K — fat-soluble (stored in liver, also gut-bacteria synthesised).
- Among the four, only vitamin C is water-soluble and hence not stored in the body.
- Therefore the vitamin that cannot be stored is C.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming all vitamins are stored similarly — solubility class (fat vs water) is the deciding factor, and A, E, K are all fat-soluble (stored), unlike C.
✓Final answerThe correct option is (B) — C.
ANSWER: B
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