Preciser phrasing of the question: Do I need to consume the daily recommended dose of water-soluble vitamins every single day? Or is it sufficient if my consumption averages to the daily dose over a longer timeframe (and what timeframe would that be)?
I am aware that:
- fat-soluble vitamins can be stored for a long time (months, possibly even years in some cases).
- water-soluble vitamins can (with the exception of B12) only be stored for a short time.
However, I have not found any clear answer to how short the "short time" for water-soluble vitamins is (a single day? A week? Not at all?). Answers I found are usually vague or inconsistent with each other (and also not sourced):
"it is recommended that you replenish your stores of water-soluble vitamins every few days" [1]
"you should try to get them regularly from your diet." [2]
"water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and are not stored by the body. Since they are eliminated in urine, we require a continuous daily supply in our diet." [3]
Background: I am currently trying to eat healthier than I used to. One thing I want to track is my vitamin intake to ensure that I do not develop deficiencies.
However, I am not sure how granularly I have to keep up with daily recommended doses.
Example: The German Nutrition Society recommends 110mg of Vitamin C daily for me [4]. Does this mean that I actualy need 110mg every single day in order to not develop a deficiency long-term? Or is it sufficient if I track my intake, e.g., on a weekly basis (requiring 770mg per week)?
I am aware that there are also differing opinions about the actual amount per day that is needed (e.g., 110mg in Germany, 90mg in the US [5]) but this is out-of-scope of my question.