No, not in the way food does. Vitamins contain no calories, so they cannot supply energy. Several B vitamins and vitamin C help your body release energy from carbohydrate, fat and protein, and some contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. People usually notice a difference when their intake was low; in well-nourished adults, trial effects are small.
Key Takeaways
- Energy comes only from carbohydrate, fat, protein and alcohol; vitamins act as coenzymes that help release it.1,2
- Low intake of vitamins and minerals can contribute to tiredness, and shortfalls are common for several nutrients.3,4
- About 6% of adults aged 60 and over in US and UK surveys were deficient in vitamin B12, and close to 20% had marginal status.5
- A meta-analysis of eight trials in people without a diagnosed condition found a small reduction in fatigue with multivitamin and mineral supplements.6
- Trials that measured energy use found higher energy expenditure after multivitamins, but effects on how energetic people felt were mixed.7,8
- In a kiwifruit trial, fatigue fell only in the men who started with more mood disturbance, which shows that the starting point matters.9
- Vitamins do not create a lift the way caffeine does; much of caffeine's felt effect in regular users is the end of withdrawal.10
A vitamin pack says "energy" on the front. A friend says their B vitamins changed their life. Another says theirs did nothing. Both can be telling the truth, and the reason why is the most useful thing to understand before you buy anything. This article answers the question directly, then looks at the evidence in people who are not deficient, including its limits.
Do vitamins give you energy in the calorie sense?
No. In nutrition, energy means the energy your body can extract from food, measured in kilojoules or kilocalories. It comes from carbohydrate, protein, fat and alcohol. Vitamins are needed in tiny amounts, milligrams or micrograms a day, and they are not burned as fuel. A daily vitamin supplement therefore adds essentially no energy from its vitamins. Any energy shown on a supplement label comes from other ingredients, such as a carbohydrate carrier or flavouring.
This is not a technicality. It explains why a vitamin cannot replace a missed meal, and why a vitamin pill taken on an empty stomach at 4 pm will not feel like a snack. Food supplies the fuel. Vitamins help the machinery that releases that fuel.
So what do vitamins actually do for energy?
Most of the B vitamins act as coenzymes: helper molecules that enzymes need to break down carbohydrate, fat and protein and capture their energy as ATP, the molecule cells use to power work.1 Thiamine, niacin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid are built into the coenzymes of the central energy pathways, vitamin B6 is needed for amino acid metabolism, and vitamin B12 and folate are needed for cell division.1,2 Vitamin C is needed to make carnitine, which moves fatty acids into mitochondria to be used for energy.2
If one of these helpers is in short supply, the process slows and people may feel tired. A review of the biochemistry links low status of the B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, magnesium and zinc to mental and physical fatigue.2 Four of its five authors worked for a pharmaceutical company at the time. The step-by-step version of this production line, from food to ATP, is in our companion article on how your body turns food into energy. For each B vitamin in turn, see our guide to B vitamins and energy metabolism.
Which vitamins have an authorised claim about tiredness or energy?
In the EU, a product can only make a health claim if the wording has been authorised, in Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, and the nutrient is present in a significant amount, generally at least 15% of the reference intake per serving, as set out in Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. For energy, two claims are relevant; the table follows the register.
| Authorised claim (EU) | Vitamins that carry it | Vitamins that do not |
|---|---|---|
| Contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue | Niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin C (also riboflavin and pantothenic acid) | Thiamine, biotin, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K |
| Contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism | Thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, biotin, vitamin C (also riboflavin and pantothenic acid) | Folate, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K |
Note the words "contributes" and "normal". The claims say these vitamins are part of how normal energy metabolism works. They do not say that more of them gives you more energy than normal. Vitamin D, for example, is often marketed for energy, but it carries neither claim. Minerals have their own list, which we cover in a separate article on minerals and energy.
Why do some people feel a difference and others feel nothing?
The most likely explanation is where each person starts. A vitamin can only make a felt difference if a shortfall was holding something back.
When intake was low
A review written for doctors who see patients with low energy concluded that, once other causes have been ruled out, inadequate intake of vitamins and minerals can contribute to tiredness, and that supplements can correct a shortfall if they are taken for an adequate period.3 It noted that older adults are a well-recognised risk group, and identified another: young adults, often women, with a demanding lifestyle, who are physically active and whose diets are characterised by poor choices or regular dieting.3
Shortfalls are common. In a US national survey of 16,444 people, 31% had total intakes of vitamin C below the estimated average requirement even after counting supplements, and the figures were 74% for vitamin D and 67% for vitamin E.4 The lead author of that analysis worked for a supplement industry association. For vitamin B12, about 6% of adults aged 60 and over in large US and UK surveys were deficient and close to 20% had marginal status; in younger adults, low intake of animal foods is the main cause.5
When the starting point was fine
A food study shows the principle well. In a trial in 35 young men, eating two kiwifruit a day for six weeks raised vitamin C intake and blood levels. Overall mood did not change significantly. In the subgroup who started with higher mood disturbance, fatigue fell by 38% and vigour rose by 31%, while men who started in a good state showed no change.9 The study was small and tested a fruit rather than a supplement, but it illustrates why averages hide who benefits.
Expectation and timing
People also notice what they expect to notice, which is why placebo-controlled trials matter. And timing plays a part: if a level was low, it can take weeks to rebuild, so the first few days rarely tell you much.3 We cover realistic timelines in a separate article on how long vitamins take to work.
What do studies in people who are not deficient show?
Several randomised, placebo-controlled trials have tested high-dose B vitamin and mineral combinations in healthy adults who were not selected for low status. They measured either how energetic or tired people felt, or how much energy their bodies used.
Trials that measured how people felt
In a double-blind trial of 215 men aged 30 to 55 in full-time work, a high-dose B vitamin complex with vitamin C and minerals for 33 days improved scores for stress and for the "vigour" scale of a mood questionnaire, and the men rated themselves as less mentally tired before and after a demanding hour of cognitive tasks.11 In a similar trial of 216 women aged 25 to 50, nine weeks of a multivitamin and mineral reduced the rise in fatigue during extended multitasking and improved accuracy on the tasks.12
When the results of eight such trials were pooled in a meta-analysis, supplementation for at least 28 days reduced fatigue, with a small effect size (standardised mean difference 0.27), alongside reductions in perceived stress.6 The authors noted that products with high doses of B vitamins may be more effective, and that the active ingredients and optimal doses are still open questions.6
Trials that measured energy use
Two trials used breath analysis to measure how much energy the body was using. In 97 healthy women aged 25 to 49, not selected for nutritional status, a multivitamin and mineral increased total energy expenditure and fat oxidation during cognitive tasks after the first dose, and after eight weeks the higher dose still increased total energy expenditure. There were no interpretable effects on mood or cognitive performance.7
In 82 young adults who exercised regularly, a supplement with three times the recommended daily allowance of water-soluble vitamins plus coenzyme Q10 increased energy expenditure during cognitive tasks after a single dose and after 28 days. In men it also increased carbohydrate oxidation during exercise. Women reported less mental tiredness during exercise, while men reported less mental tiredness only after 10 minutes of exercise.8 The effects differed by sex, and the authors called for more research.8
| Study | Who | What and how long | Main finding on energy or tiredness | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennedy 201011 | 215 working men, 30 to 55 | High-dose B complex with vitamin C and minerals, 33 days | Higher vigour score; less mental tiredness during demanding tasks | One product; manufacturer involved |
| Haskell 201012 | 216 women, 25 to 50 | Multivitamin and mineral, 9 weeks | Smaller rise in fatigue during multitasking | One product; manufacturer involved |
| Long and Benton 20136 | 8 trials, general population | Multivitamin and mineral, 28 days or more | Small reduction in fatigue | Mixed products and doses |
| Kennedy 20167 | 97 women, 25 to 49 | Two doses of a multivitamin and mineral, 8 weeks | Higher energy expenditure; no clear effect on mood | Measured in the lab during tasks |
| Dodd 20208 | 82 young exercisers | High-dose water-soluble vitamins plus coenzyme Q10, 28 days | Higher energy expenditure; less mental tiredness in some measures | Effects differed by sex |
How to read these results
The evidence is consistent in direction but modest in size, and it comes with caveats. The trials tested combinations, so they cannot say which vitamin, if any, was responsible. Most ran for one to three months. Several were run with or funded by supplement manufacturers. Higher energy expenditure means the body burned slightly more fuel during a task; it is not the same thing as feeling more energetic, and in one trial it came with no change in mood.7 The fair conclusion is that well-nourished adults may notice a small difference on demanding days, and many will notice none. For a fuller look at multivitamins and tiredness, see our separate article on that question.
Can taking more vitamins give you more energy?
Not beyond what your body needs. The authorised claims describe a contribution to normal energy metabolism, so a pathway that already has enough of its helper does not run faster with more.2 Some vitamins have tolerable upper levels because high intakes over time can cause harm. Large surveys suggest intakes above those upper levels are uncommon, even among supplement users.4 More is not better; enough is the goal.
Why do vitamins not feel like coffee?
Because they work in a completely different way. Caffeine is a stimulant that acts on the brain, so its effect is felt quickly. In people who drink coffee every day, much of that felt lift is the end of overnight withdrawal rather than a true gain above their normal state.10 Vitamins create no such signal. If a vitamin drink gives you a jolt, check the label for caffeine, guarana or sugar. Our article on how longevity drinks differ from coffee and energy drinks explains the difference in more detail.
How can you tell whether you are short of a vitamin?
You cannot tell reliably from symptoms alone, because tiredness has many causes. These steps help you decide what to do next.
- Look at your diet honestly. Few vegetables and fruit, few wholegrains or legumes, or very few animal foods raise the chance of shortfalls.3
- Check your risk group. Age over 60, a plant-based diet without fortified foods or B12, regular dieting and a heavy training load all count.3,5
- Ask about a blood test. Vitamin B12, folate and iron can be measured. Iron in particular should be tested first, with your GP, before you take it.
- Read the label. Look for the amount of each vitamin and its percentage of the reference intake; see our guide to reading a supplement label.
- Give it time and judge fairly. If you start a supplement, keep a simple note of energy and sleep for six to eight weeks rather than judging after a few days.
How our own formula fits
For transparency, here is how this applies to our own product. Longevity One contains vitamins with the tiredness claim at printed doses: niacin (vitamin B3) 131.4 mg, vitamin B6 1.4 mg, folate 300 mcg, vitamin B12 2.5 mcg and vitamin C 100 mg, plus magnesium 150 mg. Niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin C contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It also contains thiamine and biotin, which contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism. It contains no caffeine source and no iron, so it will not feel like a coffee, and it adds to a balanced diet rather than replacing food. It is independently tested by Eurofins and NZVT certified.
When should you see your GP?
If tiredness is persistent, severe or new, if it does not improve with better sleep and regular meals, or if it comes with breathlessness, weight change, pins and needles or low mood, see your GP rather than trying supplements first. Your GP can decide whether a blood test is useful and look for other causes.
Q&A: Vitamins and Energy
Do vitamins yield energy?
No. Vitamins are not burned as fuel, so they yield no energy themselves. Energy comes from carbohydrate, fat and protein, and the B vitamins act as coenzymes that help release it.1 That is the sense in which vitamins are "involved in energy".
Do vitamins provide energy if I am tired?
They can help if your tiredness is partly due to low intake of a vitamin. A review concluded that correcting a shortfall can make a difference when supplements are taken for long enough.3 If your intake is already adequate, any effect is likely to be small. Persistent tiredness needs a GP check.
Which vitamin is best for energy?
There is no single best vitamin. The ones with an authorised tiredness claim in Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 are niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin C, among others. Which one matters for you depends on which one you are short of, because fatigue appears when status is not adequate.2
Do B vitamins give you energy straight away?
No, not in the way caffeine does. B vitamins work as coenzymes in metabolism and create no stimulant signal.1 If a B vitamin drink feels instant, check it for caffeine or sugar.
Can you feel the effect of vitamins if you are not deficient?
Some people may notice a small difference. A meta-analysis of eight trials in the general population found a small reduction in fatigue after at least 28 days.6 Many people will notice nothing, and that is expected.
Why do multivitamin trials show higher energy expenditure?
Breath analysis in two trials found that people burned slightly more fuel during demanding tasks after taking a multivitamin and mineral.7,8 The researchers suggest the micronutrients made energy metabolism more active. Burning more fuel is not the same as feeling more energetic, and one trial found no clear effect on mood.7 The finding is interesting, but its practical meaning is still unclear.
Who is most likely to benefit from a vitamin supplement for energy?
Mainly people whose intake is low. That includes older adults, people who diet often, people who eat few animal foods and busy, active adults with irregular meals.3,5 A balanced diet comes first.
Does vitamin B12 give you energy if my levels are normal?
Vitamin B12 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, but that describes its normal role, not an extra effect on top of adequate levels. Low levels are more common than many people think: about 6% of adults aged 60 and over were deficient in large surveys, and close to 20% had marginal status.5 If your levels are normal, there is no good reason to expect more energy from more B12. A blood test with your GP can tell you where you stand.
Can taking too many vitamins make you tired?
Taking more than you need does not add energy, and some vitamins have upper levels for safety. Surveys suggest exceeding those levels is uncommon, even with supplements.4 If you take several products, add up the doses and stay below the upper levels.
Is it better to get vitamins from food?
Food is the best starting point, because it supplies the fuel and the helpers together. In a food trial, two kiwifruit a day raised vitamin C intake and blood levels within six weeks.9 Supplements are a way to fill gaps.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do vitamins take to work for energy?
If a level was low, it can take several weeks to rebuild, and supplements need to be taken for an adequate period.3 Most trials measured effects after four to nine weeks.11,12
Can I take vitamins with my medication?
The label advises consulting your doctor if you use medication. Ask your GP or pharmacist and bring the label. If you have a medical condition, check with your doctor before starting any supplement.
Are energy vitamins safe to take every day?
Vitamins at or near the reference intakes are generally considered safe for daily use, and total intakes above the upper levels were rare in a large survey.4 Do not exceed the daily dose on the label.
Do vitamins work better in the morning?
There is no strong evidence that timing changes how vitamins support energy metabolism. Taking them with a meal is easy to remember; the Longevity One label suggests the morning or a meal that includes some fat. In the trials, the effect built up over weeks, not hours.6
What does Longevity One taste like?
It has a mango and pineapple flavour. Mix one level scoop in 250 to 500 ml of water, or into a smoothie or yogurt.
References
- Kennedy DO. B vitamins and the brain: mechanisms, dose and efficacy. A review. Nutrients. 2016;8(2):68. View on PubMed ↗
- Tardy AL, Pouteau E, Marquez D, Yilmaz C, Scholey A. Vitamins and minerals for energy, fatigue and cognition: a narrative review of the biochemical and clinical evidence. Nutrients. 2020;12(1):228. View on PubMed ↗
- Huskisson E, Maggini S, Ruf M. The role of vitamins and minerals in energy metabolism and well-being. J Int Med Res. 2007;35(3):277-289. View on PubMed ↗
- Wallace TC, McBurney M, Fulgoni VL 3rd. Multivitamin/mineral supplement contribution to micronutrient intakes in the United States, 2007-2010. J Am Coll Nutr. 2014;33(2):94-102. View on PubMed ↗
- Allen LH. How common is vitamin B-12 deficiency? Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89(2):693S-696S. View on PubMed ↗
- Long SJ, Benton D. Effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation on stress, mild psychiatric symptoms, and mood in nonclinical samples: a meta-analysis. Psychosom Med. 2013;75(2):144-153. View on PubMed ↗
- Kennedy DO, Stevenson EJ, Jackson PA, Dunn S, Wishart K, Bieri G, et al. Multivitamins and minerals modulate whole-body energy metabolism and cerebral blood-flow during cognitive task performance: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2016;13:11. View on PubMed ↗
- Dodd FL, Kennedy DO, Stevenson EJ, Veasey RC, Walker K, Reed S, et al. Acute and chronic effects of multivitamin/mineral supplementation on objective and subjective energy measures. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2020;17:16. View on PubMed ↗
- Carr AC, Bozonet SM, Pullar JM, Vissers MC. Mood improvement in young adult males following supplementation with gold kiwifruit, a high-vitamin C food. J Nutr Sci. 2013;2:e24. View on PubMed ↗
- James JE, Rogers PJ. Effects of caffeine on performance and mood: withdrawal reversal is the most plausible explanation. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2005;182(1):1-8. View on PubMed ↗
- Kennedy DO, Veasey R, Watson A, Dodd F, Jones E, Maggini S, Haskell CF. Effects of high-dose B vitamin complex with vitamin C and minerals on subjective mood and performance in healthy males. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2010;211(1):55-68. View on PubMed ↗
- Haskell CF, Robertson B, Jones E, Forster J, Jones R, Wilde A, Maggini S, Kennedy DO. Effects of a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement on cognitive function and fatigue during extended multi-tasking. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2010;25(6):448-461. View on PubMed ↗
Disclaimer: Educational content only. Not medical advice. Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult a qualified healthcare professional if you have a medical condition or take medication.
