Which statement about water-soluble vitamins is true?

• A. They are stored in fat tissue for long periods.
• B. They are excreted in feces.
• C. They are fat-soluble and stored in the liver.
• D. They are absorbed in the small intestine, have minimal storage, excreted in urine, non-toxic in natural state, and required daily.

Answer: (D)

Water-soluble vitamins are absorbed in the small intestine, have minimal storage in the body, are excreted mainly in urine, are generally non-toxic in their natural state, and typically need to be consumed daily because they aren’t stored in large amounts. This combination of features is what makes the statement true. Most fatsoluble vitamins, by contrast, are stored in fat or the liver and can accumulate, which is why those other descriptions don’t fit water-soluble vitamins. A note: while most water-soluble vitamins aren’t stored, some (like vitamin B12) can be stored in the liver for long periods, but that exception doesn’t change the general pattern described here.