Vitamin

A vitamin is a type of item from the Pokémon games. They are used to boost the stats of a Trainer's Pokémon.

In Generations I and II, vitamins gave 2560 Stat Exp to a stat, but could only be given until that stat had 25600 Stat Exp. However, in Generation III and beyond, stats were calculated with the system of effort values, and so instead vitamins give a Pokémon 10 EV points to a stat, only working if the EVs of the stat raised are less than 100, and if the total EVs are less than 510.

The two PP-raising vitamins do not work in the same way, since instead of raising a stat they raise the PP value of one of the Pokémon's moves. Rare Candy is also an exception to this, since it instead raises the Pokémon's level by one. None of the three can be bought at Poké Marts and must be found instead. However, they are still considered vitamins.

Most are named after real minerals and organic compounds important to a body's health.

Types of vitamins

HP Up

• Japanese: マックスアップ Max Up

HP Up raises the HP stat. It is available at the Celadon Department Store, Goldenrod Department Store, Lilycove Department Store, Veilstone Department Store, and at the Vitamin Guru's stand in Slateport City for 9800. Sometimes, the Vitamin Guru will have a sale and reduce the HP Up's price to 4900. It can also be purchased at the Battle Frontier and Battle Park for 1 BP.

Protein

• Japanese: タウリン Taurine

Protein raises the Attack stat. It is available at the Celadon Department Store, Goldenrod Department Store, Lilycove Department Store, Veilstone Department Store, and at the Vitamin Guru's stand in Slateport City for 9800. Sometimes, the Vitamin Guru will have a sale and reduce the Protein's price to 4900. It can also be purchased at the Battle Frontier and Battle Park for 1 BP.

In the real world, protein is important for the strength and development of muscles. The stronger muscles are probably what increases the Pokémon's Attack.

Iron

• Japanese: ブロムヘキシン Bromhexine

Iron raises the Defense stat. It is available at the Celadon Department Store, Goldenrod Department Store, Lilycove Department Store, Veilstone Department Store, and at the Vitamin Guru's stand in Slateport City for 9800. Sometimes, the Vitamin Guru will have a sale and reduce the Iron's price to 4900. It can also be purchased at the Battle Frontier and Battle Park for 1 BP.

In the real world, iron is mostly used to create several important proteins. It was probably chosen because iron is a hard metal, and thus easy to associate with Defense, much like Steel-type Pokémon.

Calcium

• Japanese: リゾチウム Lysozyme

Calcium raises the Special Attack stat in Generation III and beyond, both Special Attack and Special Defense in Generation II or just the Special stat in Generation I. It is available at the Celadon Department Store, Goldenrod Department Store, Lilycove Department Store, Veilstone Department Store, and at the Vitamin Guru's stand in Slateport City for 9800. Sometimes, the Vitamin Guru will have a sale and reduce the Calcium's price to 4900. It can also be purchased at the Battle Frontier and Battle Park for 1 BP.

In the real world, calcium is important for the strength and development of bones and teeth, which is why it raises Special Attack.

Zinc

• Japanese: キトサン Chitosan

Zinc raises the Special Defense stat. It was introduced in Generation III when the stat was finally split off from the Special Attack stat; prior to that, Calcium would raise both Special Attack and Special Defense. It is available at the Celadon Department Store, Goldenrod Department Store, Lilycove Department Store, Veilstone Department Store, and at the Vitamin Guru's stand in Slateport City for 9800. Sometimes, the Vitamin Guru will have a sale and reduce the Zinc's price to 4900. It can also be purchased at the Battle Frontier and Battle Park for 1 BP.

In the real world, zinc is used to create a large number of important proteins, helping the body survive and function, which is why it raises Special Defense.

Carbos

• Japanese: インドメタシン Indometacin

Carbos raises the Speed stat. It is available at the Celadon Department Store, Goldenrod Department Store, Lilycove Department Store, Veilstone Department Store, and at the Vitamin Guru's stand in Slateport City for 9800. Sometimes, the Vitamin Guru will have a sale and reduce the Carbos's price to 4900. It can also be purchased at the Battle Frontier and Battle Park for 1 BP.

In the real world, carbohydrates are used as energy in the body. The increased amount of energy is probably what boosts the Pokémon's Speed.

PP Up

• Japanese: ポイントアップ Point Up

One PP Up will raise a move's PP by 1/5 of the move's base PP. Up to three PP Ups can be used on a single move on a Pokémon. It can be won in the Jubilife TV daily lotto drawing if the last two numbers of a Pokémon's Trainer ID number match the drawn number.

PP Max

• Japanese: ポイントマックス Point Max

One PP Max has the same effect as three PP Ups.

Rare Candy

• Japanese: ふしぎなアメ Mysterious Candy

Rare Candy artwork from the TCG

A Rare Candy is packed with so many nutrients that it will raise a Pokémon's level by one. A Pokémon can have any number of these until it reaches level 100. Due to its effect and overall rarity, Rare Candy is often the subject of item duplication cheats. In fact, the most common item duplication cheat is called the Rare Candy cheat.

If a Rare Candy is used on a fainted Pokémon, the Pokémon will be revived due to the HP gain on level-up (even Shedinja, despite its lack of HP gain).

Unlike the other primary source of experience (battling), Rare Candies provide no EVs. Therefore, it is usually considered best to use a Rare Candy only after the Pokémon has maxed out its EVs. In the real world, candy is almost entirely composed of sugar, a very quickly burning energy source. Therefore, when a Pokémon eats a Rare Candy, it is possible that the fast energy rush allows the Pokémon to have a brief growth spurt without gaining as much strength as it could.

In Generation II, a player could create Rare Candies by attaching a plain Berry to a Shuckle. Over time, the berry would become Berry Juice. If left attached to Shuckle even longer, it would become a Rare Candy.

In Generation III, Pokémon with the Pickup ability can sometimes obtain Rare Candies after battle.

In the TCG, the Rare Candy card can be used to evolve Basic Pokémon straight to their Stage 2 form, entirely skipping the Stage 1 card.

In the episode Caterpie's Big Dilemna, the Rare Candy made its debut. However, unlike in the games, where the Rare Candy levels up a Pokémon, in the episode, it actually makes the Pokémon larger (and in some cases uncontrollable).

This item article is part of Project ItemDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on all items.