6 Foods High in Vitamin B4 (Adenine): What This Nucleobase Does and Where to Find It

“Vitamin B4” is a name you’ll still see floating around online, usually attached to adenine, a nucleobase your body uses to build DNA, RNA, and ATP, the molecule your cells run on for energy. The catch: adenine isn’t an officially recognized vitamin. The National Institutes of Health’s MedlinePlus and the current B vitamin classification system (B1 through B12, with gaps at the old B4, B8, and B10 slots) dropped it decades ago once researchers confirmed the body makes its own adenine and doesn’t require a dietary source the way it needs, say, B12 or folate.

That doesn’t make adenine irrelevant. It’s a building block of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy currency of every cell, and of NAD, a coenzyme involved in metabolism. Your body synthesizes most of what it needs, but you also take in adenine through food, mainly as part of the nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) in anything that was once a living cell. Foods richest in nucleic acids tend to be organ meats, seafood, legumes, and yeast-based products, which is also why several of the foods below are the same ones people with gout or high uric acid are told to limit, since purines like adenine break down into uric acid. If you have gout, kidney stones, or elevated uric acid, talk to your doctor before increasing intake of the higher-purine items on this list.

Top Foods High in Vitamin B4 (Adenine)

1. Sardines: A Concentrated Purine and Nucleotide Source

Sardines are small, bone-in fish eaten whole, which means you’re consuming a large share of their cellular material, including nucleic acids rich in adenine. They’re also one of the more purine-dense foods on the market, according to purine-content research compiled by the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed Central.

Best eaten: in moderation, once a week or so if uric acid isn’t a concern, packed in olive oil or water rather than heavily salted sauces.

2. Liver: The Most Nucleotide-Dense Organ Meat

Liver, whether beef or chicken, turns over cells constantly and packs a dense supply of RNA and DNA, along with B12, iron, and vitamin A. It’s also near the top of every purine chart, so it’s a food to enjoy occasionally rather than daily.

Best eaten: seared or in a small pate, alongside vitamin C rich vegetables which support iron absorption.

3. Nutritional Yeast: A Plant-Based Nucleic Acid Source

Yeast cells are packed with RNA, which is why nutritional yeast, popular for its cheesy flavor and B vitamin content, is also a meaningful source of adenine for people who don’t eat meat or fish.

Best eaten: sprinkled on popcorn, pasta, or roasted vegetables as a savory, dairy-free flavor booster.

4. Lentils: A Legume Rich in Nucleic Acids

Legumes divide and grow quickly, which means their cells contain a good amount of RNA and DNA relative to other plant foods. Lentils are also one of the more moderate-purine legumes, making them a reasonable choice even for people watching uric acid.

Best eaten: simmered into soups and stews, or blended into a base for veggie burgers.

5. Mushrooms: A Fungal Source of Nucleotides

Mushrooms are fungi, not plants, and their rapid cell turnover gives them a moderate nucleic acid content along with B vitamins, selenium, and antioxidants like ergothioneine.

Best eaten: sauteed in a little olive oil to bring out their umami flavor, or roasted whole.

6. Whole Grains: A Steady, Low-Purine Source

Whole grains like oats, brown rice, and whole wheat contain the germ, the part of the seed responsible for growth, which carries a modest amount of nucleic acid. They’re a far gentler source than organ meats or seafood, useful for people who want dietary variety without a big purine load.

Best eaten: as a warm breakfast bowl, or swapped in for white rice at dinner.

Quick Reference: All 6 Sources at a Glance

A Few Things Worth Knowing

• Adenine isn’t a dietary requirement the way vitamin C or B12 are. Your liver makes what your cells need through a process called purine synthesis, so there’s no deficiency to watch for.
• If you have gout, kidney disease, or a history of uric acid kidney stones, the purine content matters more than the “vitamin B4” framing. The Cleveland Clinic health library recommends limiting organ meats and certain seafood for people managing uric acid.
• Cooking method matters less here than it does for water-soluble vitamins. Boiling meat or fish in a large volume of liquid and discarding the broth can lower purine content somewhat, since purines leach out.
• A varied, whole-food diet supplies plenty of nucleic acids without needing to seek out “vitamin B4” specifically. There’s no supplement or fortified food you need to chase.
• Pair moderate-purine foods like lentils and mushrooms with plenty of water and vegetables, which supports normal uric acid clearance according to general kidney health guidance from the Mayo Clinic.

The Bottom Line

Adenine doesn’t meet the modern definition of a vitamin, and “vitamin B4” is an outdated label you’re unlikely to see on a nutrition label. Still, the compound is essential to how your cells make and store energy, and understanding which foods are naturally rich in it, and which ones to enjoy in moderation if you’re managing uric acid, is genuinely useful nutrition knowledge.

This article is for informational purposes and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. If you have gout, kidney disease, or another condition affected by purine intake, talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes. Nutrition data sourced from USDA FoodData Central.

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