Vitamin
B: The Energy Vitamin
Vitamin B: The Energy Vitamin
By: Dr. George Obikoya
The B-complex vitamins are actually a group of
eight vitamins, which include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin
(B3), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid (B9), cyanocobalamin (B12), pantothenic
acid and biotin.
Many people consume foods fortified with vitamin B, but the typical
American diet high in processed, cooked and microwavable food gives
us only a fraction of the B-vitamins we need for good health. There
are a number of ways to make up for this deficiency, but liquid
multivitamins are generally considered to have the advantage over
all other supplements.
The B vitamins are vital to a vigorous and energetic long life.
What’s more, you can get serious health problems if you lack them.
B vitamins are easily flushed out of the body, and people on weight-loss
diets, alcoholics or those who take antibiotics or seizure drugs
are even more prone to having vitamin B deficiency.
While it is safe for many people to take three times or more of
the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for B-vitamins, each of us
has unique requirements based on our own individual physiology and
lifestyle. Hence, it is important to check with your doctor before
beginning a vitamin regimen in order to determine your proper dosage.
Because deficiencies usually include more than one B-vitamin, and
because the B-vitamins work best as a team, you should take a B-complex
supplement along with any single B-vitamin in order to achieve their
synergistic effects.
B1-Thiamin: Thiamin is necessary for adrenal gland function, proper
immune performance and the synthesis of neurotransmitters. It also
plays a role in the metabolism of food and alcohol. The RDA for
thiamin is very low and does not consider increased thiamin requirements
that result from an unhealthy lifestyle, old age or disease. Seniors
typically have lower thiamin levels and should be aware of symptoms
such as poor memory, fatigue, muscle weakness and blindness, and
in time even heart disease, brain damage or death. Because thiamin,
in combination with alpha lipoic acid (ALA), encourages the nerves
of the skin and the blood vessels to regenerate, people with diabetic
neuropathies often feel relief from pain when they increase their
thiamin intake along with ALA.
B2-Ribofiavin: Riboflavin is required for energy production and
oxygen utilization. The symptoms of low riboflavin include fatigue,
blindness, anemia and crusting around the mouth.
Doctors sometimes prescribe riboflavin to prevent migraine headaches
and to alleviate arthritis pain. Recent research suggests that riboflavin
may also play a role in the prevention of cancer.
B3-Niacin: is also necessary for the body's production of energy.
It is also useful in treating high cholesterol, schizophrenia, neurological
disease and Raynaud's syndrome (a blood vessel disorder).
If you intend to take high doses of niacin, you should use "flush
free" niacin. Besides lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein
or "bad") cholesterol, niacin, in combination with vitamin
C, can reduce the body's production of lipoprotein (a), a risk factor
for heart disease. Let your physician monitor you if you are taking
high doses of niacin.
B5-Pantothenic Acid: is obligatory for energy production.
It is also required for proper immune function and adrenal stress
hormone production. It is sometimes referred to as the "anti-stress"
vitamin.
B6-Pyridoxine and Folic Acid: work together to regulate the levels
of homocysteine, a byproduct of protein breakdown that damages arteries
and makes them prone to cholesterol deposits.
Folic acid is especially important for women of childbearing age,
as deficiencies of this nutrient have been linked with birth defects.
Women on birth control pills, pregnant women, all women of childbearing
age, as well as alcoholics, heart disease patients and people taking
antibiotics should make sure they take between 400-800 mcg of folic
acid per day.
B12-Cobalamin: is required for normal gene function,
energy production, the formation of blood cells and proper immunity.
Choline and Inositol: Choline is necessary for building your cells
and severe deficiency can cause death. Because of its anti-inflammatory
nature, choline supplements of 1,000 mg are effective and safe for
treating asthma and arthritis. Inositol deficiency can lead to severe
mental problems. Hence, inositol helps in the treatment of depression,
panic attacks, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, with a daily dose
as high as 12-18 gm. It is also used to prevent hardening of the
arteries, protect the heart and treat cancer. Two daily B-complex
capsules should provide sufficient amounts of these two vitamins
for most people.
Biotin and Paraminobenzoic acid (PABA): Biotin is required for fat
and protein metabolism, effective immunity and gene function. Biotin
deficiency is most common in the elderly, people with diabetes and
in those who take too many antibiotics. PABA is necessary for the
metabolism of amino acids and in the formation of blood. Biotin
and PABA deficiencies are rare and people can usually get enough
from a good B-complex supplement.
The B-complex vitamins receive less media attention than the other
vitamins but as you can see from reading this article, they are
fundamental for life. As such, a daily regimen to acquire all of
them, such as a liquid multivitamin, is an excellent way to prevent
the diseases and conditions described in this article. They work
together as team members, which keep your body functioning normally
and provide you with the energy you need to conduct your daily activities.
Plus, B-complex vitamins can help prevent many diseases because
they repair nucleic acids and immune cells.
A good multivitamin is the foundation of health
and nutrition. Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of
the popular brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement,
quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for a high
quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you take a look at
the Multivitamin
Product Comparisons.The B-complex vitamins are actually a group of
eight vitamins, which include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin
(B3), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid (B9), cyanocobalamin (B12), pantothenic
acid and biotin.
VITAPLEN COMPLETE™ contains the following B-Vitamins: B1(thiamine, 3 mg), B2 (riboflavin, 2.12 mg), B3 (Niacin, 20 mg), B6 (pyridoxine, 5 mg), B9 (folic acid, 400 mcg), B12 (cyanocobalamin, 50 mcg), and Biotin PLUS 165 scientifically formulated nutrients--all in a highly absorbable liquid formula.
References
Berkson, B., M.D., Ph.D. All About the B Vitamins. Garden City Park,
NY: Avery Publishing Group, 1998.
Berkson, B. The Alpha-Lipoic Acid Breahthrough. Rocklin, CA: Prima
Publishing 1999.
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