Vitamin B-Complex: Health benefits

The B complex is of critical importance to metabolism, the nervous system, vital organs, eyes, muscles, skin, and hair. The human body cannot manufacture the vitamin B complex, but is found in meat and fish, dairy products and eggs, leafy green vegetables, fruit, whole grains and nuts.  
Another component of this vitamin, B plus Coq10, is crucial for energy production in the body: it helps produce about 95% of the energy in the human body by metabolizing the fats and carbohydrates in the mitochondria, where energy is produced. It also helps maintain the strength and flexibility of cells in the body. Because of these properties, vitamin B plus Coq10 can potentially be used as a weight loss supplement.

Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B7 serve to produce energy, vitamin B6 is essential for proper metabolism, and vitamins B12 and B9 play a major role in cell division. Since multivitamin supplements are more complete than B-complex vitamins by themselves, they are usually recommended to prevent deficiencies over individual vitamin supplements.

Daily needs for B vitamins

Recently the United States Department of Agriculture recommended intake amount of each B complex vitamin. Adults should consume at least 13-20 mg of vitamin B6 each day, depending on age and gender. For B12, adults should consume at least 2 mg per day. Pregnant and lactating women need more. Different factors can affect recommended daily consumption, such as an active lifestyle, smoking, drinking alcohol, some chronic health problems, etc, requiring the person to take even larger doses of these vitamins, as well as B1, B2, B3, and B5.

B supplements are available the market in pill, capsule, powder, liquid, sub-lingual, and spray form, as B-complex supplements or separately for vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. There may also be a slight advantage to taking a whole food supplement where the vitamin B complex occurs in a natural balance. 

B vitamin deficiency

Research has shown that a vitamin B deficiency can cause several different diseases such as:

• Anemia
• Dermatitis
• Encephalitis
• Pellagra
• Beriberi

Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, neurological conditions, arteriosclerosis, dementia, Crone’s disease and many others have shown improvement from B supplementation.

Vitamin B6 and B12 get a lot of attention because they support:

• the nervous system
• the metabolism of carbohydrates
• the metabolism of fats
• the metabolism of proteins
• the production of healthy blood cells

Advocates of a balanced diet of fresh foods should note that the B vitamins can lose their potency from food processing and handling. Several named vitamin deficiency diseases may result from the lack of sufficient B-vitamins:

    * Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) deficiency causes Beriberi, a disease with several different symptoms - weight loss, emotional disturbances, Wernicke's encephalopathy, weakness and pain in the limbs, periods of irregular heartbeat, and edema. Heart failure and death may occur in advanced cases. The disease is usually easy to cure with B1 supplements.

    * Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) deficiency causes Ariboflavinosis. Most common symptoms of this disease may include cheilosis, cracks in the lips, high sensitivity to sunlight, angular cheilitis, glossitis, inflammation of the tongue, seborrheic dermatitis or pseudo-syphilis, pharyngitis, hyperemia, and edema of the pharyngeal and oral mucosa.

    * Vitamin B3 (Niacin) deficiency, along with a deficiency of tryptophan causes pellagra, a condition is characterized by 3 Ds: Dermatitis, Dementia and Diarrhea. Other common symptoms include aggression, , insomnia, weakness, mental confusion, etc. In advanced cases, pellagra may lead to dementia and death.

    * Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) deficiency can result in acne and Paresthesia, although it is uncommon. Paresthesias are strange sensory sensations under the skin.

    * Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) deficiency may lead to several different disorders, including anemia, depression, dermatitis, high blood pressure (hypertension) and elevated levels of homocysteine.

    * Vitamin B7 deficiency does not typically cause symptoms in adults, but may lead to impaired growth and neurological disorders in infants.

    * Pregnant women know that Vitamin B9 (Folic acid) deficiency results in elevated levels of homocysteine. Deficiency in pregnant women can lead to birth defects.

    * Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) deficiency causes pernicious anemia, memory loss and other cognitive decline, sometimes even paralysis. It is most likely to occur among elderly people, as absorption declines with age. 

Vitamin B Supplements

Supplements belong to a group of medicines known as vitamins.

Vitamin B complex is a combination of three main B vitamins (B1, B2 and Nicotinamide) and six other non-essential vitamins.

Vitamin B1 is useful in treatment of nervous disorders and protects against imbalances caused by alcoholism, poor diet, starvation, and overcooked food. The best natural sources are found in all plant and animal foods, but also in brown rice, whole grains, seafood and legumes. It is not stored in significant amounts in the body and deficiency is common. The best natural sources are found in milk, liver, kidneys, yeast, cheese, and leafy green vegetables.

Nicotinamide (B3) is essential for the production of sex hormones and a healthy nervous system. It also acts as a detoxificant, ridding the body of toxins and pollutants. The best natural sources are found in liver, whole grains, peanuts, eggs, avocados and fish.

Each capsule supplies the following:

Vitamin B1	50 mg
Vitamin B2	50 mg
Niacin	50 mg
Pantothenic Acid	50 mg
Vitamin B6	50 mg
Vitamin B12	50 mcg
Biotin	50 mcg
Folic Acid	400 mcg
Choline Bitartrate	50 mg
Inositol	50 mg
PABA	50 mg

Before taking vitamin B, patients should make sure that their doctor or pharmacist are aware of the following:

• heart disease or recent heart attacks
• pregnancy or breast-feeding
• liver problems
• stomach ulcers or frequent upset stomach
• diabetes, gout, glaucoma or gall bladder disease
• a tendency to bleed easily
• allergic reactions to this or any other medicine

Certain rules on taking vitamin B supplements must be adhered to:

• Supplements should be taken exactly as directed by doctor.
• Always read the manufacturer's information leaflet before starting treatment.
• Never take more than the prescribed dose
• Never give the medications to others even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.

Along with their useful effects, all medicines can cause unwanted side effects which usually improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine. Some of the most common side effects are:

• rash
• itchy skin
• irregular heartbeat
• upset stomach
• nervousness