B Vitamins

B Complex Vitamins

B vitamins are a list of water soluble vitamins that help generally to convert food into energy and synthesize hemoglobin in our body. Therefore, B vitamins are a list of eight essential nutrients found in various food sources and added to food items to maintain good health. The dietary supplements that contain all eight B vitamins are named vitamin B complex. The names and list of B vitamins are vitamin B₁ (thiamine), B₂ (riboflavin), B₃ (niacin, nicotinamide, nicotinamide riboside), B₅ (pantothenic acid), B₆ (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine), B₇ (biotin), B₉ (folate or folic acid), and B₁₂ (cobalamins).

The list of B vitamins that we intake daily plays a vital role in maintaining good health and helps to support cell health, growth of red blood cells, growing energy levels, and proper nerve and brain functions.

These are also very important for women who are pregnant because vitamin B complex helps in fetal brain development and reduces the risk of birth defects.

B complex vitamins play a key role in the making and activation of the hormone estrogen in our body. Therefore, low levels of B vitamins reduce the levels of estrogen and increase the risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women.

B Complex Vitamins List and Sources

Most of the B vitamins are found abundantly in meat, eggs, and dairy products. They are also available in plant products such as spinach, legumes, whole grains, asparagus, potatoes, bananas, chili peppers, and breakfast cereals.

However, B₁₂ is not abundantly available in plant products. Therefore, foods obtained from animal origin are the only sources of vitamin B₁₂ or cobalamin.

The highest sources of B₁₂ are liver, kidney, milk, curd, eggs, fish, pork, and chicken. Curd is a better source than milk due to the synthesis of this B vitamin by Lactobacillus.

A list of vitamin B complexes and their important food sources is given below in the table,

Functions of B Vitamins

Vitamin B complexes are beneficial in maintaining good health because all of these B vitamins directly impact your energy levels, brain function, and cell metabolism.

Each B vitamin has either a cofactor or a precursor that is needed to maintain various biological processes in our body.

Functions of Thiamine

Thiamine is a coenzyme or form of B vitamins that is involved in the catabolism of sugars and amino acids. The main biological functions of this form of B vitamin include,

• Thiamine plays an important role in the release of energy from carbohydrates.
• Vitamin B₁ (thiamine) takes part in the production of RNA and DNA.
• Thiamine is an important B vitamin that is also involved in nerve function.
• In metabolism, the active form of the coenzyme thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) takes part during the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl coenzyme A.

Functions of Riboflavin

Vitamin B₂ (Riboflavin) is an essential component of two major coenzymes, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD).

• The coenzymes FMN and FAD, produced from vitamin B₂ play an important role during energy production for cellular function, growth, and development.
• A form of B vitamins, riboflavin, is also essential for the metabolism of fats, drugs, and steroids.
• FAD is required during the conversion of the amino acid tryptophan to niacin or vitamin B₃. Similarly, FMN is required during the conversion of vitamin B₆ to the coenzyme pyridoxal 5’-phosphate.
• The B vitamin riboflavin also helps to maintain normal levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood.

Functions of Vitamin B₃

All three vitamers of vitamin B₃ are converted within the human body to the coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP). These coenzymes are required for human life but may not be formed without vitamin B₃ or tryptophan. The main biological functions of vitamin B₃ include,

• All tissues in the body convert niacin into its main metabolically active coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). This coenzyme, obtained from B vitamins, catalyzes various biological reactions in the human body.
• NAD obtained from niacin is converted to another active form of NADP. It generally helps to control most metabolic redox processes in human cells.
• NAD obtained from vitamin B₃ also transfers the potential energy in carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
• All vitamers of vitamin B₃ are also required for various critical cellular functions. They help to maintain genome integrity, control gene expression, and cellular communication.

Functions of Vitamin B₅

Vitamin B₅ (Pantothenic acid) is an essential form of B vitamin that helps to synthesize coenzyme A (CoA) and acyl carrier protein.

Coenzyme A plays a vital role in synthesizing amino acids, fatty acids, ketone bodies, cholesterol, phospholipids, steroid hormones, neurotransmitters, and antibodies.

Functions of Vitamin B₆

Vitamin B₆ is one of the water-soluble B vitamins that contain six vitamers such as pyridoxal, pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, and their respective 5’-phosphate esters. However, pyridoxal 5’ phosphate (PLP) and pyridoxamine 5’ phosphate (PMP) are the two active forms of vitamin B₆.

Like other B vitamins, it also helps our body to carry out various biological functions. The main functions of this B vitamin include,

• This B vitamin helps to make antibodies that generally fight against various viruses, infections, and diseases.
• Vitamin B₆ also helps to maintain normal nerve function.
• This form of B vitamins helps to make hemoglobin that carries oxygen in the red blood cells to the tissues.
• Various forms of vitamin B₆ play an important role in breaking down proteins that we eat from various food sources.
• Vitamin B₆ keeps your blood sugar or glucose levels normal.

Functions of Vitamin B₇

Biotin is an essential B vitamin that catalyzes the metabolism of fatty acids, glucose, and amino acids. It also plays key roles in histone modifications, gene regulation, and cell signaling

We may not detect low levels of biotin by any medical test. It is generally identified by its deficiency symptoms such as thinning hair and red scaly rash around the eyes, nose, and mouth.

Biotin generally uses for treating hair thinning or loss, brittle nails, and other conditions. However, there is no good scientific evidence to support such uses.

Functions of Folate (Folic acid)

Folate (folic acid) is the natural form of vitamin B₉ that is extremely beneficial for pregnant women or women planning a pregnancy. The most important functions of folate (folic acid) include,

• Folate (folic acid) is an important form of B vitamins that functions in the production of genetic materials such as DNA and RNA.
• Iron with folic acid is essential when cells and tissues are growing rapidly such as in infancy, adolescence, pregnancy, and fetal development.
• Like other B vitamins, folic acid helps to make red blood cells and maintain the work of iron in your body.
• Folic acid or folate plays a key role in breaking down the amino acid homocysteine because high amounts of homocysteine may have harmful effects on our bodies.
• Folate is extremely crucial for the proper functioning of the brain and emotional health.

Folate or folic acid is extremely needed when you are pregnant because folic acid deficiency may cause neural tube defects in the fetus. Therefore, a high dose of folic acid is recommended in pregnancy to prevent birth defects.

Functions of Vitamin B₁₂

Vitamin B₁₂ (cobalamin) is one of eight water-soluble B vitamins that help to maintain various biological functions in our bodies. They are also required for the proper growth and development of the human body. The main biological functions of vitamin B₁₂ are,

• Vitamin B₁₂ is a powerful neural compound that helps in the synthesis of neurotransmitters. Therefore, it may be the functioning of the brain and nerves in the human body.
• This form of B vitamin is also required for the proper growth and development of the human body.
• Like most B vitamins, cobalamin plays an important role during fatty acid and amino acid metabolism.
• This form of B complex vitamins also plays an important role in DNA synthesis and regulation.
• Natural foods or supplements of vitamin B₁₂ help to produce healthy red blood cells and also prevent conditions like iron deficiency anemia.
• Daily intake of the B₁₂ vitamin reduces homocysteine levels in your blood. Homocysteine is a protein that is responsible for damaging arterial walls and increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Vitamin B Complex Supplements

Most B vitamins are found in various foods that we take in our daily diet. However, we also use vitamin B supplements to maintain our good health.

Each individual B vitamin supplement referred to a specific number or name such as B₁ for thiamine, B₂ for riboflavin, B₃ for niacin, B₅ for pantothenic acid, etc.

The B complex vitamins are a list of water-soluble vitamins that help to maintain our good health. Therefore, they dissolve in water and your body does not store them.

The supplementation of vitamin B complex is a common way to increase the levels of B vitamins. Most energy drinks contain high amounts of B vitamins to boost the energy levels of your body.

The supplementation (tablets or capsules) of B vitamins also helps to reduce stress, boost mood, and reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression. However, always ask your doctor or healthcare provider before taking supplements that contain B vitamins.

Daily Recommendations for B Vitamins

Each B vitamin has a specific daily recommendation but it varies depending on your sex, age, and other factors like pregnancy and breastfeeding. The RDA’s daily intake values for various B vitamins for women and men are listed below the table,

According to the National Institutes of Health, the daily recommendation of B vitamins for men aged over 51 is 1.7 mg, and for females aged over 51 is 1.5 mg.