B vitamins are water-soluble nutrients that play an essential role in our health. Whilst our gut bacteria can synthesise very small amounts of B vitamins, we cannot manufacture them ourselves, so they must come from our food.
They are the unsung heroes of vitamins as they are behind the scenes ensuring our cellular processes run smoothly to support optimal health and wellbeing.
What does Vitamin B do?
In nature we find our B vitamins packaged up as a family in varying amounts in the form of whole foods, they work synergistically yet have unique roles in maintaining our health. They are a family of 8 which include:
B1 (thiamine)
B2 (riboflavin)
B3 (niacin)
B5 (pantothenic acid)
B6 (pyridoxine)
B7 (biotin)
B9 (Folate)
B12 (cyanocobalamin)
We also have Choline which is often grouped with Vitamin B as it plays similar roles in the body.
Once we ingest, digest, and absorb vitamin B from food they are transported to our cells where they support our cellular health. Their main function is to help produce our energy, and support adrenal function and our nervous system.
Without B vitamins we could not ignite our cellular processes as the energy our body needs comes from the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP provides the energy we require to function such as digesting, breathing, and other bodily processes including nerve impulses and muscle contractions.
We produce our energy through a series of chemical reactions via a metabolic pathway that takes place in the mitochondria which is the powerhouse of the cell. This pathway is known as the Krebs cycle or the citric acid cycle. Our family of B vitamins play a fundamental role in this pathway and are needed for all mitochondrial function.
Vitamin B deficiency
Without enough vitamin B we will experience a real lag in our energy, we also require them for many other functions including –
- The formation of new blood cells
- Production of DNA
- Neurotransmitter production
- Cognitive function
- Immune system
- Adrenal function
- A healthy nervous system
- Digestion
- Cardiovascular health
- Hormone production and much more
These essential vitamins come packaged together in whole foods which we must consume daily. Our body can store an excess of B12 and Folate in the liver, but the rest are used quickly and excreted. We also need to eat a wide variety of foods to ensure we are getting all that are available such as –
- Leafy greens
- Eggs
- Poultry
- Salmon
- Legumes
- Wholegrains
- Fruits
- Nuts and seeds
- Liver
- Nutritional yeast and more
Less than optimal levels of B vitamins can simply be due to eating too much-processed foods which are stripped of all nutrients unless they are added back in a synthetic form such as that found in fortified cereals.
There are many underlying health conditions that can inhibit their absorption such as coeliac disease, kidney conditions, ulcerative colitis and more. Thiamine deficiency (B1) is common with excess alcohol consumption, some medications can also cause low levels such as proton pump inhibitors (PPI’s), metformin and others.
Vegan diets must be carefully balanced to ensure good levels of B12 as stores from the liver can decline over time. However, there are many who eat plenty of fish, eggs, meat, and dairy who are also deficient in this vitamin for various reasons, so it is always good to get these levels checked if you experience symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, tingling in the extremities, mood changes etc.
How much vitamin B should I take daily?
Whilst nature provides this feast of vitamins we collectively call B vitamin complex, from unprocessed foods many individuals find themselves with lower than average levels required for optimal health.
The NRV (nutrient reference values) for our daily intake of B Vitamins vary from 1.1mg – 16mg per day, and 200mcg for folate except in pregnancy where a dose of 400mcg is recommended to prevent neural tube defects. The recommended requirements are in place to prevent overt diseases such as Beriberi (B1 deficiency), Pellagra (B3 deficiency), Pernicious anaemia (B12 deficiency), and megaloblastic anaemia (Folate deficiency).
We are advised to eat a wide variety of whole foods which will cover our daily recommended requirements, but quite often we need way more than the NRV, and supplementing our diet is necessary. Vitamin B has high safe upper limit levels and is therefore known to be safe in larger dosages due to its low toxicity risk.
When to supplement with B vitamins
When we are under duress or continued stress our adrenal glands and other systems work harder so the demand for nutrients necessary for a healthy response increases to support the production of various hormones and other chemicals that we need. When we are in ‘fight or flight’ mode, we can also create inflammation and our digestive system function become impaired which can affect how we digest and absorb nutrients from our food.
Many people choose to supplement their diet with vitamin B complex to ensure they are taking adequate amounts for their personal needs. There are times when we may just need the extra lift, they can give us. For some individuals, they need to supplement with methylated forms of B vitamins as they find they cannot convert folic acid (found in many supplements) to the readily available active folate as well as the active form of B12 (methylcobalamin) due to a gene variant known as MTHFR (Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) that makes it more difficult for them to use inactive forms.
In conclusion, vitamin B from NutriLink really can offer us a daily dose of energy, improved mood and vitality!
