What are B Complex Vitamins

Vitamins B complex and Vitamin A, C, D, E and K are the life saver of human bodies.



B complex vitamins are a blend of eight essential vitamins and four supplements that are required by the human body on a daily basis. The first vitamin B complex discovered was Thiamine.

The B complex vitamins are significantly used for the treatment of nervous problems, fatigue and stress. The primary role of the B complex vitamins is releasing energy. They also participate in all significant aspects of food metabolism and in the production of energy. Consuming rich sources of vitamin B complex daily also helps in reinforcement of the immune system and prevention of blood clots.

The eight vitamins of B complex include riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, cyanocobalamin, and folate. Deficiencies of B complex vitamins are still seen in many countries. It is very essential to understand and learn the answers to “what is vitamin B complex good for” and “what does vitamin B complex do”.

Thiamine or Vitamin B1 helps in the conversion of glucose into energy and in the formation of red blood cells. Good sources of thiamine are pork, watermelon, wheat gram and yeast. Deficiency of thiamine is mainly caused in countries where white rice is the staple food. Other causes of deficiency are poor diet, alcohol intake and certain health ailments.



Symptoms include headache, nausea, depression and fatigue. The most common deficiency disease is Beri-Beri, a disease that adversely affects cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and nervous system.

Vitamin B2, also known as Riboflavin, is greatly involved in energy metabolism and healthy skin. These vitamins are found in meat, liver, milk, cottage cheese, whole grain breads, green leafy vegetables and kidney. Deficiency of this vitamin often leads to inflamed tongue, cracked skin, skin rash, red tongue and reddening of cornea.

Vitamin B3, or Niacin, provides extra energy by reducing the cholesterol level and plays a key role in treating arteriosclerosis. It is found in foods such as salmon, liver, chicken, nuts, cereals and dried peas. Deficiency causes pellagra.

Vitamin B5 is found in cereals, legumes and meat. Adequate intake of this vitamin helps in metabolizing proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Symptoms of deficiency include nausea, abdominal pain, weight loss, constipation and fatigue.

Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, is required for releasing energy, forming red blood cells and certain brain chemicals.  Good sources are whole grains, legumes, bread, meat, nuts, poultry, liver, spinach and bananas. Deficiency of pyridoxine shows symptoms of irritability, cracked corners of the mouth, muscle twitching and kidney stones.



Excessive intake has toxic effects on the human body resulting in numbness or irreversible nerve damage.
 
Vitamin B 7, or Biotin, helps in the breakdown of fats and carbohydrates to release energy. Good sources are cauliflower, peanuts, liver, egg yolk and chicken. Deficiency symptoms are abnormal heart actions, weight loss, nausea, depression, dry skin, scaly dermatitis, muscle pain, hair loss and weakness.

Vitamin B9, or folic acid, is commonly found in legumes, citrus fruits, eggs, whole grain, nuts and green leafy vegetables. It plays a vital role in the formation of red blood cells and helps in oxygen transportation.

Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is essential for production and maintenance of body cells and releasing energy. This vitamin is found in animal sources like eggs, milk, fish, meat and liver. Deficiency symptoms are fatigue, lack of appetite, depression, anemia, smooth tongue and degeneration of peripheral nerves progressing to paralysis.

All vitamins of the vitamin B complex should be consumed according to the recommended dietary allowances. Taking B complex vitamins is a measurable activity that has to be restricted in case of overload. Too much vitamin B complex is harmful and often leads to fatal health conditions.
There is nothing much to say about B complex vitamin but one thing is sure that people can never ignore taking B complex vitamins for healthy growth and development.

Because of the fact that most of us live a kind of life that is very hectic and allows no time for relaxation as a result of over cramped work schedules, many of us tend to ignore the role that the diet plays in the maintenance of the human body. All the energy that we utilize in order to complete the hundred and one tasks that we need to accomplish on a daily basis are gathered from the kinds of foods we eat.



As a result, making sure that you eat the right kinds of foods will ensure that your body is more than capable of accomplishing these tasks much faster and accurately. The fast foods like burgers and hot dogs that have become such a convenient option to the busy schedules are heavily cramped with empty calories that do not do anything for our bodies apart from being converted into fat cells and stored in the fatty tissue of the body. They lack any of the essential vitamins, nutrients and carbohydrates that the body requires in order to be able to function optimally. B complex vitamins are a very important part of the dietary intake and many scientific papers have been published on the various links between B complex vitamins and pregnancy, weight loss, energy production as well as development of acne. Moreover, certain papers have also been published detailing the vitamin B complex benefits for hair in men and women as well as the vitamin B complex benefits for depression.

Some of the main priorities that B complex vitamins play in the upkeep of the human body include the support of the increased rate of metabolism, the maintenance of a healthy skin as well as muscle tone while also playing a very prominent role in the enhancing of the immune system. It also helps to be aware of the fact that a regular vitamin B complex dosage will also help in the prevention of pancreatic cancer, especially when included in your food instead of in a vitamin tablet form.

A little history on B complex vitamins shows that, up until very recently, we were under the impression that Vitamin B was a single water-soluble vitamin. However, only recently did further scientific research show that B vitamins are actually a group of distinct vitamins that will regularly exist together in the same kind of food. The various individual elements present in B complex vitamins are individually identified as well.



Vitamin B1 is known as thiamine and is known to prevent the development of conditions such as beriberi as well as a number of diseases of the nervous system. It is this element that provides the link between B complex vitamins and weight loss as well as depression. Some of the other symptoms of a thiamine deficiency include weakness and pain in the limbs as well as periods of an irregular heartbeat. Vitamin B2 is riboflavin and some of the more common symptoms of a deficiency include cracks in the lips as well as a significant sensitivity for sunlight. Some of the other common conditions that will develop as a result of a deficiency of riboflavin include hyperemia and pharyngitis.

Vitamin B3 is known as niacin whose deficiency causes dermatitis, insomnia, mental confusion as well as aggression. Pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5, is a vitamin that prevents the development of acne and a condition known as paresthesia. Pyridoxine, vitamin B6, is a vitamin whose deficiency is known to lead to conditions such as depression, dermatitis, high blood pressure and elevated levels of homocysteine. Biotin, folic acid and cobalamin are the remaining sets of vitamin B complex that play a huge role in the functioning of a number of organs within the body.

Although the ingestion of vitamin B complex are known to be very beneficial for the human body, it is important to point out the fact that there is always a danger of vitamin B toxicity if consumed in excessive amounts as they could cause various side effects.



This is despite the fact that most B vitamins are eliminated on a regular basis through the urine. Niacin, for instance, which is also known as vitamin B3 – when ingested in amounts of over 3000 mg/day are known to be associated with instances of vomiting, nausea and even symptoms that indicate liver toxicity. Some of the other less serious consequences of a niacin toxicity include redness of the skin which is usually accompanied by some amount of itching, tingling and a mild burning sensation. A toxicity of vitamin B12, cobalamin, is likely to trigger an acne like rash in the body. Therefore one should be aware of the b complex vitamins side effects.

There are a number of natural vitamin b complex sources that exist in our regular foods, however, it is significantly lacking from any plant sources – making vitamin B deficiency a very serious concern amongst vegans. However, the population of the United States of America does not tend to suffer from a deficiency of vitamin B complex because meat is a regular part of the majority of the population living there. The vegans that do not have a lot of complex B vitamins included in their regular diet will need to resort to an intake of dietary supplements. However it should be noted that most of which are very effective in ensuring that your body receives the right amount of complex B vitamins. Pregnant women or women planning for a baby are most regularly urged to increase their intake of folic acid in order to aid the pregnancy. Besides this, athletes and elderly individuals would also need to supplement their dietary intake of complex B vitamins as a result of a lack of absorption and increased requirements of energy by the body. There is a lot of additional information that you can have a look at through sources such as the internet as well as your local bookstore that will help you adapt your diet to allow for better Vitamin intake. You could also consult your doctor on B complex multivitamin tablets that you could use. These are easily available over the counter.