What is Vitamin B and Where Do We Get It

If you want to know more about the vitamin B complex and where we get it, read on. Vitamin B is a combination of eight water soluble vitamins. The B vitamins work together to boost metabolism, enhance your immune and nervous systems, keep the skin and muscles healthy, encourage cell growth and division, and many more benefits to your body. Years ago the breakdown of the vitamin was not known.

Vitamin B1, also know as thiamine.
B1 serves as a catalyst in carbohydrate metabolism and helps synthesize nerve-regulating substances. Deficiency can cause heart swelling, leg cramps and muscular weakness.

Foods rich in thiamine include meats, eggs, leafy green vegetables, nuts, legumes, berries, wheat germs and enriched cereals. It is said to improve mental ability and to help indigestion. Some also believe it is good for depression, stress and anxiety.

Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin.
B2 helps metabolize fats, carbohydrates and respiratory proteins. Deficiency can result in skin lesions and light sensitivity.

Foods with abundant riboflavin include mushrooms, milk, meat, dark green vegetables, enriched cereals, pasta and bread. This vitamin is good for skin, nails, eyes, mouths, lips, tongue and is believed to help prevent cancer.

Vitamin B3, also known as niacin.
B3 helps release energy from nutrients. It can reduce cholesterol and prevent and treat arteriosclerosis, along with many other benefits.

Food sources rich in niacin include chicken, salmon, tuna, liver, nuts, dried peas, enriched cereals and dried beans.

Vitamin B5, also know as pantothenic acid.
This vitamin has a role in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

Food sources include eggs, whole grain cereals, legumes and meat, although it is found to some degree in nearly every food. Fatigue, allergies, nausea and abdominal pain have been attributed to a deficiency of vitamin B5.

Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine.
B6 helps the body absorb and metabolize amino fats, to use fats and to form red blood cells.

Pyridoxine is found in whole grains, bread, green beans, spinach, avocados, bananas and liver. Lack of this vitamin may result in smooth tongue, skin disorders, dizziness, nausea, anemia, convulsions and kidney stones.

Vitamin B7, also known as biotin or vitamin H.
B7 helps form fatty acids and assists in the release of energy from carbohydrates. Note: There have been no cases of deficiency among humans.

Vitamin B9, also known as folic acid. Sometimes this vitamin goes by the name of vitamin M or vitamin B-c.
Folic acid enables the body to form hemoglobin. It helps treat anemia.

Good food sources include leafy green vegetables, nuts, whole grains, legumes and organ meats. Be mindful that folic acid is lost when foods are stored at room temperature or cooked. Folic acid is extremely important in pregnancy as it helps prevent neural tube defects in newborns, including spina bifida.

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin or cyanocobalamin.
B12 assists the function of the nervous system and the formation of red blood cells. If the body is unable to absorb sufficient B12, pernicious anemia can result.

B12 can only be found in animal sources such as eggs, milk, fish, meat and liver. Therefore vegetarians are strongly encouraged to supplement.

Supplements are available for each of these vitamins. However, it is imperative that you try to eat healthy, including many of the above mentioned foods in your daily diet. Be sure to ask your doctor if you have any questions.