Few of us would not benefit from the addition of the unbeatable B’s in our daily supplement program.
Without the vitamin B family, our bodies can’t maintain healthy nerve, skin, and hair, eyes, liver, or muscle tone. Nor can they utilize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins adequately. The vitamin B family is an important group of nutrients, each with its own biological role to play. As a group, the B’s work together in the body and can be found in the same foods. Because of this “togetherness” they are called the B-complex vitamins. Since B-vitamins are water soluble and cannot be stored in the body for long periods of time, they must be replaced daily. Here is an overview of the B family:
Vitamin B-1 (thiamin)
- Functions as an enzyme compound
- Essential for energy production, carbohydrate use, and nerve cell function.
- Promotes strong mental health
Vitamin B-2 (riboflavin)
- Plays a crucial role in the energy production
- Maintains healthy eyes, skin, and mouth tissues
Vitamin B-3 (niacin)
- Promotes healthy cholesterol levels
- Supports energy production
Vitamin B-5 (pantothenic acid)
- Plays a key role in adrenal functions and in producing red blood cells
- Helps maintain ideal cholesterol levels and helps utilize fats and carbohydrates for energy production
Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine)
- Plays a crucial role in the proper functioning of over 60 different enzymes that helps repair and replace cells.
- Supports immune systems, as well as keeps mucous membranes and skin healthy
- Provides support vital for healthy pregnancies
- Can be linked to proper formation of red blood cells
- May decrease the risk of arthrosclerosis by blocking the action of homocysteine, an undesirable form of the amino acid cysteine
Vitamin B-12 (cobalamin)
- May decrease the risk of atherosclerosis
- Supports energy metabolism as well as immune and nerve functions.
Biotin
- Promotes strong, healthy nail and hair formation
- Maintains production of scalp oils; promoting a healthy scalp.
- Helps the body convert simple sugars to glucose for energy reserves.
- Helps produce fatty acids, essential energy nutrients
Folic Acid
- Required in protein synthesis and red blood cell formation
- Believed to reduce the risk of some birth defects when taken prior to and during pregnancy
- Promote a healthy heart by maintaining healthy homocysteine levels.
- May decrease the risk of arthrosclerosis
Choline and Inositol
- Involved in the body’s use of fats and cholesterol; choline in the use and storage of fat, inositol in making large key molecules.
- Called phospholipids, theses large molecules, aid in digesting and using fats.
PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid)
- Works concurrently with other nutrients in the body to perform a variety of different tasks
- Helps in formation of folic acid and use of protein to repair and regenerate the body.
- Supports healthy intestinal flora.
Remember B vitamins with food to both increase absorption and to eliminate the possibility of casing an upset stomach. Have you had your dose of vitamin B today?
