The Unbeatable Vitamin B’s

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?