Vitamin B

B vitamins play important roles within the body individually but also collectively. It's best to always start with the entire B family, called a B complex and then add individual B’s if required afterward. B vitamins are water-soluble which means they dissolve in water. They are easily transported around the body but generally aren't stored which means you need a daily intake of these nutrients.

These healthy foods are good sources of B vitamins:

* Meat - red meat, poultry, and fish

* Eggs

* Legumes and lentils

* Nuts and seeds

* Dark green leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach)

* Fruits - citrus, banana, avocado

Common uses of B vitamins include:

* Improving digestion

* Increasing energy

* Improving nerve health

* Essential for good heart health

* Better moods and memory

* Production of new healthy cells

* May prevents cancer

B 1: Thiamine

* Major role with digestion. Helps produce hydrochloric acid so we can digest our food. Prevents constipation, regulates appetite.

* Brain health. It is involved in the maintenance of memory

* Nerve health.

B 2 : Riboflavin

* Needed for energy production

* Digestion of food and enhances the absorption of other nutrients

* Essential for the production of new cells

B 3 : Niacin

* Digestion and detoxification

* Nervous system and brain health.

* Beneficial for good moods and memory. 

* Hair and skin health

* Energy and sleep regulation

* Cellular health and DNA repair

B 5 : Pantothenic

*Energy production

* Helps regulates stress and moods

* Hormone production

B 6 : Pyridoxine

* Improves Moods - especially reduces anxiety

* Is needs for over 100 different reactions in your body.

* Glucose regulation and energy production

* Digestion, especially protein

* Immunity and red blood cell formation

B 7 : Biotin

* Energy

* Digestion: protein, carbs, and fats

* Cell signaling and gene modification

B 9 : Folate (Avoid Folic acid forms of folate and foods fortified with Folic acid. Throw out supplements with this form in it. Methyl folate or folinic acid are the preferred forms.)

* Essential for new cell production

* Improves cardiovascular health

* Reduces cancer risk

* Improves cognitive function and mood

B 12 : Cobalamin

* Essential for healthy nerves

* Essential for healthy blood and cardiovascular system

* Energy producing

* Mood and memory promoting

* Digestion of protein carbohydrates and fats

Dangers:

Yellow urine. This is expected with Vitamin B supplementation and stops when you stop supplementing. It is in no way dangerous; it's simply a product of B vitamin metabolism. Warning it can be fluorescent!

Medication interactions:

* Proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium block B12. Supplementation is needed

* Blood sugar regulating medication such as Metformin reduce B12. Supplementation is needed.

* B vitamins especially B6 and B12 can help reduce symptoms associated with chemotherapy treatment with drugs such as Capecitabine and Fluouracil. Supplementation is beneficial but speak to your cancer specialist first.

Fun Fact:

B vitamin was once thought to be 1 vitamin, but further research discovered it was multiple nutrients. At one point, they thought it went all the way up to 20.

Choline was once called B4 until it was discovered the body can actually produce small amounts of this nutrient and it lost its status as a vitamin. Choline is not produced in large enough amounts by the body and is still essential to consume daily. It is still found in most B complexes. It’s an essential nutrient for heart and brain health.

Inositol was B8 and was demoted for the same reason. Inositol is important for digestion, blood sugar regulation and cravings. There is also research connecting it to better thyroid function.

Other common nutrients once thought to belong here include: L-carnitine (B20), dimethylglycine (B16)