vitamin B's

B vitamins have long been known to play a key role in metabolism and energy extraction; and a deficiency in vitamins B6 or B12 can cause anemia.

New research suggests that B vitamin supplementation may also play a role in protecting against Alzheimer’s disease – which is good news for the aging U.S. population. First of all, what are the B vitamins?

There are eight different B vitamins with their own name and function:

B1 (thiamine) is involved in numerous body functions including nervous system and muscle functioning and carbohydrate metabolism, just to name a few.
B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin) both aid in digestion; B2 is additionally responsible for helping make oxygen available for use by your body while B3 has implications in the health of your nerves and skin.
B5 (pantothenic acid) and B7 (biotin) are necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and amino acids.
B6 (pyridoxine) is necessary for the synthesis of serotonin and norepinephrine and myelin formation.
B9 (better known as folic acid or folate) aids the body in making healthy new cells and is imperative for women of childbearing age to consume to prevent neural tube defects.
B12 is a key player in red blood cell formation and protein and DNA synthesis.

B vitamins are primarily found in high-protein foods such as fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy. Some leafy, green vegetables, beans and peas are also high in B vitamins. Vitamin B complex as a supplement often contains a combination of all of these individual vitamins, and vitamins for each individual B vitamin are also available.

If you want more information on each specific B Vitamin, just click a link below:

Here are some more areas that these vitamins are essential for:

The breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose (this provides energy for the body)
The breakdown of fats and proteins (which aids the normal functioning of the nervous system)
Muscle tone in the stomach and intestinal tract
Skin
Hair
Eyes
Mouth
Liver

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