When it comes to a healthy, functional body – the group of eight B Vitamins perform different jobs, and our body needs differing amounts of each one to stay healthy.
B vitamins help to release energy from food while keeping your blood, skin and nervous system healthy. They are water-soluble though, so with the exception of vitamin B12, the body cannot store them. That means we need to replace them every day.
We get vitamin B mainly from our diet, from foods such as seeds, fish, poultry, leafy veg, and eggs. But not all of us like all foods, and if we don’t like eggs, or can’t eat fish – we could be missing out.
So, what do the eight B vitamins do?
Here’s what the experts have been telling us about Vitamin B for years…
- Thiamin (B1) – This helps to turn carbohydrates and sugar into energy. It’s also important for keeping the brain in good shape, and plays a key role in nerve, muscle and heart function.
- Riboflavin (B2) – We need this for energy release. B2 helps us to absorb nutrients such as iron, and helps us to maintain healthy skin and keep the eyes working normally.
- Niacin (B3) – All that energy in food needs releasing – and this helps the body to do that. It also keeps the nervous system and digestive system healthy. It’s an essential one for growth, and helps us with healthy skin.
- Pantothenic acid (B5) – More help with growth, and more help with energy. B5 is great for getting the body to turn protein and fat into energy.
- Pyridoxine (B6) – This one can help us to stay awake and alert by reducing tiredness and fatigue. It also breaks down protein from food, and is great for keeping red blood cells healthy. Good for the nervous system too.
- Biotin (B7) – Biotin helps the body to process glucose, and maintain mucous membranes. It breaks down nutrients from food, and is good for healthy skin and nails.
- Folate (B9) – This may prevent neural tube defects in babies during pregnancy. It’s also another B Vitamin that helps maintain healthy red blood cells and fights fatigue.
- Vitamin B12 – B12 is needed for healthy DNA, and is a vital one for the nervous and immune systems. This too combats tiredness and fatigue.
Are there Vitamin B tablets available to improve my intake?
Yes. There are a number of variations of supplements you can take, which help you to up the eight B Vitamins.
FSC Vitamin B12 is available in a three month supply, one-a-day tablet. As well as B12, it also contains Folic Acid. Another one-a-day tablet is Nature’s Aid B6, with 100 tablets per bottle. And Liposomal B Complex contains vitamins B2, B6 and B12. It’s also sugar, soy and gluten free, and suitable for vegetarians. This comes with a recommended intake of one to two tablets per day.
Did you know about the variation of B vitamins available, and what they do? Here at Modern Herbals, we store a large range of Vitamin B supplements. You can check out our full range by clicking here.
Before taking any new supplements, we recommend you check with your GP or healthcare practitioner about what’s good for you.
