Vitamin B complex is essential in boosting energy, handling everyday stress and preventing a range of illnesses

Vitamin B refers to a group of vitamins commonly referred to as vitamin b complex. This group of vitamins include:

• vitamin B1 (thiamin)
• vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
• vitamin B3 (niacin)
• vitamin B5 pantothenic acid
• vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
• vitamin B9 (folic acid)
• vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)
• vitamin B17 (Laetrile)
• biotin

All B complex vitamins are water-soluble which means that most of the excess vitamins are excreted in the urine everyday. However, the body does have a little bit of B complex vitamins stored in the liver. These vitamins help our body break down fats and proteins, break carbohydrates into sugars, maintain muscle in the stomach and intestine, and maintain our skin, hair, eyes, mouth and liver.

Food with vitamin B can be found in a broad range of foods we eat everyday such as fruit, fish, grains, leafy green vegetables, eggs and milk.  B complex deficiencies can occur because of eating too many processed foods and refined sugar, which take away the body’s store of B vitamins. It can also occur because of toxins in the environment, drugs, malnutrition, and because many people cook or steam their foods, which depletes the foods store of beneficial B vitamins.

Vitamin B deficiency symptoms

B complex vitamins are essential for so many functions. As a result symptoms of deficiency range widely, such as:

• chronic fatigue
• exhaustion
• mental problems
• feelings of uneasiness
• tingling in hands, fingers or toes
• soreness, rashes, indigestion and many others

Symptoms for deficiency in vitamin B1 or thiamine include: lack of coordination, loss of short-term memory, increased sensitivity in mouth, anemia, muscle weakness and spasms. For vitamin B3 or niacin symptoms are usually diarrhea, dementia, and dermatitis as well as soreness and swelling in the mouth. Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine deficiency has symptoms of skin disorders and inflammation of the mouth. Vitamin B12 causes a disorder called pernicious anemia, which has symptoms of weakness, numbness in the arms and legs, fever and even brain damage. Vitamin B9 or folic acid deficiency causes symptoms of anemia, and poor growth. Biotin deficiency cause scaly dermatitis and there is no known symptom of deficiency for pantothenic acid.

The b vitamins have also been found beneficial in combating illnesses such as alcoholism, depression, diabetes, hair problems, lupus and multiple sclerosis.

Given the wide range of deficiency symptoms it makes sense that taking a vitamin b supplement is essential for good health.

Learn more about how beneficial vitamin b may be for you.