What Does Vitamin B Complex Do For You

What Are Vitamin B

B-complex vitamins protect the healthy functioning of your brain and body by:

• Generating new red blood cells that carry nutrients and oxygen throughout your body

• Lowering your homocysteine levels, which protects your blood vessels, your organs, your brain and other important systems

• Supporting the production of neurotransmitters

• Contributing to all cellular processes

What Happens If You Get Too Much Vitamin B Complex

Youre unlikely to get too much vitamin B complex from your diet. Thats because B complex vitamins are water soluble. That means they arent stored in your body but are excreted in your urine daily.

Youre also unlikely to get too much vitamin B if youre taking any supplementation as directed.

That said, overdose is possible especially if youre taking a supplement without receiving a deficiency diagnosis from your doctor.

Symptoms of a vitamin B complex overdose include:

• excessive thirst

B Vitamins Are Tied To Lower Stroke Risk

In addition to their role in metabolism and in maintaining healthy skin and hair, B vitamins have been linked to a lower incidence of stroke, a condition in which a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain, or a blood vessel bursts in the brain. A review of randomized clinical trials that lasted six months or longer revealed that vitamin B supplements lowered risk of stroke by 7 percent for a large group of more than 50,000 participants. The study was authored by Xu Yuming and colleagues from Zhengzhou, China, and published in the September 2013 issue of the clinical journal Neurology. But before you begin taking vitamin B complex or any B vitamin supplement, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider.

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Why Take Turmeric Vitamins

Turmeric and especially its most active compound, curcumin have many scientifically proven health benefits, such as the potential to improve heart health and prevent against Alzheimers and cancer. Its a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It may also help improve symptoms of depression and arthritis.

Use In Specific Populations

Foods naturally rich in vitamin U, such as cruciferous veggies, are generally considered safe for most people. However, little is known about the safety of vitamin U supplements for any specific populations.

Until more research is available, those interested in increasing their vitamin U intake should do so through foods rather than supplements.

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Folate And Folic Acid

Folate is a B vitamin found in many foods. The manmade form of folate is called folic acid.

Folate is also known as folacin and vitamin B9.

Folate helps:

• the body form healthy red blood cells
• reduce the risk of birth defects called neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, in unborn babies

A lack of folate could lead to folate deficiency anaemia.

Who Should Take A Vitamin B

Anyone who wants to proactively support their health from the cellular level on up will benefit from taking B vitamin supplements.

B-complex supplements may also be especially beneficial to people who are more prone to experience a B-vitamin deficiency, including:

• Older people over the age of 50

• Individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding

• Those on a strict diet that eliminates entire food groups, including those who are vegan, vegetarian, or keto

• People who have a pre-existing health condition, such as Crohns disease, HIV, kidney health conditions, or alcohol use disorder.

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Whos At Risk For Deficiency

Some conditions and your lifestyle can affect your body’s vitamin stores and increase the need for taking a daily B-complex vitamin to help ensure you maintain adequate levels of important nutrients. Alcohol abuse decreases absorption, so excessive drinking may lead to a deficiency. A vitamin-B deficiency can also be the result of ingesting a tapeworm from contaminated food that’s not fully cooked due to the parasite sapping the nutrients from your body.

Vegetarians or people on a strict vegan diet who eliminate animal products are often deficient in B vitamins, especially vitamin B12. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have an increased demand for B vitamins, particularly B12 and folate. Not getting enough of these vitamins can result in a deficiency and possible harm to a newborn baby.

Does Vitamin B Work For Hair Growth

Some B vitamins, such as biotin, play a significant role in your bodys process for growing and maintaining your hair.

If youre deficient in these vitamins, you may notice that your hair doesnt look as thick and full as it normally does. You may also notice that youre shedding more hair than normal.

Weve talked about these symptoms more in our guide to biotin and the role it plays in the hair growth process

While vitamin B complex supplements may help to stimulate hair growth, most research shows that theyre only effective if your hair loss is caused by a vitamin deficiency.

For example, unless youre deficient in biotin, you probably wont notice any positive change in your hair simply by taking a biotin or B-complex vitamin supplement daily.

As we mentioned above, deficiencies of specific B vitamins are not very common, especially in otherwise healthy people.

Because of this, there generally isnt any reason to use a vitamin B complex supplement unless youre specifically deficient in one or several B vitamins.

Instead, youll likely get better results by simply taking a daily multivitamin, which likely contains most of the essential B vitamins anyway.

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The Importance Of Methylation Cycle

Methylation is an essential process to help us function mentally and physically. It involves a methyl group molecule added to another substance, such as DNA or protein. In effect, the receiving component will work.

DNA consists of our genes that hone who we are. In this case, methylation is essential because it helps our DNA work properly. Methylation also serves as the link to the environment, nutrition, and disease. Furthermore, imbalanced methylation causes mood and NS disorders, allergies, and the aging process.

The methylation cycle will take place effectively if there is enough 5 MTHF, an active form of folate. Meanwhile, a genetic test is available to confirm if there is a problem with the methylation cycle. The test involves checking a specific enzyme, which is the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase .

The genetic test helps prevent methylation disorders. Besides that, many healthy foods are available to improve the methylation cycle. That includes the following:

• Avocado

When Is Best Time To Take Daily Vitamins

Neil Levin, a clinical nutritionist at NOW Foods, agrees that morning is best for multivitamins and any B vitamins. Multivitamins tend to do best when taken earlier in the day, as the B vitamins in them might stimulate metabolism and brain function too much for a relaxing evening or before bed, Levin says.

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Folic Acid Is Essential For A Healthy Baby

Vitamin B9, also called folic acid or folate, is a nutrient that’s necessary for the body’s growth and development. The National Institutes of Health recommends that adults get 400 micrograms daily, while breast-feeding mothers need 500 mcg a day, and pregnant teens and women should get 600 mcg a day. Naturally occurring folate is found in many sources, including dark-green leafy vegetables, asparagus, brussels sprouts, oranges, nuts, beans, and peas. In addition, folic acid is added to many fortified foods such as cereals and breads.

Teens and women who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant may find it difficult to get enough folate, but this B vitamin is vital to a baby’s health and development. Getting enough folate prevents neural tube birth defects in babies and promotes healthy growth.

The Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health recommends talking with your healthcare providers about any dietary supplements you take.

What Is B Complex And How Does It Benefit You

The B-complex vitamins consist of 11 related nutrients. They may not have a lot of flash, but they do play fundamental and far-reaching roles in terms of our health.

The B-complex vitamins include:

• B3 maintains normal cholesterol levels.
• B6 helps calm moods.
• B12 promotes mental sharpness.
• PABA helps to maintain healthy gene activity, and it also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

In addition, inositol is often considered a B vitamin.

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Vitamin B Complex Uses:

• Cell health
• Growth of red blood cells
• Energy levels

• High blood sugar levels

Do Vitamin Supplements Help Hair Growth

To date, no clinical studies show that hair vitamins and supplements promote hair growth, prevent hair loss, or improve other facets of healthy hair such as dryness, shine, and thickness. In rare cases in which poor hair health is caused by nutrient deficiencies, taking supplements may improve hair quality.

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How Do You Supplement Vitamin B Complex For Stress

The first step toward maintaining adequate amounts of B complex vitamins in the body is to minimize stress levels as much as possible and to maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes diet and exercise, both of which play a substantial role in reducing stress levels.

A diet thats high in processed foods and fast foods, no matter the calorie content, will yield a body thats deficient in the B complex vitamins. It will also be deficient in other nutrients and macronutrients that are found in fresh food and are essential to maintaining a healthy body.

Food thats prepared in a healthy manner will contribute to overall health, both physical and psychological, which is vital to maintaining adequate levels of B vitamins in the body. B complex vitamins are found in a variety of foods, including:

• Eggs
• Poultry
• Whole grains

Its important to consume the entire complex of eight B vitamins in order to receive the maximum benefit from them. Taking one B vitamin by itself wont be as effective. The B vitamins are water soluble, which means that they wont be stored in the body.

The type of supplement is as important as the supplement itself. Recent research has shown that the bioactive forms of B complex vitamins are the most readily absorbed by the body and unless the bioactive form is consumed, little or no benefit will be obtained from it.

• Sensitivity to light
• Vomiting
• Bright yellow urine

What Happens If I Take Too Much Vitamin B6

When taking a supplement, it’s important not to take too much.

Taking 200mg or more a day of vitamin B6 can lead to a loss of feeling in the arms and legs known as peripheral neuropathy.

This will usually improve once you stop taking the supplements.

But in a few cases when people have taken large amounts of vitamin B6, particularly for more than a few months, the effect can be permanent.

The effect of taking vitamin B6 at doses between 10 and 200 mg is unclear. So there’s not enough evidence to say how long these doses could be taken for safely.

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What To Look For

In the United States, dietary supplements are not held to the same rigorous testing standards as pharmaceutical drugs. This means that the quality of supplements like B vitamins may vary from one brand to the next.

When shopping for vitamin B supplements, look for brands that have been tested by an independent certification organization such as the U.S. Pharmacopeia , ConsumerLab, or NSF International. This can help to ensure quality.

You can find many different brands of vitamin B supplements at drug stores, grocery stores, health food shops, and online. Vitamin B supplements should be stored in a cool, dry place and out of reach of children.

Converts Food Into Energy

Most of the B vitamins are involved in the process of converting food into energy. Some help metabolize carbohydrates, while others break down fat and/or protein.

While this is an essential process, it is not necessarily the case that taking a B-complex supplement will make you feel more energetic. Although your body needs B vitamins to create energy from the foods you eat, the effect is different when these vitamins are consumed in the form of dietary supplements rather than food.

B vitamins involved: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, and B12

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How Much Is Enough

Men and women need roughly the same amounts, but age, medical conditions, pregnancy, and diet can also affect how much you need.

This chart outlines the Recommended Daily Allowance for each of the B vitamins according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.

Reduces Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease

Low levels of vitamins B6 and B12 can result in an increase of homocysteine levels in the blood.Homocysteine Definition: An amino acid that comes from meat. High amounts of this chemical can damage the walls of the blood vessels and result in the cholesterol build up.These two B vitamins can help strengthen the vessels and lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.Vitamin B3 can also help regulate healthy levels of cholesterol in the body. This vitamin is essential for boosting HDL cholesterol, which also lowers the amount of bad cholesterol in the body.

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Spotlight On Three Of The Bs: Folate Vitamin B6 And Vitamin B12

One of the advances that changed the way we look at vitamins was the discovery that too little folate is linked to birth defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly.

Folate Vitamin B9

Another line of research about folate and two other B vitamins, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, explores their roles in reducing some types of cancer and heart disease.

Vitamin B6

May Lower Cholesterol And Triglyceride Levels

While some evidence supports the notion that vitamin U supplements help reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, evidence remains weak.

For instance, one test-tube study suggests that vitamin U may prevent the creation of fat cells and reduce triglyceride levels, but few relevant human studies exist .

In an 8-week study, people given 1.5 grams of vitamin U per day experienced no change in triglyceride levels, higher HDL cholesterol, and an almost 10% reduction in total cholesterol. Yet, this study is very dated and included few participants (

As such, more human research is needed.

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What Are Methylated B Vitamins And Why Take Them

by jessicagreenwellness | Jun 16, 2020 | Detoxing, Health, Latest

You might have heard of Methylated B Vitamins but perhaps youre not sure what to look for on a supplement bottle or why you would want them. Keep reading to learn what methylation means, who might have methylation issues and how to read supplement bottles to determine what vitamins are methylated and which arent.

Improve Anxiety Or Depression

Depression is the most common type of mental illness in Americans. Studies investigating nutrition to sustain mood and depressive disorders have found that B-complex vitamins may be helpful in improving symptoms of depression. A placebo-controlled trial studied 60 adults diagnosed with major depression to evaluate the effect of vitamin B complex on improving depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Results of the study, published in the journal ISRN Psychiatry in 2013, showed modest improvements in mood and mental health with the use of vitamin-B supplementation. The conclusion was that dietary supplements may be effective for alleviating depression, mood symptoms and improving quality of life.

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What Is Vitamin B Complex And How Does The Body Use It

Vitamin B complex is comprised of several substances that are essential for proper enzymatic function in the body. The individual substances arent related chemically but are usually found together in foods. The B complex vitamins are comprised of:

• B1, which is thiamine
• B5, which is pantothenic acid
• B6, which is pyridoxine,
• B9, which is folic acid, and
• B12, which is cobalamin

The missing numbers indicate B vitamins that were found to be duplicates of the other B complex vitamins and so were eliminated. Although inositol, paraminobenzoic acid, and choline are frequently included in the B complex vitamin supplements, theyre not essential additives.

Lack of B vitamins can cause physiological conditions such as hyperthyroidism, elevated HDL cholesterol, pellagra, and vertigo, among others. Although there can be a danger in consuming too many of the B complex vitamins, keeping within the RDA, or recommended daily allowance, guidelines should minimize possible side effects.

A complete complex of B vitamins with extra B5 for adrenal support can help combat the deleterious effects of anxiety and stress that have become part of everyday life for many people.

Research is being conducted in Australia on the effects of a specific formulation of B vitamins, Blackmores vitamin B stress formula, which has additional B5 added to combat stress.

The study aims to prove the efficacy of the activated co-enzyme forms of the B vitamins on stress level reduction.