Ultimate Nutrition VITAMIN B-COMPLEX - The B vitamins often work together to deliver a number of health benefits to the body. Because B vitamins are water soluble, our bodies naturally flush them away everyday.
The benefits of vitamins are not news, but we need them as surely as we need air to breath and water to drink. Make no mistake; a good supplement regimen starts with adequate vitamin intake. B Vitamins are essential for maintaining healthy nerves, skin, hair, eyes, liver and mouth and also good for muscle tone in the gastrointestinal tract. They give us energy and are necessary to metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Because B vitamins are water soluble, our bodies naturally flush them away everyday. Physical and emotional stress, alcohol, dieting and our typical "on-the-go" lifestyles also increase their loss. That is why it is so important to replenish them daily.
The B-complex vitamins are a group of similarly structured compounds, which is why we refer to them as a "complex". This complex of chemicals consists of B1 (thiamine), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3 (niacin), B-5 (pantothenic acid), B-6 (pyridoxine), B-7 (biotin), B-12 (cobalamin), and folic acid (folate or folacin). PABA, inositol and choline are often included in this group. The Bcomplex of vitamins are used in the proper formation of every cell in your body - particularly nerve cells. This is why it is so important for pregnant women to get their B's (especially folic acid) and why a deficiency in certain of the B's manifests itself first as low mood or moodiness. The most common nutritional deficiency in the world is folic acid deficiency, which is characterized by low mood, and can lead to neural tube defects in the developing, unborn child. Deficiency in either vitamin B-12 or B-6 can also bring about low mood, and often mask folic acid deficiency. B vitamins are not stored well in the body and are depleted rapidly in dieters, and caffeine and alcohol users. The B-complex is used throughout the body in methylation reactions and is particularly effective against low mood, moodiness, muscular weakness and B vitamins provide:
- health of the skin, bones, hair and muscle
- health of the mucosal membranes, particularly around the mouth
- intestinal health and bowel function
- relief of moodiness, restlessness, irritability, insomnia and fatigue
- improved liver health
- brain cell function and health
- relief from skin problems, including dry and itchy skin and rashes
- relief from PMS
Any of these problems could indicate a B-vitamin deficiency, particularly moodiness, restlessness, irritability, insomnia, muscular weakness, and sore or dry mouth and tongue. In the cover story of the August 11, 1997, issue of Newsweek was the following statement that the Attorney General should mail to every single person: "An avalanche of new studies suggest that an amino acid called homocysteine plays a critical role in destroying our arteries--perhaps as large a role as smoking or cholesterol."
Homocysteine is as large a risk factor in heart disease as smoking or cholesterol. Because they are methyl donors, the B-complex helps to reduce the build-up of homocysteine, making it an excellent heart-health supplement. It is well established that a person's measure of blood plasma homocysteine acts as a biochemical marker inversely indicating folate levels.1 When a person's blood plasma folate levels are high, their homocysteine levels are low. As folate levels decrease, homocysteine levels increase along with an increased chance for heart disease.2,3 Folate reduces homocysteine.
B-6 (pyridoxine). One of the water-soluble vitamins, Vitamin B-6 is needed for a wide array of bodily functions, particularly in the handling of amino acid reactions. Here are some of the more interesting functions B-6 performs in the body: metabolizes cysteine to pyruvic acid, works with phosphorylase to convert glycogen to glucose, works to synthesize fatty acids and metabolize cholesterol, is used to produce a variety of neurotransmitters including serotonin. B-6 deficiencies are general feelings of weakness, depression, moodiness, sleep disturbances, irritability, poor coordination, elevated levels of homocysteine and a whole host of immune system deteriorations.
B-6 supports the immune system, may help alleviate depression, and might relieve the pain of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.5 A 1995 double-blind study published in the American Journal of Obstetric Gynecology, examined 342 pregnant women who were given 30 mg of B6 daily, or a placebo. The women rated their symptoms by the severity of their nausea and the number of vomiting episodes. The B6 group developed significantly fewer symptoms than the placebo group, leaving the researchers to conclude that regular use of B6 can significantly reduce the symptoms of morning sickness.
While the B vitamins are found in foods, some are lost in cooking and excess of one B can result in a depletion of another. This is one vitamin we suggest taking as a complete supplement.
