Vitamin Bs - Energy
Vitamin Bs are known as the "energy vitamins" because of their energy creating traits. Vitamin Bs are essential for the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose, which provides us energy. They are also essential for the breakdown of fats and proteins, which aids the normal functioning of the nervous system, muscle tone in the stomach and intestinal tract, and healthy hair, skin and eyes. Vitamin Bs are a group of eight vitamins, which include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid (B9), cyanocobalamin (B12), pantothenic acid and biotin.
Most of the B vitamins have been recognized as coenzymes, and they all appear to be essential in facilitating the metabolic processes that are essential for life. vitamins are a group of eight vitamins, which include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid (B9), cyanocobalamin (B12), pantothenic acid and biotin. Most of the B vitamins have been recognized as coenzymes, and they all appear to be essential in facilitating the metabolic processes that are essential for life. Although all of the Vitamin Bs are important to healthy daily function, there are three that have been recognized for there essential function.
Vitamin Bs coenzyme function
Vitamin Bs act as coenzymes, compounds that unite with a protein component called an apoenzyme to form an active enzyme. The enzyme then acts as a catalyst in the chemical reactions that transfer energy from the basic food elements to the body. Vitamin Bs are important for the proper formation of every cell in your body, particularly nerve cells. This is why it is so important for pregnant women to take supplements that contain the B vitamins, particularly folic acid, and why a deficiency of certain B vitamins manifests itself first as a depressed mood or being moody. Research studies have shown that the B vitamins, particularly folate, B12, and B6 help lower homocystein levels, hence the risk of heart attacks. Vitamin C shares some of these same benefits, which we will discuss in a later article.
Vitamin Bs optimal intake
The definition of a healthy daily intake of vitamin Bs isn't set in stone, and is likely to change over the next few years as data from ongoing randomized trials are evaluated. Because only a fraction of U.S. adults currently get the recommended daily intake of vitamin Bs by diet alone, use of a Vitamin Bs supplement will become increasingly important. The vitamin Bs are water-soluble vitamins. This means that they are excreted in the urine and can be quickly depleted from the body. When we take more water-soluble vitamins than we need, small amounts are stored in body tissue, particularly the liver, but most of the excess is excreted in urine. Because water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body in appreciable amounts and are depleted from the body so quickly, it is important that we take quality supplements like Vitamin B, Vitamin C and Vitamin B12 in sufficient daily amounts to replenish these important vitamins in our body. The water soluble nutrients are
- Vitamin Bs
- Vitamin C
- Essential minerals
- Amino acids
- some whole food products
Vitamin Bs health benefits
On top of the essential role the vitamin Bs play in creating energy and healthy metabolism, the list of conditions that can result for deficiency of one or more of the Vitamin Bs is extensive. One exciting discovery is the vitamin Bs may help fight heart disease and some types of cancer. It's too early to tell if there's merely an association between increased intake of folic acid and other B vitamins and heart disease or cancer, or if high intakes prevent these chronic diseases. Keeping a healthy level of the vitamin Bs help to prevent many conditions like Beriberi and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, anemia, pellagra, heart attacks and strokes, just to name a few.