B vitamins: a Whole Complex of benefits

Better Nutrition, April, 1999 by James F. Scheer, Patricia Andersen-Parrado

The book, The Natural Pharmacy, mentions that this vitamin is also helpful in boosting athletic performance, as well as preventing mouth ulcers, migraine headaches, and cataracts.

Vitamin B-1

Like B-2, vitamin B-1 (thiamin) is a must for metabolizing carbohydrates, fat, and protein -- and, thus, boosting energy. It supports the nervous system and is important to emotional balance.

A deficiency can bring on loss of appetite, depression, memory loss, and sluggish thinking. Many studies show that thiamin enhances the ability to learn and retain knowledge.

Inositol

Involved in immunity, liver function, and cell membrane health, this B vitamin has been used to help lower cholesterol levels, improve injured skin, and protect the heart, according to Berkson. He also says that, recently, it has been used by healthcare practitioners to treat psychiatric disorders.

Choline

In 1998, for the first time, choline was classified as an essential B vitamin. Among other things, it is important for liver function, heart health, achieving optimal physical performance, and memory.

Biotin

According to the 1998 DRIs for B vitamins, after biotin's initial discovery, it took nearly 40 years of research for it to be fully recognized as a vitamin. Its roles include: breaking down fats and creating new ones, constructing proteins from amino acids, and helping to manufacture certain building blocks of genes, according to Berkson.

One of the best ways to assure you're getting enough B vitamins is to take a B-complex supplement. If individual B vitamins are needed over and above this, this supplement will help to keep the whole "B family" in balance and harmony for greater physical, emotional, and mental health for you and your family.

REFERENCES

Berkson, Burt, M.D., Ph.D. All About B Vitamins. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1998.

Cuskelly, Geraldine J., et al. "Effect of Increasing Dietary Folate on Red-Cell Folate: Implications for Prevention of Neural Tube Defects," The Lancet 347:657659, March 9, 1996.

Ellis, John M., M.D., and Pamplin, Jean. Vitamin B6 Therapy. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1999.

Giovannucci, Edward, et al. "Multivitamin Use, Folate, and Colon Cancer in Women in the Nurses' Health Study," Annals of Internal Medicine 129:517-524, October 1, 1998.

Janson, Michael, M.D. The Vitamin Revolution in Health Care. Greenville, New Hampshire: Arcadia Press, 1996.

Lininger, Skye, D.C., Ed. The Natural Pharmacy. Rocklin, Calif.: Prima Publishing, 1998.

Tang, A.M., et al. "Low serum vitamin B-12 concentrations are associated with faster human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) disease progression.' J Nutr 127(2):345-51, 1997.

Tucker, K.L., et al. "Dietary intake pattern relates to plasma folate and homocysteine concentrations in the Framingham Heart Study." J Nutr 126(12):3025-31, 1996.

James F. Scheer is co-author, with Better Nutrition contributor Stephen Langer, M.D., of Solved: The Riddle of Illness, a perennial bestseller. Jim is also co-author of Solved: The Riddle of Weight Loss and Solved: The Riddle of Osteoporosis.