What is Vitamin B?

Posted by Nehal Preet on January 3rd, 2021

Vitamin B refers to several different types of vitamins that, together, are known as B-complex vitamin supplements. Vitamin B benefits the nerves and tissue within the body and also helps with the creation of DNA (the chemical substance that genes are produced from).

There are 8 kinds of vitamins in the vitamin B complex: thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folate (B9, also referred to as folic acid), and cobalamin (B12). Deficiencies in these B nutritional vitamins can lead to a number of different symptoms over time (if the deficiency isn’t reversed). Vitamins For Gut Health, Best Supplements For Heart Health

Each of these eight B vitamins play important roles in the body. B nutritional vitamins are needed to drive the chemical reactions that support your body’s several functions. For example, cells use B vitamins to generate energy from glucose, fatty acids, and other nutrients. So without B-complex nutritional vitamins, our body could not function properly at all.

B vitamins are usually water-soluble vitamins. Put simply, they can dissolve in water - so excess B vitamins your body doesn’t make use of are washed out through urination, for example.

This means the body can’t easily store B vitamins for long periods of time. That’s why it’s especially really important to regularly consume B vitamins - whether from your diet or from health supplements - to avoid deficiency.

Benefits of B Vitamins
Great things about Vitamin B6

Helps your body create neurotransmitters (like dopamine), which are specific chemicals your brain needs to function
Helps the body make reddish colored blood cells
Helps immune system antibodies work correctly
May help lower the risk of lung cancer (though more analysis is needed to firmly build this advantage of B6)

Benefits of Supplement B9 (Folate or Folic Acid)

Helps the body make and repair DNA (genetic material)
Helps your body make crimson blood cells
Supplementing with high-enough levels of B9 before maternity (along with during pregnancy) significantly lowers the chance of giving birth to a infant along with neural tube defects like spina bifida

Benefits of Vitamin B12

Helps your body make and restoration DNA (genetic materials)
Helps the body make red blood cellular material - in addition to nerve cells
Helps assistance healthy hair, pores and skin, and nails
Think you might have a B12 deficiency? If you are showing signals of a vitamin B12 deficiency, it might be useful to get your B12 level checked. (Get the Everlywell at-home B Vitamins Test to learn your degrees of 3 key B nutritional vitamins, including B12.)

Vitamin B12 can affect your red blood cell count, and will even lead to neurological symptoms within severe situations. If someone’s supplement B12 position isn’t at a normal level, their healthcare provider may recommend a high-dosage B12 health supplement or even-in some cases-B12 injections.

B Vitamin Deficiency: Symptoms and Causes of Low Vitamin B Levels
When it comes to vitamins needed for both a sound body and mind, the B vitamins aren’t something you need to ignore. Consider, for instance, vitamin B12: don’t get enough of this vitamin, and your energy levels throughout the day might sag - with your mind constantly turning, maybe, to thoughts of sleep in your hot cozy bed.

Or consider vitamin B9 (a.k.a. folate or folic acid): a insufficiency in this vitamin and you might get sores on your mouth or a swollen tongue - among other possible symptoms.

Then there’s vitamin B6. If your levels of this important B supplement are too reduced, then you could be looking at flaky, oily rashes on your own upper body or face.

But these aren’t the only symptoms of B vitamin deficiency. Therefore here’s a more complete list of vitamin B insufficiency symptoms.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF VITAMIN B DEFICIENCY

Vitamin B6 Deficiency
Indicators of B6 deficiency include:

Getting sick from infections more often (because B6 helps support your disease fighting capability)
Getting cracks or even sores in the skin around the corners of your mouth - or perhaps a swollen and sensitive tongue
Fatigue
A feeling of numbness or tingling in your hands and ft (this is referred to as “paresthesias”)
Depression, panic, and/or irritability
A red-colored, itchy rash - frequently oily or flaky - that usually appears on the upper body or face. Small areas of your epidermis might also swell, resulting in white patches
Convulsions
Decreased alertness

Vitamin B9 Deficiency
Indications of B9 insufficiency include:

Fatigue
More gray hair
Mouth sores
A swollen tongue
Weakness
Shortness of breath
Pale skin
Irritability

Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Symptoms of B12 deficiency include:

A sense of numbness or tingling in the hands and foot (or “paresthesias”)
A smooth-appearing tongue
Fatigue
Weakness
Mouth sores
Mood changes
Blurry vision
Loss of breath
Dizziness
Pale skin

Vitamin B Insufficiency Diseases and Conditions
Vitamin B deficiency can increase the risk of various diseases and conditions which can affect your center health, brain health, mental well-getting, and more. For instance, both B9 and B12 insufficiency causes anemia in some cases - a condition in which your body lacks healthy red blood cells (which makes it tough for different parts of your entire body to find the oxygen they need). Anemia can also lead to fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, and even numbness and tingling in some instances.

Other conditions linked with vitamin B deficiency include:

Paresthesias - A “pins-and-needles” feeling usually experienced round the arms, hands, legs, or feet
Peripheral neuropathy - The nervous system condition that is often felt as a stabbing or burning pain
Psychosis - A mental condition where one’s ideas and perceptions are significantly altered, leading to delusions, hallucinations, nonsense speech, or other symptoms
Heart attack and stroke - The deficiency in vitamin B12 may heighten the risk of getting a heart attack or stroke

Conclusion
Since supplement B deficiency is relatively common - some have also declared it a “worldwide problem” - it’s helpful to know some of its major causes (like the 4 described above).

There's more that can be done to reduce the health risks related to a low vitamin B12 level (as well as low degrees of additional B vitamins). For starters, consider looking at your vitamin B ranges with the Everlywell at-home B Vitamins Test. Then, if you are indeed deficient, you can consult with your doctor on the next steps you can take.

It’s recommended that older adults who have deficient levels of supplement B talk with their healthcare provider as soon as possible to come up with a treatment plan. In case you are displaying vitamin B deficiency signs and symptoms, it could be because you do not have enough supplement B in your diet. If you're showing signs of tiredness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, or other insufficiency symptoms, consider examining your B12 degree.