Unveiling the Power of B Vitamins: The Key to Longevity through Vitamins

Imagine a football team without a quarterback. The center will be lost, the running back will be confused-- the whole team disoriented. And that’s just with one player gone. Even when he’s there but playing below average, the whole team is badly affected.

It’s much the same for B vitamins.

They have eight members rather than eleven, but they also work as a team and need each other to perform at their best. Even one member lagging will affect the function of all the others.

That’s why it’s essential to ensure your levels of every B vitamin are up to snuff, because not having them can sap your energy, sink your mental abilities, give you lackluster skin and hair, and weaken your immune system. In fact, many common health complaints of aging can be traced back to low B vitamin levels. Here's what you need to know...

Overview

  • The vitamin B complex works as a team to keep up your energy, create normal round, flexible red blood cells, form DNA, make sure cells divide and grow as they should, and to help keep multiple body systems in good shape.

  • Although a team player, each member has its own unique role. Some act as antioxidants, protecting cells from pesky free radicals. Others help produce hormones, keep skin, hair, and nails looking their radiant best, or may be especially important for a trouble-free pregnancy.

  • Deficiencies of any of the B complexes can produce problems ranging from irritating brittle nails to a serious condition like dementia. Upping levels by eating more wholesome food or taking dietary supplements can lift fatigue, boost mental clarity, improve heart health, support immunity, and more.

What are B Vitamins?

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The eight members of the B vitamin family - the vitamin B complex – are essential nutrients that help many different enzymes fulfill their functions. Their role is to help convert carbohydrates, protein and fat from the food we eat into energy via the cell's citric acid cycle, help form red blood cells, and keep all body cells, including brain, nerve, skin and immune cells, functioning normally for healthy aging.

Originally, there were many more B vitamins, but some had their classification removed because they were no longer considered essential nutrients. However, they may still be included in a B complex supplement, e.g. vitamin B8 (inositol) and vitamin B10 (para-amino benzoic acid – PABA).

While gut bacteria can produce each of the B vitamins, [1] they can only do so to a very limited extent and can’t be relied upon, so the B vitamins must come from the diet or nutritional supplements. They’re found in a wide range of foods and are water soluble; any excess will be peed out so they can’t accumulate in the body. This makes them much safer to take as supplements compared to fat-soluble vitamins for instance.

Benefits of B Vitamins

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Because B vitamins play roles in so many cellular functions, any shortfall will seriously impact the health of the body and brain. These include energy levels, cognition, mood, heart function, the health of the eyes, skin, hair and nails, and the ability to fight off infections. Folate (B9) and B12 are especially important for a healthy pregnancy.

Members of the B complex not only work with each other but with other vitamins, minerals and micronutrients, and are especially important in preserving the health of the brain. As Professor David Kennedy, Director of the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre at the University of Northumbria in England states: the “administration of the entire B-vitamin group…at doses greatly in excess of the current governmental recommendations, would be a rational approach for preserving brain health.”

Types of B Vitamins

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Thiamin helps turn food into energy, has antioxidant activity and is essential for the growth, development, and healthy function of body cells. It’s needed for the nervous, cardiovascular, muscular, gastrointestinal, and immune systems. Any shortfall will cause problems throughout the body.

Symptoms of deficiency

Early symptoms include:

  • fatigue

  • poor memory

  • irritability

  • sleep disturbances

  • abdominal discomfort

  • weight loss

  • muscle weakness

Severe deficiency leads to the disease beriberi, which comes in different forms depending on the body system most affected.

Forms of Beriberi

Dry beriberi causes peripheral neuropathy - numbness, pain, and muscle weakness in the arms and legs.

Wet beriberi affects the heart, causing enlargement and swelling, a rapid heart rate, and difficulty breathing.

Gastrointestinal beriberi produces nausea, vomiting, and severe abdominal pain.

Cerebral beriberi can lead to abnormal eye movements, balance problems and cognitive impairment, a condition called Wernicke’s encephalopathy. If untreated it develops into Korsakoff’s psychosis, a severe memory disorder.

Beriberi is usually only seen in people with chronic alcohol disorders, HIV/AIDS and bariatric surgery for weight loss, but milder deficiencies are seen in more familiar situations such as type 1 and type 2 diabetes and heart failure. Some studies suggest it may play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. [2]

Up to 30% of older adults are also at risk either through low dietary intake, poor absorption into the body from natural aging, or from a combination of chronic diseases and multiple medications that prevent its uptake and use in the body.

Benefits of Thiamin

Improved Brain Function and Memory: Thiamine is important in enzymatic processes involved in brain development, brain function, communication between neurons and in maintaining the proper structure of the myelin sheath that surrounds nerves. [3]

Thiamin supplementation was recently described “as a practical, potential way to prevent Alzheimer's disease from commencing.” [4]

Cognitive function among people with mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer’s disease were improved with a form of thiamin called benfotiamine.[5]

Thiamin improved mood and lifted symptoms of depression in patients with major depressive disorder after six weeks of thiamin supplementation compared with placebo. [6]

Better Heart Health: Thiamin deficiency is a common finding in patients with heart disease and it may have a role in its development. It’s also common in people with diabetes which is also a risk factor for heart disease. [7]

Food Sources

Thiamin is found in:

  • Meats (especially pork)

  • Seafood

  • Whole grains

  • Beans, peas and lentils

  • Asparagus

  • Sunflower and flax seeds

  • Yogurt

  • Fortified breakfast cereals, breads, noodles, and rice

The recommended daily amount (RDA) of thiamin for adults is 1.2 milligrams (mg) for men and 1.1mg for women. No upper safety limit has been set as it appears safe at up to 50 mg per day.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Riboflavin is an essential component of two major coenzymes, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) which play major roles in energy production, overall cellular function, and fat metabolism. Riboflavin also acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from free radical damage and is needed to fully utilize niacin (vitamin B3) and to produce the active form of pyridoxine (vitamin B6). B2 deficiency is called ariboflavinosis.

Symptoms of Riboflavin Deficiency

  • pale skin

  • swollen lips

  • cracked sores at the corners of the mouth

  • purplish-red tongue

  • itchy, red eyes

  • sore throat

  • seborrheic dermatitis affecting the face and sexual organs

  • hair loss

If the deficiency isn’t addressed, it can lead to anemia and cataracts. Subclinical deficiency (low status) of riboflavin is thought to be widespread. Those at risk of deficiency are mostly people on a vegan diet as the richest sources of riboflavin are meat and dairy products.

Benefits of Riboflavin

  • Boosts energy

  • Supports the immune system

  • Aids thyroid function

  • Promotes healthy skin and hair

  • Helps eye disorders such as cataracts, glaucoma and keratoconus

Supplements can lower frequency of migraine attacks and reduce homocysteine, which can lower risk of heart disease and stroke, and reduce blood pressure [8]

Food Sources

  • Riboflavin is found in:

  • Lean beef, pork and organ meats

  • Chicken breast

  • Salmon

  • Eggs

  • Dairy milk

  • Yogurt

  • Cheese

  • Mushrooms

  • Spinach

  • Avocado

  • Almonds

  • Fortified cereals, bread and grains

The recommended daily amount of riboflavin for adults is 1.3mg for men and 1.1mg for women. It's reported safe at 400 mg/day over 3 months.

Niacin (Vitamin B3)

Once in the body, niacin, also called nicotinic acid, is converted into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP). These enzymes are involved in over 400 biochemical reactions mainly related to producing energy from the foods we eat. Niacin also helps repair DNA (including ultraviolet-related damage), is involved in cell signaling, and acts as an antioxidant.

Although the liver can produce niacin from the amino acid tryptophan found in foods containing protein, this ability is very limited. Adequate amounts of B3 must come from the diet or supplements to maintain normal cellular and biochemical functions.

Symptoms of Deficiency

Deficiency of niacin causes pellagra which is clinically seen as the three Ds: dermatitis, diarrhea and dementia.

Skin: a thick, dark, scaly, rash develops in areas exposed to sunlight.

Digestive: mouth inflammation, bright red tongue, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, and ultimately, diarrhea

Neurological: headache, apathy, fatigue, depression, disorientation, cognitive decline and memory loss

Although pellagra is extremely rare, some people have marginal or low niacin status from poor dietary intake. Deficiency may also be caused by chronic alcohol consumption, chronic liver disease, gastrointestinal malabsorption, and anorexia nervosa. [9]

Benefits of Niacin and Niacinamide

Helps Prevent Cancer: Since niacin is needed for DNA repair, lab studies show deficiency can drive tumor development while some human studies suggest higher levels of niacin are protective against cancers of the upper digestive tract and some forms of skin cancer. [10]

Supports the Heart: Niacin is well known for its ability to lower unhealthy blood fats and increase HDL “good” cholesterol. However, very high doses are needed to achieve this which can cause vasodilation and flushing, whereby the face and chest becomes red and hot. Whether it’s valuable to use niacin to improve the blood fat profile is unclear because studies show the improvement in blood fats isn’t matched by any reduction in the risk of heart disease. [11]

In the form of niacinamide, also called nicotinamide, this flushing doesn’t occur, but it doesn’t have the same effect on blood fats. However, it does have other valuable health benefits as follows.

Improves Skin: It helps keep the skin healthy by retaining moisture, protecting against sun damage, countering inflammation and reducing signs of aging. For these reasons it’s used in cosmetics and to control conditions such as acne and rosacea.

Strengthens Brain Health: Data from both animal and human studies suggests niacinamide may help preserve and enhance neurocognitive function. [12]

Fortifies Joints and Bones: It also provides better joint flexibility and lowers inflammation in osteoarthritis. [13]

Food Sources

In animal foods vitamin B3 is usually found as niacinamide and in plant foods as nicotinic acid. Top sources are:

  • Meats

  • Poultry

  • Fish

  • Brown rice

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Avocado

  • Green peas

  • Sweet potatoes

  • Bananas

  • Enriched and fortified breads and cereals

The recommended daily amount is in the form of niacin equivalents (NE) because niacin can be made from tryptophan, an amino acid in protein foods. Adult men require 16 mg NE and women need 14 mg NE. An upper limit of 35 mg has been set for niacin because of flushing, but this isn’t harmful unless it’s accompanied by headache, rash, dizziness, and/or a decrease in blood pressure. So please don’t take megadoses of niacin. Nausea, vomiting, and signs of liver toxicity can occur with niacinamide but only with intakes of 3,000 mg/day, an amount that would never be needed.

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

Pantothenic acid is carried around the body by red blood cells and is found in tissues mostly in the form of coenzyme A (CoA) which is crucial for energy metabolism and the synthesis

Written by: Susan Parker

Susan Parker is a 49-year-old Senior Manager at a marketing firm. With two older children becoming more independent, she is now focusing on her own health and wellbeing. She’s passionate about natural and holistic health approaches, and values high-quality, trustworthy products. Susan enjoys yoga, gardening, reading, and cooking, and seeks to stay energetic and sharp while balancing a busy career and personal life.

Reviewed by: Susan Parker