When we are in fight or flight, or constantly on the go our digestive system is affected as blood is taken to other systems and organs to keep us going. This will then affect how we digest and absorb the nutrients needed to produce enough true cellular energy, especially those from the family of B vitamins.
What are B Vitamins?
B vitamins like other nutrients once absorbed, are transported to our cells where they are needed to power up our energy, support our glands of stress called our adrenals and support our nervous system.
Our own energy currency that is produced by our trillions of cells is called ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which we need for all our bodily functions such as muscle contractions, nerve signals, digesting food, breathing and more. We produce this energy through many chemical reactions in a metabolic pathway called the krebs cycle or the citric acid cycle as it is also known. Without enough B vitamins, we will not produce good consistent energy.
Our family of B Vitamins play a fundamental role in energy production but we also require them for other functions such as –
The vitamin b family are water-soluble nutrients that are needed for these vital roles, a small amount is produced in our gut from our gut bacteria, however, we cannot manufacture them ourselves, (in our cells), so they must come from our food on a daily basis. They are also frequently called B Complex and are found in differing amounts in a variety of wholefoods such as –
What can a vitamin b complex be good for?
There are eight known B vitamins that all have a unique role in maintaining our health, they include –
B1 (thiamine)
B2 (riboflavin)
B3 (niacin)
B5 (pantothenic acid)
B6 (pyridoxine)
B7 (biotin)
B9 (Folate)
B12 (cyanocobalamin)
We also have Choline which is also part of the vitamin B family.
There are many signs and symptoms that can suggest we may have a need for more-
- Fatigue and persistent tiredness
- Numbness/tingling in extremities
- Depression and other mood disorders
- Swollen tongue
- Skin rashes
- Cognitive impairment
- Hormonal imbalances
- Loss of appetite, nausea
- Cracks around the mouth
When is the best time to take a vitamin B complex?
We can become depleted in B vitamins simply due to eating too much processed foods which are stripped of all nutrients unless they are added back in a synthetic form such as fortified cereals. Older adults and pregnant women may also be at higher risk of deficiencies.
When we feel overwhelmed or stressed, we place more demands on our body so naturally we need more nutrients to help it run smoothly. Taking B vitamins at these times may help support our nervous system, cell metabolism and energy production, if not we may find that we crave more unhealthy choices, lack sleep, emotional, irrational and irritable.
There are also some underlying health conditions that can inhibit their absorption such as celiac disease, kidney conditions, ulcerative colitis and more.
We may also create deficiencies of individual B vitamins such as vitamin B1 (Thiamine) due to excessive alcohol consumption, some medications can also cause low levels such as proton pump inhibitors (PPI’s), metformin and others.
Vegans may need to supplement with B12 as stores from the liver can decline over time. However, there are many who eat plenty of fish, eggs, meat, and dairy and are also deficient in this vitamin.
Why take a vitamin B complex food supplement?
Supplementing our diet with a good quality B Complex may help to prevent the mid-afternoon slump and to help produce energy naturally without the fake lift from the caffeine and sugars. It may also lessen any sugar/carbohydrate cravings and improve sleep quality. There are times when we may need to take one or more in isolation such as B12 however, testing our levels is the best way to determine our needs especially if you experience symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, tingling in the extremities, mood changes etc.
