Vitamin B Complex Supplements And Why We Need Them

The B Vitamins are essential for growth, development and other bodily functions.  These play a major role in the action of enzymes, proteins to regulate chemical reactions in our body, which are needed to help turn food into energy and other substances.  B Vitamins can be found in plant and animal food products.

The B Vitamins are:

Thiamine ( B1 ) and Riboflavin ( B2 ) are needed to assist the body in producing energy and affect enzymes that influence the muscles, nerves and heart.
Niacin ( B3 ) has a role in energy production in cells and helps keep the skin, nervous system and digestive system healthy.
Pyridoxine ( B5 ) helps influence normal growth and development.
Pyridoxine ( B6 ) helps the body breakdown proteins and maintains the health of red blood cells, nervous system, and parts of the immune system.
Biotin ( B7 ) is needed to help breakdown protein and carbohydrates and helps the body make hormones.
Folic Acid (B9 ) is needed to help the cells in the body make and maintain DNA and is important in the production of our red blood cells.
Cobalamin ( B12 ) is needed in the role of body’s growth and development.  B12 also has a part in producing blood cells, nervous system function and in how the body uses folic acid and carbohydrates.
A deficiency in any one or more of these vitamins can cause anemia, tiredness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, depression, numbness and a tingling in the arms and legs, muscle cramps, respiratory infections, hair loss, eczema, poor growth in children, and birth defects.

Some people in the healthcare system think that the deficiency in these B vitamins can weaken the immune system and make you more susceptible to cancer.  They recommend that high doses of B vitamins as a treatment for people with cancer.  Researchers are studying the relationship between vitamin intake and the risk of developing certain cancers.

The benefits of B vitamins are great in easing stress and treating anxiety and depression.  They can aid a person in memory loss, help relieve PMS and reduce the risk of heart disease.

The 11 ingredients in the Vitamin B Complex are critical nutrients for things that are mind related, mood, memory and even migraines can benefit from these Vitamins.  If you take the Complex vitamins in appropriate amounts one can help relieve anxiety, lift depression, ease PMS and boost your energy level.

Many people find that they are not getting enough B Vitamins.  If your stress level is high or your moods feel a bit off you may have a diet low in these B Vitamins and you would benefit from higher amounts found in supplements.

Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) And Why We Need It

Vitamin B1, also known as Thiamine, is needed by the body to help your body by converting blood sugar into energy.  Thiamine also helps keep out mucous membranes healthy and is also needed to help in the function of our nervous system, cardiovascular and muscular systems.

Vitamin B supplements are known as water-soluble and because they cannot be stored in the body.  Therefore any vitamins that are not used by the body are excreted in the urine.  Because of this factor you need a continuous supply of them either in your food or by taking a vitamin B complex supplement daily.

The best source of Vitamin B1 or Thiamine are pork, whole grain cereals, rye or whole-wheat flour, wheat germ or navy and kidey beans.

A deficiency in B1 is rare in the developed countries but infants can have a low B1 if they are feed formula that doesn’t have added B1 or anyone that drinks alcohol to an excess can have the disease known as Beriberi.  This condition involves confusion, muscle wasting, nerve problems and a rapid heart rate.

To get the most vitamins out of your food, you must refrigerate fresh produce and keep milk and grains away from bright light.  Vitamins are easily destroyed or washed out during the improper preparation and storage.  If you are taking a B vitamin supplement you should store the bottle in a dry place at room temperature.
Our brains use Thiamine to help convert glucose or blood sugar into fuel.  If we didn’t have this ability the brain can rapidly run out of energy.  This can then lead to fatigue, depression, irritability, and/or anxiety. A deficiency can also lead to problems with our memory, a loss of our appetite, insomnia and gastrointestinal disorder.  If we consume too much of refined carbohydrate, such as simple sugars this can lead to a drain of the body’s supply of B1.

Thiamine in our foods can be easily degraded.  When sulfites are added to foods as a preservative they attack thiamine at a cellular level, thereby depleting the amount of B1 that is available in our food.  It is recommended that everyone should buy fresh produce and foods so that the vitamins are at the greatest level available.  Eating fast foods on a regular basis is one of the causes of the populations lowered intake of adequate amounts of vitamins.  This is the reason that some of us must be taking extra vitamins in our daily intake of foods, to supplement those that we aren’t getting in our diet.

Vitamin B1 Thiamine

How To Fight Depression With Vitamin B-Complex

B-complex vitamins are necessary to maintain emotional and mental well being.  Because these vitamins cannot be stored in our bodies, we need to make sure we get the required amount daily either through a well balanced diet or through daily supplements.

What is the correlation between Vitamins and Depression?  It has been found by research that a variety of deficiencies of certain B vitamins may lead to symptoms of depression.

The first signs of insufficient amounts of Vitamin B complex are mood changes, insomnia, changes in appetite, a craving for sugar and an impaired drug metabolism.  The B vitamin group of supplements play a role in alleviating depression and in reducing anxiety and restlessness that may be apart of the depression.

B1 is needed by our bodies for nerve stimulation and for metabolism of carbohydrates for brain energy along with body energy.  A deficiency of this vitamin may include mood disorders, anxiety, insomnia, restlessness, and/or night terrors. The brain uses B1 or Thiamine to convert blood sugar into fuel.  If B1 is in short supply, your brain will run low of energy very quickly leading to fatigue, anxiety, depression , irritability, and maybe suicidal thoughts.

B2 deficiency can produce adverse personality changes, including aggressive personality alterations.

B3 deficiency can be associated with depression by irritability and other mental disturbances.  With a minor deficiency of B3 you may have agitation and anxiety but the a major deficiency of B3 you may have dementia and psychosis.

B5 is needed in the formation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which can be related to some forms of depression.  Deficiency in this vitamin can also cause depression, fatigue and allergies.  B5 is needed by our body for the uptake amino acids and acetylcholine which is required to combine together to prevent depression.
Serotonin, melatonin, and dopamine are all needed for neurotransmitters in our brain.  These 3 keep us feeling good.  The more we have the better we feel.

B6 is needed by our bodies to help in the regulating our mood disorders and is the most implicated of all of the B vitamins in the cause and treatment of depression.  B6 is needed to manufacture these crucial neurotransmitters in our brain.
B12 can cause mental changes that cause a difficulty in concentrating or remembering, mental fatigue and low moods.  Or all the way to severe depression and intense agitation.  The most serious problem of a B12 deficiency can lead to an oxygen transportation problem known as pernicious anemia.  This can lead to mood swings, paranoia, irritability, hallucinations, confusion, dementia, dizziness, heart palpitations, weakness, shortage of breath, and tingling sensations in the extremities.    The deficiency of this vitamin is more critical as we grow older.

B Vitamin’s can be destroyed by eating such things as refined sugar, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol.  If you continue to ingest these items then you need to be taking a Vitamin  B-Complex supplement daily.

The daily dose of vitamin B-complex recommended are between 50-100mg.  This dose is much higher than you find in most multivitamins.  So taking a recommended B-Complex supplement for your daily requirements.  The large doses of vitamin B can turn your urine bright yellow, this is perfectly normal.  B vitamins should be taken in a complex supplement rather than an individually as they work together.  Also they should be taken with meals to ensure that they are properly broken down and absorbed by the digestive enzymes.  B vitamins should be taken early in the day as they may cause insomnia if taken at night.

Vitamin B Complex

The Risks Of Heart Disease And Stroke Can Be Lowered With Vitamin B12 And Folic Acid

Vitamin B12 is needed to aid in the formation of human red blood and in brain function.  Also in combination with other group B vitamins, they work together to maintain smooth functioning of all vital life processes in the human body.  B12 should be taken in combination with folic acid and a B Complex vitamin to maintain a healthy body.  Vitamin B12 is known to work together with folic acid to help manufacture red blood cells and properly replicate DNA.

Without enough B12 in your diet can affect the ability to think, be productive and to fight heart disease.  A B12 deficiency can lead to heart disease,  coronary disease, deterioration of the nervous systems and brain damage.  A deficiency in B12 will cause problems in regeneration of the myelin sheath ( this covers the nerve cells of the body).  This can cause the brain’s ability to function properly and your ability to handle stress.

If the body doesn’t have enough B12, the body can’t manufacture blood which can lead to anemia.  B12 is needed in maintaining memory and without it, you can develop fatigue ,diarrhea, memory loss, anemia, and poor nerve function.

B12 is also known to lower the blood level of homocysteine.  Homocysteine is amino acid protein, that without B12 in the blood can cause inflammation.  Homocysteine is now considered a more important indicator for heart disease and stroke than the cholesterol levels we’ve been using in the past.  With heart disease and stroke being the main causes of death in America, lowering your level of homocysteine in the blood is an important factor and it has been proven that B12 is one of the nutrients that can do this.
B12 and Folic Acid have been shown to help prevent migraines and age related degeneration.  Headaches and their severity have been proven to be reduced when homocysteine levels were brought down into normal levels.  The risk of age-related macular degeneration has been proven to increase four-fold when there is a lowered level of B12 (under 125 pmol/L).

Research being done at the University of British Columbia, Canada have shown that high homocysteine levels may be related to kidney disease, psoriasis, breast cancer, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.  The research has also been link between development of neural-tube defects and babies and the mother’s homocysteine levels  prior to and during her pregnancy.

Medical Doctors of Wisconsin agree with the findings of the Canadian researchers in a separate report.

B12 is hard to digest in the stomach, so a sublingual administration is advisable.  A deficiency of B12 can be correct either through diet or injections.

To reduce homocysteine levels as little as 400 micrograms per day folic acid is needed but research has recommended that it be taken in conjunction with B12 (50-1000 micrograms/day), to achieve the best results.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B Complex

Treating Heart Disease And Strokes With Folic Acid

Heart disease and stroke may be linked to low blood levels of B6 and Folic Acid.  There is many research papers being done on this very theory.  This deficiency may be more common than anyone expected.  New information that is being researched is that this Vitamin complex may helping protecting against heart disease and stroke by keeping the blood level of homocysteine within a normal range.

A deficiency in B6 can lead to the elevation of homocysteine levels which can be related to an increased risk of heart disease.  Homocysteine, is a natural byproduct  of our bodies metabolism of meat and dairy products.  This high level of homocysteine has been shown to damage the lining of blood vessels and increase the risk of clot formation, that can cause heart attacks.

Homocysteine is considered to be a more important indicator for heart disease and stroke than cholesterol is.  More research is being done to prove this factor.  The risk of having a elevated homocysteine level is similar to the risk of having a high cholesterol level.  The good news is that the treatment for lowering a high homocysteine level is easier than trying to reduce the cholesterol levels.  The treatment for high homocysteine level is by taking higher doses of folic acid.  Along with folic acid it is believed that  adding Vitamin B12 and B6 can also help prevent the build up of homocysteine levels.

It has also been recommended that a good intake of all four of the B Vitamins will help in preventing against heart disease and strokes by maintaining a normal level of Homocysteine in the blood.

A research done in Japan on dietary intakes of folate and B6 have been found to reduce the risk of mortality from stroke and cardiovascular disease in women and may reduce the risk of heart failure in men.

The deficiencies can be readily reversed by taking folate with B12 and B6.  More research is needed to test the long-term effects of such treatment on the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

The recommended dose of Folic Acid supplement is to be within the range of  2 mg/day.  This dose should be adequate to reduce or normalize a high homocysteine level in the blood.

Treating Heart Disease And Strokes With Folic Acid

Heart disease and stroke may be linked to low blood levels of B6 and Folic Acid.  There is many research papers being done on this very theory.  This deficiency may be more common than anyone expected.  New information that is being researched is that this Vitamin complex may helping protecting against heart disease and stroke by keeping the blood level of homocysteine within a normal range.

A deficiency in B6 can lead to the elevation of homocysteine levels which can be related to an increased risk of heart disease.  Homocysteine, is a natural byproduct  of our bodies metabolism of meat and dairy products.  This high level of homocysteine has been shown to damage the lining of blood vessels and increase the risk of clot formation, that can cause heart attacks.

Homocysteine is considered to be a more important indicator for heart disease and stroke than cholesterol is.  More research is being done to prove this factor.  The risk of having a elevated homocysteine level is similar to the risk of having a high cholesterol level.  The good news is that the treatment for lowering a high homocysteine level is easier than trying to reduce the cholesterol levels.  The treatment for high homocysteine level is by taking higher doses of folic acid.  Along with folic acid it is believed that  adding Vitamin B12 and B6 can also help prevent the build up of homocysteine levels.
It has also been recommended that a good intake of all four of the B Vitamins will help in preventing against heart disease and strokes by maintaining a normal level of Homocysteine in the blood.

A research done in Japan on dietary intakes of folate and B6 have been found to reduce the risk of mortality from stroke and cardiovascular disease in women and may reduce the risk of heart failure in men.

The deficiencies can be readily reversed by taking folate with B12 and B6.  More research is needed to test the long-term effects of such treatment on the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

The recommended dose of Folic Acid supplement is to be within the range of  2 mg/day.  This dose should be adequate to reduce or normalize a high homocysteine level in the blood.

The Benefits of Vitamin B9 or More Commonly Known As Folic Acid

Folic Acid is an important B Vitamin that every women of child bearing age should be aware of.  Women who want to become pregnant should be taking a daily supplement along with foods that are rich in folate in their daily diet. This is an important vitamin that is crucial in the development of a normal healthy fetus.

Folic Acid is another of the important B Vitamin group, also called B9.  This vitamin is important in child bearing women.  Women who want to become pregnant should be taking a daily dose of this vitamin.  B9 levels drop during pregnancy due to the increase of the mother’s red blood cells breaking down in the first half of the pregnancy and because of the baby demands in the second half of the pregnancy.

The first four weeks of pregnancy are the most important to have adequate supply of  Folate, even before the mother is aware that she has become pregnant.  The proper development of the baby’s brain, skull and spinal cord relies on adequate amounts of folic acid being present in the mother’s blood.  Without the proper levels of folate in the body serious birth defects of the neural tube (spinal cord)  can occur.  Such defects as spina bifida of the spinal cord, and anencephaly (no brain or small brain) of the brain, and skull defects.

Research has also shown that taking addition folic acid during pregnancy can help to reduce the risk congenital heart defects, the development of a cleft lip, limb defects and urinary tract abnormalities.

A deficiency of folic acid during pregnancy has been attributed to the increased risk of preterm delivery, low birth weight infants, and fetal growth retardation.  If the mother has a folate deficiency, she has increased homoysteine levels in her blood, which may contribute to a spontaneous abortion, along with some pregnancy complications such as placenta abruption (detached placenta), and preeclampsia (toxiemia).

Folic acid may be attributed to reduce chromosomal defects in the sperm, which may be relevant of those men fathering a child.

Folic acid supplement could also protect the baby against disease when the mother is dealing with a disease or is taking certain medication or even smoking during the pregnancy.

Studies have shown that taking 600-800 micrograms of a synthetic folic acid either from fortified foods and/or supplements is a recommended dose.  Along with any supplement women should be eating foods high folic acid before and during their pregnancy.

Taking Vitamin B Supplements For The Treatment and Prevention Of Alzheimer’s

Taking a Vitamin  B supplement has been reported in helping the rate of brain shrinkage in the elderly population, which can be described as having problems with memory.

It has been reported that approximately 70% of people that are diagnosed with dementia have Alzheimer’s disease.  Alzheimer’s disease deals with degeneration of healthy brain cells, with declining memory and other faculties of related with memory.  This can increase the possibility with advancing age.  Other related dementia disorders are Parkinson’s disease and Vascular dementia.

Elderly people with increased levels of homocysteine, had higher levels of brain shrinkage.  Brain Shrinkage is a natural process of aging but it as been known to increase in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment, which is a kind of memory loss and forgetfulness and Alzheimer’s.  The definition of brain atrophy or brain shrinkage is the loss of cells or brain tissue.  The whole brain could shrink or just the tissue will lose neurons along with the connections between them.  Because of the atrophy there can be impairment of the brain function which can then lead to dementia.

Scientists at the University of Oxford conducted research on 168 people that were instructed to take high doses of the three Vitamin B supplement on a daily basis and discovered that taking these high dose supplements reduced brain shrinkage known to be symptoms of dementia by approximately 53 per cent.

A British Scientists team did a study the find out if large doses of Vitamin B could slow down or even stop the development of the diseases.  At the end of the study they found that those patients that took  Vitamin B supplement had up to half the rate of shrinkage of the brain as those that were taking the placebo.   Also those patients with the highest rate of brain shrinkage at the onset of the study were found to have the best improvement.  Patients that were given vitamin B supplements were also found to have higher cognitive test scores.

Another study has the suggestion that high doses of the Vitamin B – folic acid, B6 and B12 had less than 1% a year while those patients that were given the placebo had a mean brain shrinkage rate of greater than 1%.

Other studies of research subjects taking large daily doses of  the B Vitamins could halve the rate of brain shrinkage in the elder population.  The study found that by adding vitamin B supplements into your diet could reduce the chances the shrinkage of the brain by almost half of the older population with the warning signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

The 10 common warning signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease are:

• Memory loss that disrupts daily life
• Challenges in planning or solving problems
• Confusion with time or place
• Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
• New problems with words in speaking or writing
• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
• Decreased or poor judgment
• Withdrawal from work or social activities
• Changes in mood and personality

Vitamin B12 deficiency in the over 60 population can be seen in severe memory loss, confusion, delusions, hallucinations, with degeneration of the brain and spinal cord.  B12 deficiency can also inhibit the brain’s ability to use glucose, which is needed for energy and also affects the formation of acetylcholine.  Neurological functions that are impaired can manifest as symptoms similar to dementia or Alzheimer’s .  This degeneration can be totally reversed through taking a Vitamin B12 supplement.

Having low levels of Vitamin B12 can be related asthma, depression, AIDS, MS, tinnitus, diabetic neuropathy and a low sperm count.

Only 2mcgs of Vitamin B12 are needed by the body daily to maintain good health.  But B12 is not easily absorbed, therefore large amounts are needed to be taken through diet along with supplementation.  As a population, we don’t eat a lot of organ meats like liver or kidney which are high in B12.  Dairy products contain B12 but cannot be the only source of B12 as they aren’t really high in content. Also cooking or canning of vegetables can reduce the amount of Vitamin B12 that is readily available.   Therefore you should supplement your daily intake of Vitamin B12 with an oral supplement.  The best way to take extra B12 is to take it in a sublingual preparation of 1000mcg/1mg.  Only about 1.5% of B12 is absorbed through the small intestines.

Taking long term use of an antibiotic that kills off the good bacteria in the gut can impair the absorption of Vitamin B12.  Some medication such as antacids or the use of Metformin which taken by diabetics can attribute to the decrease of absorption of Vitamin B12 by 30%.

With all the research that is being done it doesn’t hurt to be taking Vitamin B supplements, even if the results are minimal.   Anything that can be done to slow or even prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s is a great beginning.

Vitamin B Supplements And Why Our Bodies Need Them Daily

Vitamin B supplements are needed to maintain healthy body functions.  This vast complex of many different types of  Vitamins are grouped together as they have similar functions in the body.  All of the B Vitamins are water-soluble and can be distributed throughout the body.   Most of these vitamins should be replenished daily, with the excess being excreted through the urine, so they don’t cause harm to out body.

Why do we need Vitamin B?  Well, Vitamin B is necessary to support and increase the rate of metabolism, to help maintain healthy looking skin and our muscle tone.  It is also needed to help enhance our immune and nervous systems to function normally.  Vitamin B also promotes cell growth and division, which includes red blood cells that are needed to prevent anemia.  In the area of cancer Vitamin B helps to reduce pancreatic cancer risk.

There are nine different B Vitamins available on the market today.
A list of these Vitamins are:

Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Vitamin B5 (pantithetic acid)
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Vitamin B7 (biotin)
Vitamin B8 (inositol)
Vitamin B9 (folic acid)
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)

There are many different deficiencies caused from the lack of these vitamins.  A deficiency of Vitamin B1 or thiamine can cause beriberi symptoms.  Some of these symptoms are noted as symptoms of the nervous system such as weight loss, emotional disturbances, impaired sensory perception, weakness with pain in the limbs, periodic irregular heartbeat, swelling of bodily tissues.  In advanced cases of Vitamin B1 deficiency heart failure and death can occur.
Vitamin B2, known as riboflavin deficiencies symptoms are cracks in the lips, highly sensitive to sunlight, inflammation of the tongue, sore throat, along with edema of nose-throat and swelling of the mouth.

Niacin or Vitamin B3 deficiency can cause symptoms of aggression, itchy skin, insomnia, weakness, mental confusion and diarrhea.  With an advanced case of Vitamin B3 deficiency dementia and death can occur.

Vitamin B5 or pantithetic acid deficiency can cause acne.

Deficiency of Vitamin B6 can cause micrycrytic anemia, depression, dermatitis, high blood pressure, water retention.

Biotin or Vitamin B7 deficiency doesn’t usually cause symptoms in adults but can cause impaired growth and neurological disorders in infants.  Multiple carboxylase deficiency can cause an inborn error of metabolism in infants.

Vitamin B9 or folic acid deficiency is widely known about today as pregnant women are encouraged to take daily to help prevent birth defects in their unborn babies. Deficiencies may cause spinal cord abnormalities in unborn babies.   Also studies have shown that folic acid might also slow down the effects of age on the brain.

Vitamin B12 is probably the most widely known B vitamin on the market today.  This vitamin in deficiency can cause memory loss and loss of other cognitive deficits.  Most likely to occur among the elder population as absorption of this vitamin through the gut declines with age.   Also an autoimmune disease such as pernicious anemia is another cause.  A decrease in Vitamin B12 may cause symptoms of mania and/or pychosis.

When we understand what the causes are of these Vitamin B complex supplements , we then know how important it is that we maintain a healthy level of vitamin B in our body to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

A Vitamin B Complex supplement should be taken daily by everyone.

Health Center for Better Living has many different types of vitamin B supplements available.  One can buy a total vitamin supplement or the option to buy each individual vitamin if you want to be more specific in what you need.

Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B1 Thiamine

Vitamin B2 Riboflavin

Vitamin B3 Niacinamide

Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid

Vitamin B6 Pyridoxine

Vitamin B12

Painful Joints, Muscles and Joint Inflammation

Are you one of the many thousands of individuals suffering from painful joints and muscles or do you have joint inflammation?  Well you are not alone with this aliment.  There are many different remedies available for you to choose from to help improve your daily life.

If you find doing just the normal everyday life activities very painful, like taking a walk around the block or just doing your daily activities around the home, you may improve your movements with the help of herbal supplements that are designed for exactly this problem.

These herbal supplements are designed to support the health and growth of ligaments, cartilages and the connective tissues, which are the bases of proper movement of your muscles and joints.  With the strengthening of these elements, you joints will begin to move more freely and you will find that your daily activities will become pain free.

By taking a daily herbal supplement, that has been designed to improve joint inflammation, stiff joints and muscle pain, you can begin to improve your joint health, thereby becoming more active.

Clinical research has proven that herbal supplements can offer help in reducing tenderness and making joint movement easier.

If you suffer from decreased synovial fluid, your cartilages, ligaments and tendons will not be soft and flexible, making any kind of movement more difficult and painful.  There are herbal supplements specifically made to tackle this problem and to increase the synovial fluid in your joints, thereby helping you to move without pain.

In the 1980’s research found that the proteins found in shark cartilage can reduce inflammation and pain associated with arthritis.  There are different herbal supplements available on the market that contain this important ingredient. This shark protein is also helpful for some bowel disorders, too.  Caution: No shark proteins should be taken by anyone who has suffered from a heart attack or had major surgeries.

A natural joint health supplement is formulated to help the body nourish, cushion and lubricate the joints cartilage, ligaments, tendons and bones.  These supplements help relieve pain and inflammation and helps you to have pain free movement in you joints naturally.

For more information and links to Health Center for Better Living to find that perfect supplement you need for this problem of joint pain or any other supplement you may need visit my website at http://www.LifeWellness.org/?cat=12.

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