The ultimate Vitamin B Guide (complete)

They appear in both letters and numbers and ensure our survival: vitamins. Our daily vitamins (Latin vita = life) take care of our natural body functions and help us regulate everything that hits the body. One of these letter phenomena is vitamin B.

The vitamin B group usually includes vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12 . B vitamins are water-soluble vitamins and therefore, unlike fat-soluble vitamins, cannot be stored in fatty tissue.

Your body must therefore be constantly supplied with these vitamins, which is why B vitamins are often found as dietary supplements [1]. They all perform various important functions in the body, from energy production to detoxification to regeneration and wound healing.

Let’s take a closer look and introduce you to the benefits and deficiency symptoms of the individual B vitamins:

Effects, occurrence & deficiency

Fun fact: The gaps in the vitamin B series (4,8,10 and 11) are no longer vitamins according to the definition and are called vitaminoids. They are therefore no longer part of the vitamin B complex cocktail . This only contains essential vitamins.

1. Vitamin B1

• Effect:
  Vitamin B1, or thiamine, is colloquially known as the mood vitamin. It is responsible for the carbohydrate metabolism of nerves, brain and muscles and is essential for their energy production [2, 3]. Our brain, muscles and nerves need sugar as fuel. B1 helps to provide the sugar from carbohydrate-containing food sources such as pasta, potatoes or rice [4]. Memory and fitness depend on this vitamin, among other things.
• Happen:
  Thiamine is found primarily in the inner shells and germs of grains [5]. Whole grain products are therefore preferable. The heat-sensitive vitamin B1 is destroyed by about 40% during cooking and, due to its water solubility, some of it passes into the cooking water [3]. Therefore, gentle processing is recommended.
• Deficiency symptoms:
  A lack of thiamine causes tiredness, fatigue, memory problems and a decrease in physical and mental performance [2, 3]. Beri Beri (nerve inflammation with paralysis and heart failure) is a consequence of severe deficiency. High alcohol consumption and breastfeeding increase the need for thiamine [5]. A deficiency in vitamin B1 is not usually that common. However, it can be caused by a diet that prefers white flour products or polished rice [2]. Alcohol abuse, stomach and intestinal diseases, a diet low in vitamins or pregnancy can also often be the cause [2, 6].

2. Vitamin B2

• Effect:
  Vitamin B2 is known as riboflavin. Riboflavin is also part of the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fatty acids into energy [7]. It serves to detoxify the liver [8], helps in the formation of red blood cells and, together with vitamin A, is involved in the healing of the skin [5]. It also supports cell protection against oxidative stress and contributes to healthy skin and the protection of the eyes from short-wave light [7].
• Happen:
  Vitamin B2 is found mainly in milk, dairy products, meat, fish and whole grain products [8].
• Deficiency symptoms:
  A riboflavin deficiency can be recognized by cracks in the corners of the mouth or inflammation of the oral mucosa and can also promote cataracts [8, 9]. However, a vitamin B2 deficiency is rather rare and occurs mainly in people with a vegan diet or alcohol abuse [9].

3. Vitamin B3

 

• Effect:
  Niacin, the actual name of vitamin B3, is involved in cell formation and muscle regeneration [10]. Among other things, it also regulates blood lipids and is thus involved in fat and cholesterol metabolism [11].
• Happen:
  Poultry, game, fish, mushrooms and dairy products are good sources of niacin [5].
• Deficiency symptoms:
  A chronic deficiency is usually noticeable through loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating or sleeping, and rough and flaky skin. However, this is rare. Here, too, there is a risk due to illness and increased need in the case of alcohol abuse [5, 11].

4. Vitamin B5

• Effect :
  B5 or pantothenic acid is used in the body to produce coenzyme A, which supports the synthesis and breakdown of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the body [4, 12, 13]. It also forms hemoglobin (blood pigment), which is responsible for the transport of oxygen in the blood and is an important factor in wound healing and the protective function of the skin [12, 14, 15]. Panthenol is more commonly known and is used in skin care ointments and is converted into pantothenic acid in the skin cells.
• Happen:
  Pantothenic acid can be found in whole grain products, peanuts, eggs and legumes. Offal is particularly rich in vitamin B5. However, the latter is not the case for everyone [12].
• Deficiency symptoms:
  A deficiency is rare, but can also manifest itself in a weak immune system and dry, cracked skin and brittle hair [16]. Fatigue, insomnia and sore muscles are also common symptoms [17].

5. Vitamin B6

• Effect:
  Pyridoxine is - similar to vitamin B5 - responsible for the production of hemoglobin. It also regulates the immune system and is involved in the formation of neurotransmitters that are needed for the transmission of stimuli in the nervous system. These include dopamine and serotonin, the so-called happiness hormones that are responsible for positive emotional effects [18, 19].
• Happen:
  Liver, chicken, fish, corn, dairy products, lentils and green beans serve as sources of vitamin B6 [20, 21].
• Deficiency symptoms:
  A deficiency can cause scaly rashes on the face and inflammation of the mouth and lips. The cause can be hormonal contraceptives, increased protein intake or chronic digestive disorders [5, 22].

Sources

[1] https://www.tk.de/techniker/magazin/ernaehrung/essen-und-wissen/vitamine-besser-fuer-stoffwechsel-2004728