Modern day’s fast-paced and irregular lifestyle makes many of us resort to supplementing vitamin B complex to help boost our spirits and eliminate fatigue. But why do we still feel so sleepy during the day? Some remain so energetic after taking vitamin B complex that they can hardly sleep at night.
Functions of B Vitamins
Vitamin B complex includes vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. Some can help maintain physical strength, stabilize the nerves, relieve pain, and even encourage blood cell production. But do you know which of them are best for your body? Here’s how each vitamin can help:- Vitamin B1: Also called thiamine, B1’s primary function is assisting with energy metabolism. For example, the starch, fat, and protein inside our bodies all need vitamin B1 to help convert into energy. You can get vitamin B1 from brown rice, pork, beans, and nuts.
- Vitamin B2: Also called riboflavin, B2 helps mitochondria produce more energy, prevents cold sores, helps the eyes resist oxidative stress, increases vision clarity, and improves skin texture. Milk, meat, fish, brown rice, and nuts are all sources of abundant vitamin B2.
- Vitamin B3: Also commonly known as niacin or nicotinic acid, B3 can increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (good cholesterol), which benefits cardiovascular health. In addition, it can also derive nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), which has anti-aging effects. Vitamin B3 is mainly found in meat, fish, grains, and nuts.
- Vitamin B5: Commonly known as pantothenic acid, B5 is involved in the production and breakdown of fat. It is generally obtained from meat, whole grains, vegetables, and dairy products.
- Vitamin B6: Also called pyridoxine, B6 is related to nerve function and mood and can prevent nerve inflammation, especially neuroinflammation. When vitamin B6 is in short supply, it may cause chronic brain inflammation, possibly linked with Alzheimer’s disease, depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism. Vitamin B6 can be found in meats, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. A study published in Nutritional Neuroscience found that supplementing mice with vitamin B6 showed antidepressant effects and could prevent corticosteroid-induced depression. Researchers believe that vitamin B6 may change the glucocorticoid receptor function, so vitamin B6 may be helpful for mental adverse reactions caused by glucocorticoids and may control stress and prevent mood disorders in patients.
- Vitamin B7: Also known as biotin, B7 helps with fat and sugar metabolism. It is also essential for skin, hair, and nail health. People with hair loss may consider supplementing with vitamin B7. Foods rich in vitamin B7 include eggs, meat, nuts, and soybeans.
- Vitamin B9: Also known as folic acid, vitamin B9 can stabilize the nervous system. A deficiency in this vitamin may cause long-term nerve pain, chronic headaches, or muscle pain. Anemic patients should usually supplement with it. Vitamin B9 also plays a significant role in fetal neural tube development, so pregnant women should supplement with it. Vitamin B9 is mainly found in dark green vegetables, beans, nuts, and orange juice.
- Vitamin B12: Also known as cyanocobalamin, B12 also stabilizes the nervous system, and like B9, a deficiency in it can also cause long-term nerve pain, chronic headaches, or muscle pain. It, too, is good for anemic people. Vitamin B12 can be obtained from meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Mr. Ou said that long-term vegetarians are prone to a lack of vitamin B12, which may cause nerve pain or affect the production of red blood cells and cause anemia. He suggested vegetarians regularly check whether they are vitamin B12 deficient and supplement if they are.
Vitamin B Complex to Prevent Alzheimer’s
Mr. Ou said that vitamins B6, B9, and B12 are involved in the body’s methylation cycle. A lack of these nutrients will affect nerve connections and brain circulation, degrade cognitive function, and may cause permanent damage.Alzheimer’s disease may be related to degeneration caused by brain inflammation. Mr. Ou said that vitamin B12 is a good antioxidant that can counter brain inflammation and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.
In addition, he said vitamins B9 and B12 can reduce the level of homocysteine in the body, which can damage blood vessel walls and may increase the risk of cardiovascular issues such as stroke. In addition, if blood vessels are blocked and cause brain damage, it may lead to vascular dementia, so vitamins B9 and B12 can help prevent this.
The study involved 156 volunteers in their 70s who had memory problems and were considered at risk for dementia. Among them, 80 took high-dose vitamin B complex (20 milligrams of vitamin B6, 0.8 milligram of vitamin B9, 0.5 milligram of vitamin B12), and the other 76 received a placebo. The results showed that B vitamin treatment reduced brain shrinkage by over seven times in gray matter areas particularly susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease, including the medial temporal lobe. The average loss of gray matter over two years was 3.7 percent in the placebo group and 0.5 percent in the vitamin B complex-supplemented group.
Ways to Take Vitamin B Complex to Increase Its Effectiveness
Mr. Ou said that taking vitamins and minerals together will result in a synergy effect and can help the body absorb them. For example, vitamin B12 and iron require gastric acid to aid absorption, so taking these two supplements at the same time is recommended, which may increase gastric acid secretion and achieve better absorption. In addition, Mr. Ou recommends taking vitamins B9 and B12 together to promote the production of red blood cells.Can Vitamin B Complex Be Taken at Night?
Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B5 are agents of the body’s energy metabolism. As such, they increase energy levels and make us feel less tired. Therefore, taking them at night will make you feel more energetic and will likely affect your sleep. In that respect, for those intending to use B-complex supplements to improve fatigue, Mr. Ou believes they should not take them at night.However, some people tend to feel sleepy after taking vitamin B complex. Mr. Ou explained that vitamins B6 and B12 have a calming effect on the nervous system and can help people fall asleep more easily. For these people, he recommends taking these two items as bedtime supplements.
Moreover, supplementing vitamin B complex can help relieve body aches and pains. Mr. Ou said that when someone is found deficient in vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B5, this often leads to the accumulation of lactic acid, resulting in muscle soreness. In addition, if someone is experiencing nerve pain and discomfort from insufficient vitamins B6 and B12, direct injection of vitamin B complex can be the quickest way to improve the patient’s condition.
People Who Should Take Vitamin B Complex Supplements
Mr. Ou recommends the following people supplement with vitamin B complex:- Pregnant women: The first three months of pregnancy is the period of fetal neural tube development. Pregnant women should supplement vitamin B9 during this period.
- Breastfeeding women: Vitamin B9 is also important for lactation.
- Vegetarians and vegans: Vegetarians and vegans may not have enough vitamin B12 and should supplement their diets with vitamin B complex.
Who Should Avoid Vitamin B Complex?
Mr. Ou expressed that since most vitamin B complexes are water-soluble and easily excreted through urine, some manufacturers will make their supplements fat-soluble to allow for slower metabolism and prolong the effectiveness of their product. You could overdose on the vitamins if you take these as you would ordinary B vitamins.In addition, vitamin B complex needs to be excreted from the body by the liver or kidneys. Mr. Ou advised that people with liver or kidney damage or high liver or kidney function index should avoid taking too much vitamin B complex. The best way to achieve the same result is by natural intake through daily food sources.
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