B Vitamins are important nutrients for overall health and they have many roles in the body involving energy, energy metabolism (turning the food we eat into energy the body can use), hormones, digestion, red blood cell formation, brain function, nerve function, and more. They are all involved in converting food into energy, however, each one does it in a different way.
Below are the eight B Vitamins along with their main function and food sources. These are water-soluble vitamins which means your body will absorb what it needs or what it can and then the rest will be eliminated because they are not stored in the body.
Deficiencies can be felt in different ways including fatigue, brain fog, confusion, irritability, constipation, skin rashes or changes, headaches, and even anemia (feeling tired and weak).
Thiamin (B1)
- Promotes nerve function and helps convert carbs to fat for energy storage.
- Food: whole grains, pork, beef, trout, tuna, eggs, legumes, peas, nuts and seeds
Riboflavin (B2)
- Supports healthy vision and glutathione which is a powerful antioxidant in the body.
- Food: milk, eggs, organ meats (kidney and liver), green vegetables, grains and fortified cereals
Niacin (B3)
- Helps with healthy functioning of the digestive system, skin, nerves, insulin metabolism which helps with regulating blood sugar, synthesizing sex hormones and stomach acids which helps lower triglycerides.
- Food: poultry, beef, fish
Pantothenic Acid (B5)
- Needed for red blood cell production, antibody production, hormone metabolism, and it plays a role in neurotransmitter regulation.
- Food: organ meats (kidney and liver), eggs, mushrooms, avocado, broccoli, kale, beef, poultry, sweet potatoes, legumes, lentils, whole-grain cereal
Pyridoxine (B6)
- Helps with communication in the body regarding inflammation and immune function, converts tryptophan into serotonin, supports sex hormones, and helps with the electrical function of the heart, nerves and muscles.
- Food: fish, organ meats, potatoes, starchy vegetables, bananas, prunes, avocado
Biotin (B7)
- Helps the body synthesize and store fats for energy when needed and helps convert protein into glucose in the liver for energy.
- Food: milk, eggs, organ meats, legumes, nuts, pork
Folate (B9)
- It’s vital in the development of the nervous system and brain during pregnancy as well as helps breakdown homocysteine which is an amino acid that contributes to heart disease risk.
- Food: dark leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, liver, avocado, broccoli, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, fortified grain products
Cyanocobalamin (B12)
- Needed for red blood cell production, neurological function, it converts protein and fat into energy. Nearly every cell uses B12. *Stomach acid is important in the breakdown of protein in order to be able to absorb the B12.
- Food: (only found naturally in animal foods) clams, trout, salmon, tuna, liver, beef, ham, chicken, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, fortified (added to) grains and nutritional yeast
Some considerations for determining if you are at risk for deficiencies:
- Vegans and Vegetarians, if not supplementing and absorbing, because it is only found in animal foods. (B12 at minimum depending on diet)
- If you are taking hormonal birth control. (B2, B3, B6, B12, Folate)
- If you are taking a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) such as Prilosec, Nexium, etc or another acid blocker/antacid and/or if you have low stomach acid because there will be challenges in breaking down your food, specifically protein. (B12 and Folate at minimum)
- If you are dealing with gut health and/or leaky gut issues because your body may not be able to absorb the vitamins from your food (potentially all of them)
- Antibiotics due to the impact on gut health and therefore nutrient absorption (B1, B2, B3, B6, B7, B12, Folate)
- Blood pressure medications (B1, B6, Folate)
- Anti-inflammatories (Folate)
If any of the above pertains to you or based on labs you know you are deficient in any of the B vitamins, supplementation may be beneficial for you. There are different options for supplementation including pill or capsule form, powder (multivitamin shakes), liquid, IV therapy, and injections. IV therapy and injections can help ensure your body gets what it needs because if there are any issues with stomach acid and/or gut health, you may not be able to absorb them from the other forms. An IV or injection will go directly into your bloodstream and cells, bypassing your gut.
For more information on the options that we offer, visit our IV Spa page or stop by our retail store!
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