Vitamin B complex

All the water soluble vitamins that are considered essential with the important exception of the vitamin C are included in the grouping known as the vitamin B complex. These B complex vitamins are: the vitamin B1 or thiamine, the vitamin B2 or riboflavin, the vitamin B3 or niacin, the vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid, the vitamin B6 or pyridoxine, the compound called biotin, the compound folic acid and the vitamin B12 or cobalamin. A false belief in earlier decades was that the "vitamin B" was a single nutrient found in yeast, liver and the extracts of rice. As vitamins were studied more thoroughly, clinical researchers found several different types of vitamins in rice extracts, all these different compounds were then assigned specific numbers to differentiate them. The unfortunate conclusion of the layman and the non-scientists was that this numbering scheme implied the existence of a special relationship between each of these vitamins. This confusion was increased by the "unofficial" designation of many other class of substances with membership in the B-complex group of vitamins, compounds such as choline, inositol and para-aminobenzoic acid - PABA, though these compounds are strictly speaking not considered to be vitamins nor are they essential in the diet - they were still placed within the B complex group of vitamins.

The B complex group of vitamins consists of members that have a unique structure and that perform, unrelated as well as unique functions within the human body - and none of these vitamins has a common structure in terms of biochemistry. Metabolism, its regulation and the production of energy are areas in which the vitamins B1, B2, B3 and biotin are involved. The vitamin B6 is involved in the metabolism of each and every amino acid. The process of cell division and the bio-chemical steps involved in cellular division is facilitated by the vitamin B12 and the folic acid. Many functional roles can additionally be performed by each of these vitamins. There are however, no bio-chemical pathways in the body that require all the B-complex vitamin at one and the same time in order to function - this is contrary to what is popularly believed by most laymen.

There is a wide variation in the requirements for different members of the B-complex in the human body. Requirements for these vitamins can vary significantly - for example, from 3 mcg daily for the vitamin B12 to about 18 mg daily for the vitamin B3 is required by most adult males who are otherwise healthy. There is consequently little use in taking equal amounts of each vitamin as provided for in many of the B-complex supplements available in the market. There is in addition, a complete lack of evidence to support the use of mega doses of the B-complex vitamins in order to deal with daily stress, to boost the levels of energy or to bring food cravings under control - such mega doses are not advised and should be taken only if the person suffers from a severe deficiency in the levels of one of the vitamins in the body. Another popular belief is to take all the B vitamins together to avoid developing an imbalance in the levels of one of the vitamins when one or more of the individual B vitamins used to alleviate a specific health condition - this belief has no basis in fact and is not supported by any evidence.

The B complex group of vitamins is found in most of the multiple vitamin or multi-mineral products combined with all of the essential vitamins and trace minerals necessary for human health. The use of multi-vitamin and multi-mineral supplements are recommended to increase the rate of micronutrient intake and to prevent deficiencies as these supplements are more complete and contain all the nutrients required for optimum health.