How to Eat More Vitamin B

Vitamin B is actually a complex of eight different vitamins. All are involved in helping the body break down food to make energy, but various B vitamins also help to ward off headaches, to support the immune system, and to ensure healthy pregnancies, amongst other things. A balanced diet will typically provide you with your daily allowance of each kind of Vitamin B, but there may be health benefits from consuming additional B vitamins.

Know that there are 8 vitamins in the B group. Each vitamin plays a slightly different role in promoting good health. Depending on your circumstances, you may need to take more of a certain type of B vitamin. For instance, pregnant women will need to increase their intake of B9 (folic acid), while vegans will need to find a supplement for B12, which only comes from meat products. Also, patients who have undergone gastric bypass or similar surgeries tend to experience vitamin B12 deficiency related to malabsorption.

Get more B1 (thiamine) to support a healthy immune system. Thiamine also plays a prominent role in breaking down carbohydrates to release energy. If you are endurance training, consuming more B1 can help to reduce fatigue. Also, you may consider taking supplemental thiamine if carbo-loading, as increased carbohydrate uptake may require more thiamine for processing.

·         Recommended daily amount: 1.1mg/day (females); 1.2mg/day (males).

·         Foods richest in B1: Pork; macadamia nuts; sunflower seeds; whole wheat bread; fresh green peas; trout; edamame (soy beans); pink or black beans.

Eat foods rich in B2 (riboflavin) for healthy skin and to avoid headaches.Riboflavin is an antioxidant – a substance that helps to prevent cell damage, particularly in the skin. It also supports blood production, the immune system, and the breakdown of food for energy. Consuming 400mg of riboflavin daily has been shown to reduce the frequency of migraines.

·         Recommended daily amount: 1.1mg/day (females); 1.3mg/day (males).

·         Foods richest in B2: Almonds; red meat; mackerel, salmon, and trout; hard boiled eggs; pork; mushrooms; sesame seeds; squid, oysters, clams and mussels; goat cheese; spinach or beet greens.

Take B3 (niacin) to boost your levels of HDL (good cholesterol), particularly if you drink regularly. Niacin also supports the immune system and the breakdown of food for energy. Deficiency, which can cause skin problems, fatigue, depression, and indigestion, is rare. It most frequently occurs among those who drink frequently, as alcohol interferes with the absorption of niacin.

·         Recommended daily amount: 14mg/day (females); 16mg/day (males).

·         Foods richest in B3: Tuna, mackerel, salmon, swordfish, halibut; chicken and turkey; pork, red meat, or liver; mushrooms; peanuts; sunflower seeds.

·         WARNING: Taking high doses of nicotinic acid supplements (a source of niacin) can cause skin flushes in the short term and liver damage in the long term.

Use B5 (pantothenic acid) to promote healthy skin. Taking daily B5 supplements has been shown to reduce acne, and may also help reduce thinning and graying of hair. It is easy to get enough pantothenic acid, as it is found in nearly all meat and vegetables.

·         Recommended daily amount: 5mg (females and males).

·         Foods richest in B5: Sunflower seeds; mushrooms; trout and salmon; avocados; eggs; pork, red meat, and veal; chicken and turkey; sweet potatoes.

Consume B6 (pyridoxine) to help you sleep and avoid depression. B6 is involved in the production of neurotransmitters that regulate sleep and mood, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine and melatonin. In addition, pyridoxine is vital in the production of red blood cells, meaning that a shortage can cause anemia. People who are at risk of not getting enough B6 include those with kidney or autoimmune disorders, and people who drink alcohol frequently.

·         Recommended daily amount: 1.6mg/day (females and males).

·         Foods richest in B6: Sunflower seeds; pistachios; tuna, salmon, halibut, swordfish; turkey and chicken; pork and red meat; dried fruit; bananas; avocados; spinach.

·         WARNING: Consuming over 200mg per day of vitamin B6 can lead to sometimes irreversible numbness in your arms and legs.

Eat foods with high B7 (biotin) content for healthier skin and less brittle hair and nails. Intestinal bacteria produce an adequate amount of biotin for most people. However, those on low carbohydrate diets should consider increasing their biotin consumption, as these diets require more biotin to process fat and protein, and thus may result in biotin deficiencies.

·         Recommended daily amount: 30mcg/day (females and males).

·         Foods richest in B7: red meat; halibut and salmon; liver; sunflower seeds; leafy greens like spinach or swiss chard; carrots; almonds; eggs; milk; whole wheat bread; strawberries and raspberries.

Add extra B9 (folic acid) to your diet to prevent anemia and slow memory loss, or if you are pregnant. The recommended daily intake of folic acid is 400 micrograms, but pregnant women should consume an extra 200 micrograms daily to prevent birth defects.

·         Recommended daily amount: 400mcg/day (females and males); 600mcg/day (pregnant women).

·         Foods richest in B9: beans; lentils; spinach and turnip greens; asparagus; romaine lettuce; broccoli; pomegranate; wheat bread.

Consume B12 (cobalamin) to ensure a healthy nervous system. B12 keeps nerve and blood cells healthy and is involved in the creation of DNA. A lack of it can cause anemia and eventually nerve damage. Most people will get plenty of B12 from their diet, but a small percentage of the population has a hard time absorbing it, leading to deficiencies that result in anemia. In addition, vegans should be aware that B12 comes only from meat products, so they will need to take a supplement or eat foods fortified with B12.

·         Vitamin B12 can also relieve symptoms of caffeine withdrawal in people who are eliminating caffeine from their diet.

·         Recommended daily amount: 2.4mcg/day (females and males.

·         Foods richest in B12: Clams, oysters and mussels; liver, foie gras and paté; mackerel, salmon, tuna, herring, and trout; crab; red meat; milk; swiss cheese; eggs.

·         Foods with B12 that vegans can eat: fortified silken tofu; fortified soy milk; fortified cereals.