- Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - role in generating energy from carbohydrates & DNa production
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)- role in generating energy and catabolism of fatty acids
- Vitamin B3 (niacin or niacinamide)- energy transfer and metabolism of glucose, fat and alcohol
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)- oxidation of fatty acids and carbohydrates
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, or pyridoxamine, or pyridoxine hydrochloride)- netabolism of amino acids and lipids
- Vitamin B7 (biotin)-metabolism of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates
- Vitamin B9 (folic acid)- metabolism of nucleic acids and amino acids - important for cell division
- Vitamin B12 (various cobalamins; commonly cyanocobalamin in vitamin supplements)-metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids - essential in blood cell production in bone marrow
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is most likely to need a B-vitamin supplement?
- Men and women interested in heart health and focused on maintaining homocysteine levels that are already within the normal range.
- Aging men and women, who often don't get enough folic acid in their diets, or have trouble absorbing B vitamins
- Active adults who want efficient energy production from fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
- Women who plan to become pregnant, pregnant women, and nursing mothers.
- Vegetarians, people on weight-loss diets, or those whose diets lack a wide variety of vitamin-B rich foods or meats.
- Those whose lifestyles include smoking, drinking alcohol, or stress.