Like all vitamins it cannot be manufactured by the body and must be derived from dietary sources or from supplementation in the case of known deficiencies. Because Vitamin B is water soluble a lot of it is secreted in the urine on a daily basis making the daily intake either through food sources in the diet or by taking supplements important for all the functions it is required for to enable the body to function.
There are now 8 main iv vitamin therapy long island within the group, originally it was thought there was just one vitamin called vitamin B. As scientists investigated this vitamin it was realized there where over 22 vitamins which where chemically different to each other, but existed in the same foods. Over time it was realized that a lot of the 22 were not actually vitamins for a variety of reasons including they could be manufactured within the body, some were not organic and whilst some were not essential to humans they where required by other organisms. This is why there are gaps in the numbering system of what is now known as the B vitamin family, which consists of, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, Biotin (B7), Folic Acid (B9) and B12.
3 substances which are sometimes referred to as being part of the B Vitamin family are Choline, Inositol and PABA.
Choline is is an organic compound, classified as a water-soluble essential nutrient,usually grouped with in the B Vitamin family, however it does not have a B number and is known as Bp.
Inositol is not technically a Vitamin because it can be synthesised by the body.
PABA, (para-aminobenzoic acid) is not essential to human health so is not technically a Vitamin
B Vitamin - - - - - - - - Name - - - - - - - - - - - -Dietary Source
B1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Thiamin - - - - - - - - - - brewers yeast, brown rice, wheat germ and soya beans
B2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Riboflavin - - - - - - - - -almonds, eggs liver and milk
B3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Niacin - - - - - - - - - - - -fish, eggs, brewers yeast, whole grains, millet, quinoa, almonds, wheat, pumpkin seeds, poultry, rice, brown rice, brussel sprouts, raspberries, artichoke, dates, celery, broccoli, mushrooms, dates and okra
B5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Pantothenic Acid - - - -mushrooms, avocado, broccoli, brown rice, oats and wheat
B6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pyroxidine - - - - - - - - -bananas, millet, buckwheat, wheat oats, brown rice, shellfish ie prawns, lobster, muscles, brown rice, chicken, spinach
B7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - Biotin - - - - - - - - - - - - egg yolk, liver, oysters, legumes and yeast
B9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - Folic Acid - - - - - - - - -barley, brown rice, wheat, sesame seeds, oats, chickpeas, lentils, mung beans, leeks, radishes, mushrooms, peaches, pears and yam
B12 - - - - - - - - - - - - Cobalamin - - - - - - - - -liver, fish, dairy products. there are no vegetable sources of B12
Choline - - - - - - - - - - Vitamin Bp - - - - - - - - -egg yolks, soy, beef, chicken, veal, turkey livers
Inositol - - - - - - - - - - -Vitamin B8 - - - - - - - - -nuts, seeds, brown rice, beans, whole grains, raisins, cantaloupe, bananas, citrus fruits
PABA - - - - - - - - - - - Vitamin Bx - - - - - - - - - liver, kidney, brewers yeast, molasses, whole grains, bran mushrooms, spinach
There are foods which are beneficial for several of the B Vitamins like: barley, game, eggs, sunflower seeds, peas, peppers and molasses
When food is cooked the high temperatures involved in the cooking process will result in most of the vitamin content being destroyed. The best method to cook food is steaming which will preserve more of the vitamin than boiling. With foods like nuts and grains which tend to be eaten raw the levels remain unchanged.
Vitamin B1 Thiamin
Deficiency results in the condition BeriBeri (common in the 19th century), which causes Oedama (water logging of the tissues) and Emaciation both of which have nerve damage associated with them. This condition occurs mainly in the tropics. The body must have B1 to be able to convert carbohydrates into energy, it does this by making thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) which is the active form of Thiamin (B1). Every cell in your body needs Thiamin to be able to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP), this is the bodies main energy carrying molecule.
The bodies ability to absorb B1 is totally dependent on having enough B6, B9 and B12 already available within the body. Both smoking and consumption of alcohol interfere with absorption of thiamin.
Dietary sources are brewers yeast, brown rice, wheat germ and soya beans.
Vitamin B2 Riboflavin
A deficiency in this B Vitamin is associated with stunted growth in children. It is also responsible for inflammation of the tongue and lips with cracking in the corners of the mouth. Vitamin B2 is important in cell respiration and very beneficial in helping the liver clear excess oestrogen's. These may be partly responsible for breast and ovarian cancer in women. Vitamin B2 transforms B9 and B5 into the neurotransmitters which are crucial for thinking and memory. People who have high levels of B2 tend to perform best at memory tests.
