B Complex

What’s a B-complex? A B-complex is a supplement of a combination of B vitamins. Luckily, discovering the healthy benefits of these B’s is not complex. Here is some helpful information:

A B-complex supplement commonly includes thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), inositol, folic acid (B9), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), para-aminobenzonic acid (PABA) and vitamin B12. All of these nutrients are considered to be part of the B family. These nutrients can help our bodies live healthier.

B’s as Antioxidants:

An antioxidant is a compound that can prevent the damaging effects of oxidation that can lead to disease initiating events. Antioxidants are thought to play a role in the prevention of most diseases. For example, thiamine (vitamin B1) is known for its antioxidant properties that make it beneficial to cognitive function and heart health as it prevents lipid peroxidation which promotes atherosclerosis. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is traditionally known for its anti-oxidant and wound healing abilities.

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is a personal favorite for its fun name and its ability to assist in the production of glutathione, the major antioxidant enzyme in the body. Glutathionine is an extremely important factor to your body’s health as it enhances antioxidant activities and thus reduces the risk of many diseases including cancer, arthritis and heart disease.

B’s for Heart Disease:

Many B vitamins play a part in heart health. Perhaps the best known are vitamin B6, B9 and B12. This trio of B vitamins is vital to the health of your cardiovascular system. These vitamins are co-factors for homocysteine metabolism. A co-factor is like a key that opens doors to keep a process moving. Homocysteine is an amino acid that can interfere with proper functioning of the cells that line blood vessels and increase oxidative stress. These two effects lead to an unhealthy cardiovascular system. In fact, hyperhomocysteinemia (i.e. elevated levels of homocysteine in the body) is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke. Ensuring that your body contains sufficient amounts of vitamins B6, B9 (folic acid) and B12 keeps the doors of homocysteine metabolism open and thus, preventing a build up of homocysteine in the body. Keep your cardiovascular system healthy with these three Bs.

There is another heart disease risk factor that is inhibited by the power of the Bs. Vitamin B6 is also connected with C-reactive protein levels (i.e. an indicator of inflammation associated with poor cardiovascular health). Low levels of vitamin B6 in the body is associated with elevated levels of C-reactive protein. Thus, vitamin B6 is doubly important to cardiovascular health.

Another important B vitamin to our hearts is niacin (vitamin B3). Niacin is involved in many aspects of the body. However, it is mostly known for its anti-hyperlipidemic activity and thus, niacin is commonly used to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

B’s for Mental Health:

Folate (B9) is not only a key that promotes healthy homocysteine levels, it is also an antioxidant. Its ability to prevent oxidation and reduce homocysteine levels thus inhibiting the development of atherosclerotic plaques likely explains why folate is thought to be important in the prevention of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s, dementia and poor cognitive function.

I hope this gave some insight on B vitamins!