B Complex - How they Help Your Brain, Blood and Body

The B Complex Vitamins are some of the most important vitamins your body can recieve. There are in actuality 9 different B vitamins, which is why it is called a complex.

They range from B1 - B7 and also B9 and B12. As you will see, most of your bodies systems need some form of B vitamin to function. Any easy way to remember the importance of these vitamins is to consider their importance in you body, brain and blood. So, rather than looking at the B vitamins in order, lets look at the systems they are critical for.

Brain
The B1 Vitamin is also known as Thiamine. Thiamine helps to ensure that all your bodies’ cells are functioning properly. It is extremely important for your memory and mental health functions, and also helps convert your food into energy.
Pyridoxine, vitamin B6, is the B vitamin responsible for redistributing amino acids. It actually creates over 5000 proteins needed by the body and also helps build various enzymes. It is also critical in the production of neurotransmitters in the brain. Strict vegans or vegetarians will need a supplement of Pyridoxine because it is supplied by meat and poultry products. In addition pregnant or breastfeeding woman may want to add a supplement to their diet.
Best known as a supplement for pregnancy, vitamin B9 is also known as folic acid. It is known for improving mood and quality of sleep as well as controlling appetite. Folic acid helps to keep the arteries open, and can help prevent heart attack or stroke.

Blood
Vitamin B2 is called Riboflavin. It also helps convert food into energy, but it is especially important for keeping red blood cells healthy.
Cobalamin or vitamin B12 helps to form a protective barrier around your nerve cells and keeps your read blood cells healthy. It can help to prevent heart disease. While this nutrient is critical, your body actually requires a very small amount of it, making deficiency extremely rare. Provided you eat a wide variety of foods. Fussy eaters, children and strict vegans may need to take a supplement.

Body
Niacin is the common name for vitamin B3. This nutrient is critical for detoxifying chemicals to making hormones. It is also involved in over 50 other processes that your body needs to function correctly.
B5, or Pantothenic acids function is to assist other B Vitamins in doing their jobs. It helps to break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates in order to convert them into energy. It is required in the formation of hormones, vitamin D and red blood cells. Panthothenic acid is actually one of the most common vitamins found in most foods, so it is almost impossible for you to not get enough of this vitamin.
B7 is also known as Biotin. It is another B vitamin that is critical for giving the body energy, by breaking down fat, proteins and carbohydrates.

As you can see, the B complex, which includes 9 different vitamins is critical for your brain, blood and body. Many foods supply these vitamins, but depending on your lifestyle, diet and stage of life, getting a supplement could be important.

Talk to your doctor or dietician to see whether or not a vitamin B complex or any particular vitamin B could be valuable to you.

With today’s lifestyle, it is important to work especially hard at getting a balanced diet. B Vitamins are one of the most important nutrients your body needs.