Vitamin B Complex Supplementation

Last Updated on March 10, 2010 by Jimson Lee

It is amazing how many items in the local grocery store are supplemented with common vitamins and minerals.

Table salt is iodized, to prevent goiter.

Milk is supplemented with Vitamins A and D because calcium absorption to the bones decreases during the Northern winter months.  Our past generation (before the supplementation) would suffer rickets due to the softening of the bones.

Fruit juices are fortified with Vitamin C to prevent scurvy.  (When was the last time someone in North America had scurvy?)

Cold Cereal and other foods are loaded with the Vitamin B complex repertoire.

What the heck are B Complex vitamins?

Vitamin B complex are often sold as “anti-stress vitamins” or “high potency” along with Vitamin C.  The eight vitamins that make up the Vitamin B complex family are:

• B-1 or Thiamine
• B-2 or Riboflavin
• B-3 or Niacin
• B-4 or Pantothenic acid
• B-6 or Pyridoxine and Pyridoxamine
• B-7 or Biotin
• B-9 or Folic acid (a must for pregnant ladies!)
• B-12 or Cyanocobalamin (here are two past articles on why Vitamin B12 is the scapegoat and the B12 deficiency debate)

Vitamin B complex is rich in an abundant of foods, including:

• Liver
• Beer
• Tuna
• Turkey
• Eggs and dairy products
• Brewers Yeast
• Bananas
• Potatoes
• Avocados
• Legumes
• tempeh and lentils,
• Oats and other whole grains
• chili peppers
• green vegetables

By the way, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of the Vitamin B complex are:

• Vitamin B1 (aka Thiamin) – 1.5 mg
• Vitamin B2 (aka Riboflavin) – 1.8 mg
• Vitamin B3 (aka Niacin) – 20 mg
• Vitamin B5 (aka Pantothenic Acid) – 4 to 7 mg
• Vitamin B6 – 2 mg
• Vitamin B12 – 2 mcg

As you can see by the numbers, it is nearly impossible to be deficient in these vitamins with the average North American diet.to the point of seeing deficiencies and illnesses such as beriberi, anemia, cracked lips, or neural damage.

Conversely, I’ve seen marketing campaigns of Vitamin B complex from preventing colds to “must have” supplements for excessive coffee drinkers.

Brewers Yeast, or products like Marmite and Vegemite, uses the rich B complex angle in their marketing.  (it’s on their label)  Plus, it’s 100% vegetarian, so it caters to that market as well.

Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, Vitamin B is water-soluble, so it must be replenished every day.  Overdosing on B Complex gets wasted away in the urine. 

So if you are looking for a simple multi-vitamin for those special “just in case” days you have to eat out at fast food restaurants, a simple multivitamin with B and C is the way to go.