Breaking Down B Vitamins
Did you know that there are 8-yes EIGHT, B vitamins? These 8 vitamins are all water-soluble, benefiting the inside of our cells. Most of the 8 B vitamins we get through our foods. These vitamins are essential to our bodies because they are used in almost every metabolic reaction and then excreted.
Here are the 8 B vitamins broken down:
B complex= Niacin
Protein in the best source of niacin (peanuts, milk, beans, eggs and meat). Niacin is a necessary part of many metabolic reactions because they release energy from carbohydrates. Niacin also helps in the making of our red blood cells.
B 1=Thiamine
Vitamin B 1 is found in pork, beef, fortified cereals, whole wheat products and nuts. Thiamine removes carbon dioxide from cells and converts carbohydrates stored as fat.
B 2=Riboflavin
Vitamin B 2 is found in milk, meats, liver, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, eggs, and salmon and tuna. B 2 works with enzymes to produce energy in cells. Then our cells use B 2 to make amino acids and fatty acids. If you constantly have cracks in the corners of your mouth, you may be deficient in B 2.
B 6=Pyridoxine
Vitamin B 6 is found in meats, soybeans, fish, walnuts, bananas, potatoes, prunes, and avocados. B 6 is strongly connected to protein synthesis. It aids in the metabolism of proteins, both for breaking down and reconstructing amino acids as needed by the body. B 6 can help relieve irritability symptoms of PMS.
B 7=Biotin
Vitamin B 7 is found in milk, liver and other organ meats. It is produced in the intestinal tract by microbes (good bacteria). Biotin is involved in energy formation by cells, as well as in the synthesis of both proteins and fatty acids.
B 12=Cobalamine
Vitamin B 12 is found in liver, salmon, clams, oysters and egg yolks. B 12 is important in the activation of folacin, fatty acid synthesis and DNA synthesis in conjunction with proper red blood vessel formation by the bone marrow.
Folic Acid=Folacin
Folic Acid is found in asparagus, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, dark green leafy vegetables. It is involved in processing amino acids and in transporting certain molecules. Folic acid is very beneficial for the cells that make chemicals conducive to mental health.
B 15=Pantothenic Acid
B 15 is found in many foods, but NOT fruits. B 15 aids in the synthesis of fatty acids, metabolizing proteins and carbohydrates. In fatty acid synthesis it synthesis hormones, cholesterol and phospholipids. In metabolizing proteins and carbohydrates, B 15 helps in the barrier function of the skin (the lipids that protect the skin’s surface). This vitamin also assists in the functioning of the adrenal glands.
