B-Vitamins: The Best Energy Vitamins
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B-vitamins are one of the most important vitamins for giving you the energy to work all day. B complex helps metabolize carbohydrates, the body and brain’s main source of fuel. The lack of B-vitamins can cause body fatigue, dizziness, memory problems, depression and lead to other illnesses. If you are planning to get most of your B-vitamins from plant-based foods, avoid cooking them or don’t cook them for too long, because the heat and water will destroy a good portion of their B-vitamins.
The vitamin B complex consist of eight vitamins which are B12, B9, B7, B6, B5, B3 (niacin), B2 (riboflavin) and B1 (thiamine). These vitamins are great for boosting energy because they work together to boost metabolism, enhance cell growth and division, enhance the nervous system and immune system, and keep the skin and muscles healthy.
Vitamin B12: (also known as Cobalamin or Cyanocobalamin) is probably the most important B complex for increasing your energy level because it is required for proper digestion. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin B12 for both men and women is 2.4 mcg.
- Helps the body digest food properly
- Helps the synthesis of protein and absorption of foods
- Helps metabolize carbohydrates and fats, the body’s main source of energy
- Required for normal gene function and energy production
Vitamin B9: (also known as Folate or Folic Acid) is important for helping the body to form hemoglobin and is particularly important during pregnancy. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B9 for both men and women is 400 mcg/day. Women who are pregnant or breast feeding may want to consume 500-600 mcg/day.
- Helps treat anemia and sprue
- Helps prevent neural tube defects in newborns
- Helps prevent spina bifida
Vitamin B7: (also known as Biotin) is another important B-complex for energy. Vitamin B7 helps assist the release of energy from carbohydrates. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B7 is 30-100 mcg/day.
- Helps form fatty acids
- Required for metabolizing fat and protein
- Increases immunity and gene function
Vitamin B6: (also known as Pyridoxine) is another vitamin that helps increase energy by assisting the body to absorb and metabolize amino acids. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B6 is about 2 mg/day depending on age and gender.
- Helps the body burn fats
- Assists the body to form red blood cells
Vitamin B5: (also known as Pantothenic Acid) is very important for increasing energy because it helps metabolize fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B5 is 10 mg/day.
- Helps reduce Fatigue and allergies
- Required for proper immune function
- Important for adrenal stress hormone production
Vitamin B3: (also known as Niacin) is another energy helper. Vitamin B3 helps release energy from nutrients and may be beneficial for controlling cholesterol levels. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B3 for an adult is 14-18 mg/day.
- Prevents and helps treat arteriosclerosis
- Helps reduce the risk of neurological disease
- Useful in treating Raynaud’s syndrome, a blood vessel disorder
Vitamin B2: (also known as Riboflavin) is great for increasing energy due to its role of metabolizing fats, carbohydrates, and respiratory proteins. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B2 for an adult is 1.3 mg/day.
- Helps keep your skin, eyes, mouth, skin, nails, lips and tongue healthy
- Helps protect against cancer
- Required for energy production, very important for energy
- Required for oxygen utilization, very important for energy
Vitamin B1: (also known as Thiamine) is important for increasing energy because it helps metabolize carbohydrates and synthesize nerve regulating substances. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B1 for an adult is about 1.5 mg/day.
- Helps with anxiety, indigestion and improve mental ability
- Necessary for adrenal gland function
- Necessary for the synthesis of neurotransmitters and proper immune performance
- Assists in the metabolism of food and alcohol
The RDA for B-vitamin is the minimal recommendation. For best result, you may want to take more than the RDA. Also, when choosing B-vitamins buy the natural versions rather than the synthetic versions. Some health experts claim natural and synthetic vitamins are the same and that there is no difference in their health benefits. To make this kind of claim is ignorance because there is an abundance of information and studies showing that they both affect the body differently.
Natural vitamins found in nature are always accompanied by other vitamins, minerals, co-vitamin helpers and other synergistic components. These extra components are needed to assist the body in utilizing the vitamins and prevent it from breaking down into toxic chemicals. A great article I recommend reading about natural and synthetic B-vitamins is found at www.drheise.com. In this article Robert J Thiel, Ph.D., N.D. goes into great details about the differences between synthetic and natural vitamins and how synthetic vitamins are made.
Recommended natural and high quality B-vitamin supplement
One of the top B-vitamin supplements is MegaFood Balanced B Complex. It can be purchase at Live Superfoods (aff. link). This B Complex is made of 100% whole food nutrients.
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Hello energy and health fanatics, independent thinkers, truth seekers and freedom lovers! My name is Pao L. Chang and I’m the author/founder of EnergyFanatics.com. Ever since graduating from high school, I noticed that my energy level was not as high as it used to be. While in college, I decided to educate myself about energy, health, wellness, and explore the mystery of alternative medicine and the power of spiritual healing. This journey taught me many things...
I need the name of a very good vitamin B-complex B-5 B-2 B-12, actually all the B-Complex that a woman will really need please, thank you very much for you assistance.
I am a firm believer in the power of B vitamins. I can tell you that they are really important where pregnancy is concerned. When I got pregnant with my first child, I did not have enough B9 (folic acid) and had really bad morning sickness. When I planned to get pregnant with my second child, I supplemented my B vitamins and did not have any morning sickness problems. B vitamins are very important and can make a difference in your overall health and wellness.
A good B-complex supplement is Wholefood B-Complex (aff. link). According to its supplier, Wholefood B-complex’s vitamins are extracted from natural whole food. Many supplements on the market use synthetic vitamins because they are cheaper to make.
The product that I used to take on a regular basis to get my B-vitamins was Nutrilite Double X. This multivitamin contains B-12 (375% DV), B-9 (100% DV), B-7 (50% DV), B-6 (375% DV), B-5 (250% DV), B-3 (100% DV), B-2 (375% DV), B-1 (375% DV) per serving. Nutrilite Double X is convenient because it contains many vitamins and minerals, unfortunately many of them are synthetic so I stop taking them.
For more information on dietary supplements visit the link below.
http://energyfanatics.com/2008/10/19/how-to-natural-synthetic-vitamins/
Great info here. I’m a 100% disabled vet on up to 30 pills/day from the VA. I’m gradually cutting some of them down. Almost all have a sedative warning, and they do rob me of the energy I used to have.
Not sure what I will drink and vitamins to take but maybe Mountain Dew’s drink, or the Hype MFP or Bazza High energy Rasberry Tea. I don’t want any sugar substitutes or sugar. Maybe a drink and Nutrilite?
I am curious Mr. Chang as to what, if any ‘multivitamin’, and I use that term loosely since a lot of companies are now calling their new products something different, are you currently taking?
I used to take Nutrilite Double X a few years ago but that was before I learned how to tell the difference between natural and synthetic vitamins. Double X, like many multivitamins, has a good amount of synthetic vitamins in it. Because of this, I stopped taking it and decided to go the natural route. Now, I concentrate more on whole foods for my vitamin and mineral intakes. I also occasionally take natural vitamin D supplements and some vitamins that are extracted from organic and whole foods, usually the vitamins that are hard to get from food.
Below are two posts that you may want to read before buying any multivitamins.
http://energyfanatics.com/2008/10/18/truth-about-dietary-supplement/
http://energyfanatics.com/2008/10/19/how-to-natural-synthetic-vitamins/
B vitamins are very important in the processing of food into energy. I can tell you now that I am a b-complex fanatic and I never had so much energy until I started taking a supplement!
Great to hear that B-vitamins are helping you. I’m curious, what brand of B-vitamins are you taking?
What is a good vitaman that has all the b vitamans
I believe the MegaFood Balanced B Complex that I recommended at the end of this article has all of the B-vitamins. It is also 100% whole food nutrients which is more healthier.