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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.

Where to buy natural and high quality B-vitamins

One of the best places to find organic and natural high quality B-vitamins is at Live Superfoods (aff. link). Look for the B-vitamins that are extracted from whole foods or natural sources. You can also purchase natural and high-quality B-vitamins at my EnergyFanatics.com Store.

Related Posts:

• Ten Essential Nutrients for Boosting Energy
• Vitamins: How to Tell Natural From Synthetic