The Health Benefits of Vitamin B Complex
If you are wondering what vitamin B complex is, you are not alone. Taking this vitamin in your diet can provide a range of benefits, including increased energy, healthy skin, and red blood cell production. It also prevents neural tube defects and helps the body repair itself after an injury.
Boosts energy levels
If you’re feeling tired and run down, you may want to consider taking vitamin B complex supplements. The main goal of this supplement is to increase your energy levels, but it also plays an important role in your diet. To get your daily dose of vitamin B, try eating more legumes, leafy green vegetables, seeds, and enriched or fortified foods.
Energy drinks often boast high amounts of Vitamin B and other essential vitamins. But most of these energy drinks also contain high amounts of caffeine. Some well-known energy drinks have as much as 242 milligrams of caffeine per can. This is nearly double the amount of caffeine in four single espressos. Read labels carefully to avoid taking too much caffeine.
Prevents neural tube defects
Vitamin B Complex, also known as folate, is a vital part of a woman’s diet during pregnancy. This important vitamin helps the neural tube close properly, preventing birth defects. The CDC recommends pregnant women take 400 micrograms of folic acid per day. They should also eat foods fortified with folic acid.
The mechanisms regulating folate metabolism and the development of neural tubes are unclear. But folate is closely related to B12, and deficiency in folate may enhance the protective effect of folic acid. In addition, vitamin B12 is a cofactor in the enzyme methionine synthase, which is a key enzyme in folate incorporation into cells. This cofactor transfers one-carbon groups to nucleotide molecules that are intended for cell proliferation and DNA synthesis.
A study assessing the levels of vitamin B12 in pregnant women concluded that women with low vitamin B12 status were at an increased risk for neural tube defects. In addition, women in the lowest B12 quartile had two to three times higher odds than mothers with adequate vitamin B12 status. To avoid neural tube defects, pregnant women should improve their vitamin B12 levels before conception to 300 ng/L (221 pmol/L).
Helps skin heal
The Vitamin B complex plays a vital role in wound healing. The skin needs adequate amounts of vitamin B to produce collagen, which is needed to repair the damaged tissue. In addition, vitamin B helps strengthen the immune system and form red blood cells, which supply the wound site with oxygen and nutrients. These vitamins are also helpful in preventing colds and flu.
Vitamin B5 is similar to honey, in that it attracts moisture from the surrounding environment and promotes skin elasticity. Skin that is properly hydrated is more resistant to various skin problems, including acne. Vitamin B5 is also helpful in preventing age spots and improving skin’s texture. You can find it in foods such as avocado, broccoli, turkey, and sweet potatoes.
Promotes healthy birth
Vitamin B Complex is an essential nutrient that supports the healthy development of the child. It helps the body’s various enzymes do their job, such as breaking down carbohydrates and amino acids and transporting oxygen and energy-containing nutrients throughout the body. Women who are low in Vitamin B-12 may be at risk of birth defects.