It’s old news that we should be taking a multivitamin every day, and that women should take calcium supplements. And we know that to be truly healthy inside and out, we need to make sure we’re consuming a wide variety of healthy carbohydrates, fat, and protein as well. But where do the eight vitamins that comprise the vitamin B complex fit into this scheme? When I asked around, not many people could outline exactly what they do or what food sources contain them—which is surprising, because without them, we’d pretty much fall apart. Detailed below, the complete B-list.
B1 (Thiamine)
What It Does: Vitamin B1’s primary purposes are metabolizing carbohydrates, facilitating the release of energy from food, and assisting cardiac and nervous system functions. It’s also been known to strengthen the immune system, reduce stress, neutralize free radicals (thus helping to prevent premature aging and senility), and stave off polyneuritis (the inflammation of multiple nerves at once).
Which Foods Include It: brown rice, egg yolks, wheat germ, brewer’s yeast, oatmeal, bran, bean sprouts, soybeans, cashew nuts, lean pork
B2 (Riboflavin)
What It Does: Vitamin B2, riboflavin, packs a serious punch in terms of its benefits. It plays an essential role in energy production by helping us metabolize proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, and in the formation of red-blood cells and antibodies. In addition, it ensures proper development of our reproductive organs, tissues, eyes, nervous system, and mucous membranes; regulates thyroid activity; strengthens our antibodies; prevents acne; protects the digestive tract; and helps treat nervous-system conditions such as Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy.
Which Foods Include It: The most significant sources of riboflavin are dairy products, brewer’s yeast, and liver. Others include seafood, such as mackerel, eel, shellfish, salmon, and herring; lean meat; mushrooms, broccoli, avocados, dark leafy greens, and asparagus; millet and wild rice; dried peas, sunflower seeds, and beans.
B3 (Niacin)
What It Does: Vitamin B3, also known as niacin or nicotinic acid, is a crystalline substance that occurs naturally in various plant and animal tissues. It’s especially helpful in improving circulation and lowering LDL cholesterol while raising levels of good (HDL) cholesterol. Niacin is necessary for the formation of red blood cells, and helps maintain healthy blood pressure and blood triglyceride levels. It also supports the central nervous system, and high doses have been known to regulate mood. Finally, it keeps the stomach and intestinal tract working smoothly and, like its brethren, assists our bodies in metabolizing carbs, protein, and fat.
Which Foods Contain It: meat, poultry, fish, liver, kidneys, eggs, nuts, peanut butter, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ
B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
What It Does: Vitamin B5 is a master synthesizer; it facilitates the formation of fats, proteins, amino acids, and antibiotics. Doctors have touted its ability to keep the human heart ticking steadily, and to sustain healthy blood pressure levels. B5 also enhances our immune system and our physical stamina, spurs DNA reproduction, and keeps the hormones that cause stress and anxiety in check. But perhaps its best-known function of all is its contribution to skin health, particularly in warding off signs of early aging.
Which Foods Contain It: mainly mushrooms, collard greens, cabbage, salmon, broccoli, and legumes; also soybeans, molasses, milk, and cheese
B6 (Pyridoxine)
What It Does: The superstar of the B complex, vitamin B6 supports more bodily functions than any other vitamin. Acting as a coenzyme for a number of systems, it’s what enables our bodies to metabolize amino acids, most notably in the intestines. Without it, serotonin, dopamine, and adrenaline, among other chemicals, could not form. When taken in conjunction with vitamins B9 and B12, it reduces levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which contributes to heart disease and stroke. It’s also used for the treatment of sideroblast anemia and even PMS.
Which Foods Contain It: white meat, spinach, carrots, peas, eggs, sunflower seeds, walnuts, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, whole-grain (but not enriched) breads and cereals
B7 (Biotin)
What It Does: Like vitamin B5, biotin plays an integral role in skin, hair, and fingernail health. It helps develop and repair muscle tissue and nervous-system tissue, reduces cholesterol, maintains normal blood-sugar levels and enables the human body to better adapt to insulin, synthesizes fatty acids and amino acids, and catalyzes metabolic reactions to optimize our energy level. And because it reduces surplus fat, doctors often recommend that their overweight patients eat a B7-rich diet.
Which Foods Contain It: milk, liver, kidney, egg yolks, fish, brown rice, potatoes, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, soybeans, brewer’s yeast
B9 (Folic Acid)
What It Does: Folic acid is most readily recognized for its amazing benefits to pregnant women: it’s known to prevent birth defects by assuring normal development of the fetus’s neural tube and protecting against pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, low birth weight, miscarriage, and premature birth. Any woman who’s of childbearing age and even thinking about starting a family someday should include folic acid in her daily arsenal of supplements. But this wonder vitamin also may play a part in lowering the risk of stroke, heart disease, some types of cancer, and even Alzheimer’s, so it’s a good idea for both sexes to take it.
Which Foods Contain It: lentils and black-eyed peas; whole-wheat bread, pasta, and tortillas; asparagus, beets, broccoli, and brussels sprouts; tomatoes, cantaloupe, watermelon, raspberries, avocados, and bananas
B12 (Cobalmin)
What It Does: Working with vitamin B6 and folic acid, cobalmin is an effective treatment for high levels of homocysteine, the amino acid whose buildup can cause heart disease. It helps red blood cells form and regenerate, and aids our bodies in manufacturing DNA and RNA. It’s also reputed to combat male infertility, pernicious anemia, osteoarthritis, bursitis, and chronic fatigue syndrome, among other conditions. And on the neurological front, it’s been shown to fight sleep disorders, memory loss, and depression.
Which Foods Contain It: sea vegetables, such as kelp, komba, and nori; some fish, including mackerel, herring, salmon, tuna, cod, sardines, trout, and bluefish; oysters, clams, and mussels; crab and lobster; certain cheeses, like Swiss, mozzarella, parmesan, and feta; beef and lamb; eggs
B Is Best
When you’re shopping around for multivitamins, you’ll likely notice that most of them include B6, folic acid, and B12, but not the other five B vitamins. You can find the omitted vitamins in pill form, but it’s best to also try to incorporate the foods listed above into your daily diet to ensure that you’re consuming the proper quantities. Monitoring your intake of the B complex so closely may seem overwhelming, but because its elements appear in such a vast array of food, it’s easier than you think to boost your levels. And when the alternatives are conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, becoming B-minded seems like a small price to pay.