The B Vitamin Family for Your Family

The B Vitamin section carries with it a variety of combination B Vitamins that include the entire family of B Vitamins, as well as the individual Bvitamins and B-vitamin-like substances that are not classified as vitamins (meaning essential). Normally, I recommend taking a combination supplement for most people to combat deficiencies that are caused by excess stress, vegetarianism or other common lifestyle factors. As B Vitamins are water-soluble, it is best to take what you have in your multivitamin and an additional capsule or two of the Bvitamin combination daily to ensure you are getting what you need throughout the day. In other words, divided doses.

But how do you decide? There are B50s, B100s, Bvitamins with stress-support herbs, Stress complexes that include 1000mg of Vitamin C and so forth. For me, I consider the most important component of a B Vitamin complex to be the form of the B Vitamins present in the complex. There are, what we call, pre-converted forms of B Vitamins which eliminate an additional metabolic transformation in the body and therefore can lead to better absorption. A great example of a combination source of these preconverted forms in a chlorophyll capsule (to naturally deoderize those stinky Bs!) is the AOR Advanced B complex. At 3 capsules a day, individed doses, this product offers maximum nutrient delivery.

Below is a chart of the common forms of B Vitamins and ideal or pre-converted forms to look for if you can find them:

*This form of B3 refers to the non-flushing form of the Vitamin and should be taken by those who don't wish to experience the unpleasant flushing side effects of taking straight nicotonic acid. However, for those seeking to take B3 for the purposes of regulating cholesterol levels, the “flush” has been clinically proven to be more effective than other non-flushing forms of B3.

Individual B Vitamins are usually taken when some deficiency has been diagnosed, or there is a greater overall need for a specific B Vitamin over the others. Here is a list of general, common reasons people take one over and above their complex:

• Biotin: energy, hair growth

• Vitamin B1: nervous system

• Vitamin B2: red blood cell production, regulating growth

• Vitamin B3: Cholesterol, schizophrenia

• Vitamin B5: energy, regulating growth

• Vitamin B6: female hormones, immune system, controls mood

• Vitamin B12: red blood cells, anemia, pernicious anemia

• Folic Acid: pregnancy (prenatal and 1st trimester particularly), anemia