B-group at a glance
Nutrient
Main food sources Key effects
Yeast extract, fortified cereals, nuts, soya beans, wholegrains, spinach, peas, egg yolk Liver, milk, eggs, okra, yeast extract, kidney, fish, cheese, beef, yoghurt, chilli Liver, mushrooms, beef, pork, fish, chicken, corn, fortified cereals, peanuts, yeast extract, wheatgerm Liver, kidneys, sweet potatoes, lentils, broad beans, peanuts, tahini, nuts, avocado, dried figs
• Supplementation may improve mood and mental alertness, because thiamine produces acetylcholine, which is critical for memory and concentration. • Important for carbohydrate metabolism; may decrease sugar cravings. • Needed for nervous system maintenance. • Important for metabolism; improves energy levels. • Needed for all cell growth and development, and for the formation of hair, skin and nails. • Used by the body to help energy be released from digested food. • The body’s requirements for niacin increase with greater physical activity. • Essential for the formation of red blood cells. • Important for metabolism and the nervous and digestive systems. • Helps to provide the body with a constant supply of energy to every cell; converts fat and sugar in food into a form that cells can use. • Assists the body in fighting infection. • Involved in the synthesis of anti-stress hormones in the adrenal glands. • Supports energy and mood, and may improve insomnia and tiredness. • Helps support healthy skin. • Many women claim vitamin B6 reduces symptoms of premenstrual tension, such as mood swings or depression. • Needed for the production of the feel-good nerve transmitter, serotonin. • May reduce heart disease risk by lowering homocysteine levels (together with folic acid and B12). • Important for the functioning of the immune and nervous systems; may improve tiredness and fatigue. • Needed for healthy skin and for forming antibodies, which fight infection. • Assists in the production of the red oxygen-carrying blood pigment, haemoglobin. • Supplements and injections of B12 are used for disorders involving low energy and mood, because it is needed for the production of the feel- good chemicals serotonin and dopamine. • Required for the production of red blood cells and to create the myelin sheath around nerves that allows for the quick transmission of nerve impulses. • B12 is involved in regulating the appetite. • Proven to reduce the risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. • Vital for the proper formation of red blood cells, helping to counter tiredness and the fatigue of anaemia. • In some patients may provide cognitive benefits.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Beef, turkey, liver, fish, chicken, eggs, wheatgerm, bananas, Brussels sprouts, pine nuts
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Dairy products, offal (liver, kidney, heart), eggs, beef, seafood
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)
Liver, orange juice, wheatgerm, Brussels
Folate
sprouts, spinach, broccoli, chickpeas, nuts, avocado
Speak to a natural health consultant at your Go Vita store about which product is right for your personal situation.
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ISSUE 54 • 2019
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