B vitamins

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B vitamins

The B vitamins are eight water-soluble vitamin

Vitamin

A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. A compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be biosynthesis in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet....
s that play important roles in cell

Cell (biology)

The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known Life organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is often called the building bricks of life....
metabolism

Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments....
. Historically, the B vitamins were once thought to be a single vitamin, referred to as vitamin B (much like how people refer to vitamin C

Vitamin C

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient for humans, a large number of simian species, a small number of other mammalian species , a few species of birds, and some fish....
or vitamin D

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble prohormones, the two major forms of which are vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 . The term vitamin D also refers to metabolites and other analogues of these substances....
). Later research showed that they are chemically distinct vitamins that often coexist in the same foods. Supplements containing all eight are generally referred to as a vitamin B complex.

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Encyclopedia

The B vitamins are eight water-soluble vitamin

Vitamin

Cell (biology)

Metabolism

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

List of B vitamins

Vitamin B₁ (thiamine
Thiamine

'Thiamine', or 'thiamin', sometimes called aneurin, is a water-soluble vitamin of the B complex , whose phosphate derivatives are involved in many cellular processes....
)
Vitamin B₂ (riboflavin
Riboflavin

Riboflavin , also known as vitamin B2, is an easily absorbed micronutrient with a key role in maintaining health in humans and animals....
)
Vitamin B₃ (niacin
Niacin

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin which prevents the Nutrition disorder pellagra. It is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5NO2....
, includes nicotinic acid and nicotinamide
Nicotinamide

Nicotinamide, also known as niacinamide and nicotinic acid amide, is the amide of nicotinic acid . Nicotinamide is a water-soluble vitamin and is part of the B vitamins group....
)
Vitamin B₅ (pantothenic acid
Pantothenic acid

Pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5 , is a water-soluble vitamin required to sustain life . Pantothenic acid is needed to form coenzyme-A , and is critical in the metabolism and synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats....
)
Vitamin B₆ (pyridoxine
Pyridoxine

Pyridoxine is one of the compounds that can be called vitamin B6, along with Pyridoxal and Pyridoxamine. It differs from pyridoxamine by the substituent at the '4' position....
, pyridoxal
Pyridoxal

Pyridoxal is one of the three natural forms of vitamin B6, along with pyridoxamine and pyridoxine . All of these forms are converted in the human body into a single biologically active form, Pyridoxal-phosphate....
, and pyridoxamine
Pyridoxamine

Pyridoxamine is one of the compounds composing vitamin B6, along with pyridoxal and pyridoxine. Pyridoxamine is converted to the biologically active form, pyridoxal 5-phosphate, and inhibits formation of advanced glycation endproducts....
)
Vitamin B₇ (biotin
Biotin

Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B7, has the chemical formula C10H16N2O3S , is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin which is composed of an ureido ring fused with a tetrahydrothiophene ring....
), also known as vitamin H
Vitamin B₉ (folic acid
Folic acid

Folic acid and Folate are forms of the water-soluble B vitamins. Vitamin B9 is essential to numerous bodily functions ranging from nucleotide synthesis to the remethylation of homocysteine....
), also, vitamin M
Vitamin B₁₂ (various cobalamin
Cobalamin

Cobalamin may refer to several substances depending on the upper axial ligand of the cobalt ion. These are:*Cyanocobalamin , which is not found in nature....
s; commonly cyanocobalamin
Cyanocobalamin

Cyanocobalamin is an especially common vitamer of the Vitamin B12. It is the most famous vitamer of the family, because it is chemically the most air-stable, and it is the easiest to crystallize and therefore easiest to purify after it is produced by bacterial fermentation....
in vitamin supplements)

Former or unclassified vitamins

Vitamin B₄ (adenine
Adenine

Adenine is a nucleobase with a variety of roles in biochemistry including cellular respiration, in the form of both the energy-rich adenosine triphosphate and the cofactor s nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide , and Protein biosynthesis, as a chemical component of DNA and RNA....
, DNA metabolite) is no longer classified as a vitamin because it is synthesized by the human body
Vitamin B₈ (myo-inositol
Inositol

Inositol, , is a carbocyclic polyol that plays an important role as the structural basis for a number of secondary messengers in Eukaryote cell s, including inositol phosphates, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol phosphate lipids....
, adenylic acid, DNA metabolite) is no longer classified as a vitamin because it is synthesized by the human body

B vitamin deficiency

Several named vitamin deficiency diseases may result from the lack of sufficient B-vitamins. Deficiencies of other B vitamins result in symptoms that are not part of a named deficiency disease.

Vitamin	Name	Deficiency effects >- \| Vitamin B₁	thiamine Thiamine 'Thiamine', or 'thiamin', sometimes called aneurin, is a water-soluble vitamin of the B complex , whose phosphate derivatives are involved in many cellular processes....	Deficiency causes beriberi Beriberi Beriberi is a nervous system ailment caused by a deficiency of thiamine in the Diet . Thiamine is involved in the breakdown of energy molecules such as glucose, and is also found on the Cell membrane of neurons.... . Symptoms of this disease of the nervous system Nervous system The nervous system is a Neural network of specialized cells that communicate information about an animal's surroundings and itself. It processes this information and causes reactions in other parts of the body.... include weight loss, emotional disturbances, Wernicke's encephalopathy Wernicke's encephalopathy Wernicke encephalopathy is a syndrome characterised by ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, confusion, and impairment of short-term memory.It is caused by lesions in the medial thalamic nuclei, mammillary bodies, periaqueductal and periventricular brainstem nuclei, and superior cerebellar vermis, often resulting from inadequate intake or absorption of t... (impaired sensory perception), weakness and pain in the limbs, periods of irregular heartbeat, and edema Edema File:Oedema.jpgEdema or Oedema , formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin, or in one or more cavities of the body.... (swelling of bodily tissues). Heart failure and death Death Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that define a life organism. It refers to both a particular event and to the condition that results thereby.... may occur in advanced cases. Chronic thiamine deficiency can also cause Korsakoff's syndrome Korsakoff's syndrome Korsakoff's syndrome , is a brain disorder caused by the lack of thiamine in the brain. The syndrome is named after Sergei Korsakoff, the Neuropsychiatry who popularized the theory.... , an irreversible psychosis characterized by amnesia Amnèsia *Amn?sia* is an Italian language drama film directed by Gabriele Salvatores in 2002 in film.External links... and confabulation Confabulation Confabulation is the formation of false memories, perceptions, or beliefs about the self or the environment as a result of neurological or psychological dysfunction.... . \|- \| Vitamin B₂	riboflavin Riboflavin Riboflavin , also known as vitamin B2, is an easily absorbed micronutrient with a key role in maintaining health in humans and animals....	Deficiency causes ariboflavinosis Ariboflavinosis Ariboflavinosis is the medical condition caused by deficiency of riboflavin . Ariboflavinosis is most often seen in association with protein-energy malnutrition, and also in cases of alcoholism.... . Symptoms may include cheilosis Angular cheilitis Angular cheilitis is an inflammatory lesion at the labial commissure, or corner of the mouth, and often occurs bilaterally. The condition manifests as deep cracks or splits.... (cracks in the lips), high sensitivity to sunlight, angular cheilitis Angular cheilitis Angular cheilitis is an inflammatory lesion at the labial commissure, or corner of the mouth, and often occurs bilaterally. The condition manifests as deep cracks or splits.... , glossitis Glossitis Glossitis is inflammation or infection of the tongue. It causes the tongue to swell and change color. Finger-like projections on the surface of the tongue may be lost, causing the tongue to appear smooth.... (inflammation of the tongue), seborrheic dermatitis or pseudo-syphilis Syphilis Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The route of transmission of syphilis is almost always through sexual contact, although there are examples of congenital syphilis via transmission from mother to child in utero.... (particularly affecting the scrotum Scrotum In some male mammals the scrotum is a protuberance of skin and muscle containing the testicles. It is an extension of the abdomen, and is located between the penis and anus.... or labia majora Labia majora The labia majora are two prominent longitudinal cutaneous folds which extend downward and backward from the mons pubis to the perineum and form the lateral boundaries of the cleft of venus, which contains the labia minora, interlabial sulci, clitoral hood, clitoral glans, frenulum clitoridis, the Hart's Line, and the vulval vestibule, which... and the mouth), pharyngitis Sore Throat Sore Throat were a United Kingdom crust punk / grindcore band, formed in Yorkshire in 1987. They are known for being one of the earliest exponents of the grindcore subgenre known as "noisecore", as well launching the careers of several prominent members of the British heavy metal music community.... , hyperemia, and edema of the pharyngeal Pharyngeal The word pharyngeal, meaning to do with the pharynx or throat, may refer to:* Pharynx, for pharyngeal anatomy* Pharyngeal musclesSuperior pharyngeal constrictor muscle... and oral mucosa. \|- \| Vitamin B₃**	niacin Niacin Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin which prevents the Nutrition disorder pellagra. It is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5NO2....	Deficiency, along with a deficiency of tryptophan Tryptophan Tryptophan is one of the 20 List of standard amino acids, as well as an essential amino acid in the human diet. It is encoded in the standard genetic code as the codon UGG.... causes pellagra Pellagra Pellagra is a vitamin deficiency disease caused by dietary lack of niacin and protein, especially proteins containing the essential amino acid tryptophan.... . Symptoms include aggression, dermatitis Dermatitis Dermatitis is a blanket term meaning any "inflammation of the skin" . There are several different types of dermatitis. The different kinds usually have in common an allergic reaction to specific allergens.... , insomnia Insomnia Insomnia is a symptom of a sleep disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling sleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. Insomnia is a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease.... , weakness Weakness Weakness may refer to:* Muscle weakness, the inability to exert force with one's muscles* The Weakness, the thirty-seventh book in the Animorphs series... , mental confusion, and diarrhea Diarrhea In medicine, diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea , is characterized by frequent loose or liquid bowel movements. The spelling of "diarrhea" is an appropriation of the Greek "diarrhoia" meaning "a flowing through." .... . In advanced cases, pellagra may lead to dementia Dementia Dementia is the progressive decline in cognition due to damage or disease in the body beyond what might be expected from normal aging. Although dementia is far more common in the geriatric population, it may occur in any stage of adulthood.... and death. \|- \| Vitamin B₅	pantothenic acid Pantothenic acid Pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5 , is a water-soluble vitamin required to sustain life . Pantothenic acid is needed to form coenzyme-A , and is critical in the metabolism and synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats....	Deficiency can result in acne Acne Acne is a group of skin rashes that have different causes.* Acne vulgaris - most commonly experienced around puberty, typically of the face and shoulders/chest... and paresthesia Paresthesia Paresthesia is a sensation of tingling, pricking, or numbness of a person's skin with no apparent long-term physical effect. It is more generally known as the feeling of "pins and needles" or of a human limb being "asleep" .... , although it is uncommon. \|- \| Vitamin B₆	pyridoxine Pyridoxine Pyridoxine is one of the compounds that can be called vitamin B6, along with Pyridoxal and Pyridoxamine. It differs from pyridoxamine by the substituent at the '4' position....	Deficiency may lead to anemia Anemia Anemia or an?mia/anaemia is defined as a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of hemoglobin, a protein found inside red blood cells .... , depression Clinical depression Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive depression , low self-esteem, and anhedonia in normally enjoyable activities.... , dermatitis, high blood pressure (hypertension Hypertension Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, HTN or HPN, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated.... ), water retention, and elevated levels of homocysteine Homocysteine Homocysteine is an amino acid with the formula HSCH2CH2CHCO2H. It is a homologous series of the amino acid cysteine, differing by an additional methylene group.... . \|- \| Vitamin B₇	biotin Biotin Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B7, has the chemical formula C10H16N2O3S , is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin which is composed of an ureido ring fused with a tetrahydrothiophene ring....	- \| Vitamin B₉	folic acid Folic acid Folic acid and Folate are forms of the water-soluble B vitamins. Vitamin B9 is essential to numerous bodily functions ranging from nucleotide synthesis to the remethylation of homocysteine....	Deficiency results in a macrocytic anemia Megaloblastic anemia Megaloblastic anemia is an anemia which results from inhibition of DNA synthesis in red blood cell production. This is often due to deficiency of vitamin B12 and/or folic acid.... , and elevated levels of homocysteine Homocysteine Homocysteine is an amino acid with the formula HSCH2CH2CHCO2H. It is a homologous series of the amino acid cysteine, differing by an additional methylene group.... . Deficiency in pregnant women can lead to birth defects. Supplementation is often recommended during pregnancy. Researchers have shown that folic acid might also slow the insidious effects of age on the brain. \|- \| Vitamin B₁₂	cobalamin Cobalamin Cobalamin may refer to several substances depending on the upper axial ligand of the cobalt ion. These are:*Cyanocobalamin , which is not found in nature....	Deficiency causes macrocytic anemia Megaloblastic anemia Megaloblastic anemia is an anemia which results from inhibition of DNA synthesis in red blood cell production. This is often due to deficiency of vitamin B12 and/or folic acid.... , elevated homocysteine Homocysteine Homocysteine is an amino acid with the formula HSCH2CH2CHCO2H. It is a homologous series of the amino acid cysteine, differing by an additional methylene group.... , peripheral neuropathy Peripheral neuropathy Peripheral neuropathy is the term for damage to nerves of the peripheral nervous system, which may be caused either by diseases of the nerve or from the Adverse effect of systemic illness.... , memory loss and other cognitive deficits. It is most likely to occur among elderly people as absorption through the gut declines with age; the autoimmune disease pernicious anemia Pernicious anemia Pernicious anemia is a form of megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B-12 Avitaminosis, caused by impaired absorption of vitamin B-12 due to the absence of intrinsic factor in the setting of atrophic gastritis, and more specifically of loss of stomach parietal cells.... is another common cause. It can also cause symptoms of mania Mania Mania is a severe medical condition characterized by extremely elevated mood, energy, unusual thought patterns and sometimes psychosis. There are several possible causes for mania including drug abuse and brain tumours, but it is most often associated with bipolar disorder, where episodes of mania may cyclically alternate with episodes of ma... and psychosis Psychosis Psychosis , with adjective *psychotic*, literally means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatry term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality".... . In rare extreme cases, paralysis can result.

Related nutrients

Many of the following substances have been referred to as vitamins because they were believed to be vitamins at one time, and they are relevant to vitamin nomenclature in that the numbers that were assigned to them form "gaps" in the series of B-vitamin names. Some of them, though not essential to humans, are essential in the diets of other organisms; others have no known nutritional value.

Vitamin B₄: Adenine
Adenine

Adenine is a nucleobase with a variety of roles in biochemistry including cellular respiration, in the form of both the energy-rich adenosine triphosphate and the cofactor s nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide , and Protein biosynthesis, as a chemical component of DNA and RNA....
, a nucleobase
Nucleobase

Nucleobases are the parts of DNA and RNA that may be involved in pairing . The main ones are cytosine, guanine, adenine , thymine and uracil , abbreviated as C, G, A, T, and U, respectively....
.
Vitamin B₇: "Vitamin I" of Centanni E. (1935) — also called 'Enteral factor' — is a water and alcohol soluble rice-bran factor which prevents digestive disturbance in pigeons. It governs the anatomical and functional integrity of the intestinal tract. Later found in yeast. Possible candidates for this substance are inositol
Inositol

Inositol, , is a carbocyclic polyol that plays an important role as the structural basis for a number of secondary messengers in Eukaryote cell s, including inositol phosphates, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol phosphate lipids....
, niacin
Niacin

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin which prevents the Nutrition disorder pellagra. It is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5NO2....
(nicotinic acid), and biotin
Biotin

Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B7, has the chemical formula C10H16N2O3S , is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin which is composed of an ureido ring fused with a tetrahydrothiophene ring....
. Carnitine was also claimed to be a candidate but is not soluble in alcohol.
Vitamin B₈: adenosine monophosphate
Adenosine monophosphate

Adenosine monophosphate , also known as 5'-adenylic acid, is a nucleotide that is found in RNA. It is an ester of phosphoric acid and the nucleoside adenosine....
, or alternately inositol
Inositol

Inositol, , is a carbocyclic polyol that plays an important role as the structural basis for a number of secondary messengers in Eukaryote cell s, including inositol phosphates, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol phosphate lipids....
has also been called vitamin B₈
Vitamin B₁₀: para-aminobenzoic acid, or PABA
4-Aminobenzoic acid

4-Aminobenzoic acid is an organic compound with the molecular formula C7H7NO2. PABA is a white crystalline substance that is only slightly soluble in water....
Vitamin B₁₁: Pteryl-hepta-glutamic acid – Chick growth factor, which is a form of Folic acid. Later found to be one of five folates necessary for humans; also known as Vitamin S or Factor S. (L-carnitine
Carnitine

Carnitine is a Quaternary ammonium cation biosynthesized from the amino acids lysine and methionine. In living cells, it is required for the transport of fatty acids from the cytosol into the mitochondria during the breakdown of lipids for the generation of metabolic energy....
) is called Vitamin B₁₁ in France.
Vitamin B₁₃: Orotic acid
Pyrimidinecarboxylic acid

Orotic acid is a heterocyclic compound and an acid; it is also known as pyrimidinecarboxylic acid. Historically it was believed to be part of the Vitamin B complex and was called vitamin B13, but it is now known that it is not a vitamin, instead manufactured in the body by intestinal flora....
.
Vitamin B₁₄: cell proliferant, anti-anemia, rat growth, and antitumor pterin phosphate named by Earl R. Norris (biochemist of folic acid fame). Isolated from human urine at 0.33ppm (later in blood), but later abandoned by him as further evidence did not confirm this. He also claimed this was not Xanthopterin.
Vitamin B₁₅ 6-O-(dimethylaminoacetyl)-D-gluconic acid (Pangamic acid
Pangamic acid

Pangamic acid is an ester derived from gluconic acid and dimethylglycine. It was first isolated by Ernst T. Krebs from apricot kernels, and has since been identified in some foods such as Pulse ....
)
Vitamin B₁₆ (dimethylglycine
Dimethylglycine

Dimethylglycine is a molecule created when trimethylglycine donates one of its methyl groups.It is sometimes used as a treatment for autism, although the evidence for this at present is mostly anecdotal....
) – also known as DMG. (However Lipoic acid was discovered and named a B-Vitamin after B15 and before B17)
Vitamin B₁₇ (Amygdalin
Amygdalin

Amygdalin , C20H27NO11, is a glycoside initially isolated from the seeds of the tree Prunus dulcis, also known as bitter almonds, by Pierre-Jean Robiquet...
, Nitrilosides, or laetrile) – A substance found in a number of seeds, sprouts, beans, tubers and grains. While toxic in large quantities, proponents claim that it is effective in cancer treatment and prevention.
Vitamin B₁₈ –
Vitamin B₁₉ –
Vitamin B₂₀ (Carnitine
Carnitine

Carnitine is a Quaternary ammonium cation biosynthesized from the amino acids lysine and methionine. In living cells, it is required for the transport of fatty acids from the cytosol into the mitochondria during the breakdown of lipids for the generation of metabolic energy....
) –
Vitamin B₂₁ –
Vitamin B₂₂ – often claimed as an ingredient of Aloe vera
Aloe

Aloe, also written Alo?, is a genus containing about four hundred species of flowering plants succulent plant plants. The most common and well known of these is aloe vera barbadensis miller, or "true aloe"....
extracts but also in many other foods. Claimed by one source to be Vitamin B12b-d.
Vitamin B_h – another name for Biotin
Biotin

Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B7, has the chemical formula C10H16N2O3S , is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin which is composed of an ureido ring fused with a tetrahydrothiophene ring....
Vitamin B_m ("mouse factor") – also used to designate Inositol
Vitamin B_p (Choline
Choline

Choline is an organic compound, classified as a water-soluble essential nutrient and usually grouped within the Vitamin B complex. This natural amine is found in the lipids that make up cell membranes and in the neurotransmitter acetylcholine....
) – Choline is only required for survival of some mutant
Mutant

A mutant is an individual, organism, or new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is a base-pair sequence change within the DNA of a gene or chromosome of an organism resulting in the creation of a new character or Trait not found in the wild type....
s. Most commonly it is synthesized
Organic synthesis

Organic synthesis is a special branch of chemical synthesis and is concerned with the construction of organic compounds via organic reactions. Organic_chemistry molecules can often contain a higher level of complexity compared to purely Inorganic_chemistry compounds, so the synthesis of organic compounds has developed into one of the most im...
in vivo
In vivo

In vivo means that which takes place inside an organism. In science, in vivo refers to experimentation done in or on the living tissue of a whole, living organism as opposed to a partial or dead one or a in vitro....
de novo
De novo

In general usage, de novo is a Latin expression meaning "from the beginning," "afresh," "anew," "beginning again." It may refer to:* De novo synthesis of complex molecules from simple molecules in biochemistry...
May be added as supplement especially when methionine
Methionine

Methionine is an a-amino acid with the chemical formula HO2CCHCH2CH2SCH3. This Essential amino acid is classified as nonpolar....
supply is limited.
Vitamin B_t (L-carnitine
Carnitine

Carnitine is a Quaternary ammonium cation biosynthesized from the amino acids lysine and methionine. In living cells, it is required for the transport of fatty acids from the cytosol into the mitochondria during the breakdown of lipids for the generation of metabolic energy....
) –
Vitamin B_v – a type of B₆ but not Pyridoxine
Vitamin B_w – a type of Biotin but not d-Biotin
Vitamin B_x – another name for PABA (para-Aminobenzoic acid)
Lipoic acid
Lipoic acid

Lipoic acid is an organic compound, one enantiomer of which is an essential cofactor for many enzyme complexes. The molecule consists of a carboxylic acid and a cyclic Disulfide bond....
–

Note: B₁₆, B₁₇, B₁₈, B₁₉, B₂₀, B₂₁ & B₂₂ do not appear to be animal factors but are claimed by some naturopaths as human therapedic factors.

Health benefits

The B vitamins often work together to deliver a number of health benefits to the body. B vitamins have been shown to:

Support and increase the rate of metabolism
Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments....
Maintain healthy skin and muscle tone
Enhance immune
Immune system

An immune system is a collection of biological processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumour cells....
and nervous system
Nervous system

The nervous system is a Neural network of specialized cells that communicate information about an animal's surroundings and itself. It processes this information and causes reactions in other parts of the body....
function
Promote cell growth
Cell growth

The term cell growth is used in the contexts of Cell development and cell division . When used in the context of cell division, it refers to growth of cell populations, where one cell grows and divides to produce two "daughter cells"....
and division
Cell division

Cell division is a process by which a cell , called the parent cell, divides into two or more cells, called daughter cells. Cell division is usually a small segment of a larger cell cycle....
— including that of the red blood cell
Red blood cell

Red blood cells are the most common type of blood cell and the vertebrate body's principal means of delivering oxygen to the body tissues via the blood....
s that help prevent anemia
Anemia

Anemia or an?mia/anaemia is defined as a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of hemoglobin, a protein found inside red blood cells ....
.
Reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a cancer of the pancreas. Each year in the United States, about 37,680 individuals are diagnosed with this condition and 34,290 die from the disease each year....
, one of the most lethal forms of cancer, when consumed in food, but not when ingested in vitamin tablet form.

Together, they also help combat the symptoms and causes of stress
Stress (medicine)

Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or body threats to the organism, whether actual or imagined....
, depression
Clinical depression

Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive depression , low self-esteem, and anhedonia in normally enjoyable activities....
, and cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular diseases refers to the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels . While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the Circulatory system , it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis ....
.

All B vitamins are water soluble, and are dispersed throughout the body. Most of the B vitamins must be replenished daily, since any excess is excreted in the urine
Urine

Urine is a liquid waste product of the body secreted by the kidneys by a process of filtration from blood called urination and excreted through the urethra....
.

Vitamin B sources

Different B vitamins come from different natural sources, such as potato
Potato

The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial plant Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family. The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well....
es, banana
Banana

File:Banana and cross section.jpgBanana is the common name for a fruit and also the herbaceous plants of the genus Musa which produce this commonly eaten fruit....
s, lentil
Lentil

The lentil or daal or pulse is a bushy annual plant of the Fabaceae family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about 15 inches tall and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each....
s, chile peppers, tempeh
Tempeh

Tempeh, or tempe in Javanese language, is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form....
, liver oil, liver
Liver

The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals; it has a wide range of functions, a few of which are detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion....
, turkey
Turkey (bird)

A turkey is either of two Extant taxon of large birds in the genus Meleagris. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the Wild Turkey, is native to the forests of North America....
, tuna
Tuna

Tuna are several species of ocean-dwelling fish in the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tunas are fast swimmers?they have been clocked at 70 km/h ?and include several species that are warm-blooded....
, nutritional yeast
Nutritional yeast

File:Hefeflocken Naturata .jpgNutritional yeast, similar to brewer's yeast, is a Dietary supplement popular with vegans and the health conscious, who use it as an ingredient in recipes or simply as a condiment....
(or brewer's yeast) and molasses
Molasses

Molasses is a thick by-product from the processing of the sugar beet or sugar cane into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese language word mela?o, which comes from "meli", the Greek word for "honey"....
. Marmite
Marmite

Marmite is the name given to two similar food spreads, a British version produced in the United Kingdom and South Africa and the other in New Zealand....
and Vegemite
Vegemite

Vegemite is a dark brown food paste made from yeast extract, used mainly as a Spread on sandwiches, toast and cracker , as well as a filling of pastries like Cheesymite scroll, in Australia....
bill themselves as "one of the world's richest known sources of vitamin B". As might be expected, due to its high content of brewer's yeast, beer
Beer

Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and Fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal?the most common of which is malted barley, although wheat, maize , and rice are widely used....
is a source of B vitamins, although this may be less true for filtered beersand the alcohol in beer impairs the body's ability to activate vitamins.

The B-12 vitamin is of note because it is not available from plant products, making B-12 deficiency a concern for vegans. Manufacturers of plant-based foods will sometimes report B-12 content, leading to confusion about what sources yield B-12. The confusion arises because the standard US Pharmacopeia (USP) method for measuring the B-12 content does not measure the B-12 directly. Instead, it measures a bacterial response to the food. Chemical variants of the B-12 vitamin found in plant sources are active for bacteria, but cannot be used by the human body. This same phenomenon can cause significant over-reporting of B-12 content in other types of foods as well.

Vitamin B may also be delivered by injection to reverse deficiencies.

Another popular means of increasing one's vitamin B intake is through the use of dietary supplement
Dietary supplement

A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to provide nutrients, such as vitamins, Dietary minerals, fatty acids or amino acids, that are missing or are not consumed in sufficient quantity in a person's diet ....
s purchased at supermarkets, health centers, or natural food stores. B vitamins are also commonly added to energy drinks. Many energy drinks have been marketed with large amounts of B vitamins ("5-Hour Energy contains an astounding 8,333% of the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B-12 and 2,000% of the RDA for vitamin B-6.… Red Bull
Red Bull

Red Bull is an energy drink that is sold by Red Bull GmbH. In 2006, more than 3 1000000000 cans were sold in over 130 countries.Red Bull was inspired by Krating Daeng, an energy drink produced in Thailand that had been used for years by long-distance truckers, kick-boxers, students and others who wanted a boost....
…offers 360% of the RDA for vitamin B-6, 120% of B12, 140% of niacin (vitamin B3)") with claims that this will cause the consumer to "sail through your day without feeling jittery or tense." Nutritionists, such as Professor Hope Barkoukis, dismiss these claims "It's brilliant marketing, but it doesn't have any basis [in fact]." While B vitamins do "help unlock the energy in foods…Just about everyone in America already gets all of the B vitamins they could possibly need in their diets… Extra B vitamins are generally just flushed out of the system - although everyone's limit of absorption is different in regards to B complex vitamins and no-one knows how much is needed on an individual basis of these vitamins…" While the elderly and athletes may need to supplement their intake of B-12 and other B vitamins due to problems in absorption and increased needs for energy production, for "most typical consumers of energy supplements or drinks, B vitamins are nothing more than a 'gimmick' when they are making these false claims."

Mnemonic
One mnemonic to remember the most commonly referenced B vitamins is "The Rhythm Nearly Proved Contagious" (B1 - Thiamine; B2 - Riboflavin; B3 - Niacin; B6 - Pyridoxine; B12 - Cobalamin).

External links

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HowStuffWorks

HowStuffWorks is a website that was founded by Marshall Brain and is dedicated to explaining the way many things work. The site uses photos, diagrams, video and animation to explain complex terminology and mechanisms in easy-to-understand language....

B vitamins

List of B vitamins

Former or unclassified vitamins

B vitamin deficiency

Related nutrients

Health benefits

Vitamin B sources

Mnemonic

See also

External links