Your Good Health

Know Your Vitamins - Vitamin B

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This week is all about the B’s. There are eight B vitamins under the term “vitamin B,” which we used to think was a single nutrient. Now we know them as the B vitamin complex. Each of these eight play an important role in your cellular health and all are water soluble (meaning your body excretes what it doesn’t use instead of storing the excess).

Vitamin B1
Commonly known as thiamin, vitamin B1 plays an important role in every cell in the body. This vitamin helps produce a molecule known as ATP, which is essential for energy production in the cell. Thiamin also helps break down carbs, fats, and proteins in the body and supports healthy nerve function.

Vitamin B2
Also known as riboflavin, vitamin B2 acts as a coenzyme in the body, coenzymes FAD and FMN, and supports the action of flavoproteins in the body. Flavoproteins are essential for cell respiration, and vitamin B2 supports this process. Vitamin B2 also supports protein, fat, carb, and iron metabolism and supports other B vitamins in their roles.

Vitamin B3
Known also as niacin, vitamin B3 also acts as a coenzyme, coenzymes NAD and NADP. As a coenzyme, vitamin B3 supports the function of approximately 200 enzyme reactions in the body. Vitamin B3 supports protein, carb, fat, and alcohol metabolism and supports cellular health.

Vitamin B5
Also called pantothenic acid, vitamin B5 is an important part of coenzyme-A, which in turn supports many essential enzyme reactions in the body. Coenzyme-A works throughout the body to help turn proteins, fats, and carbs into energy and synthesize hormones such as melatonin (for healthy sleep) and the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (for healthy nervous system function).