I wish I was having access to the infinite energy supplies of my daughter but alas… My days are dynamic, my to do lists endless and my desire to do everything in a perfect way drains me completely. At the end of the day I would feel like I wanna hybernate like a bear for a couple of months. But since neither my daughter nor my husband would be happy with this, I had to find a secret weapon to deal with fatigue & energize myself instead. There it is – a small pill abundant of vitamins B that tone me and boost me physically and mentally.
It takes some time to actually accrue in our bodies but in a week time I can tell that finally I have enough power to complete my daily tasks and maintain the lifestyle that I love. Namely, busy, crazy, fastpaced and full of adventures. So what is the deal with these vitamins you might ask? And why don’t I take them from my dietary regime instead?
Well, Vitamin B complex stands for a group of B vitamins that keeps us healthy and active. And since they are water soluble, they are not stored in our bodies and need to be obtained daily from our diet or through supplements. I am a healthy lifestyle freak and my dietary regime is really good. However, the tthe quantities of B vtamins that I get through food are obviously not enough to maintain my lifestyle.
Why I started taking B complex supplements
And this is more and more obvious especially considering the fact that sometimes I would fall asleep before my daughter. Indeed, in the late afternoon I would be already feeling immense fatigue, be cranky and lack the normal levels of energy while exercising. That is why I have a found a simple, conveninet and most of all working solution – Nutravita B complex vitamins.
WHICH VITAMINS CONSTITUTE THE B COMPLEX
B1 (Thiamin)
Thiamin is essential for the growth, development, and function of our body’s cells. It helps break down and release energy from the food we eat and keeps the nervous system healthy. Good sources of it include peas, fresh and dried fruit, eggs, wholegrain breads, some fortified breakfast cereals, liver.
B2 (Riboflavin)
Riboflavin keeps our skin, eyes and the nervous system healthy and helps the body release energy from food. Good sources include milk, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, oats (check out one of my fav oats breakfasts), beef, mushrooms, yoghurt, rice. Mind the fact that UV light can destroy riboflavin, so ideally these foods should be kept out of direct sunlight.
B3 (Niacin)
Niacin plays a role in converting foods to energy, as well as helping digestion, skin, and nerve cell function. Good sources of niacin include meat, fish, wheat flour, eggs, milk
B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
B5 is crucial for making and breaking down fats. It is found in almost all meats and vegetables as well as in kidney, eggs and wholegrains. Breakfast cereals are also a good source if they have been fortified with this vitamin.
B6 (Pyridoxine)
It plays an essential a role in brain development and also helps form haemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body. Vitamin B6 is found in pork, poultry, fish, bread, wholegrain cereals, eggs, vegetables, soya beans, peanuts, milk, potatoes, some fortified breakfast cereals.
B7 (Biotin)
It plays a role in the metabolism of all three macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat). Biotin is also found in a wide range of foods, but only at very low levels.
B9 (Folate)
It is crucial for cell division and DNA formation, making it especially important in the diets of pregnant women. It helps the body form healthy red blood cells and reduce the risk of central neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, in unborn babies. Good sources include broccoli, brussels sprouts, liver, leafy green vegetables, such as cabbage and spinach, peas, chickpeas, breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid.
B12 (Cobalamin)
I am extremely sensitive when it comes to this vitamin as during my pregnancy I had really low levels of it. And eventhough my dietary regimen was very strict I still couldn’t get enough of it from the food. Every week I was getting shots that were quite painful indeed. So, why is this vitamn so imporatnt? It is involved in making red blood cells and keeping the nervous system healthy, releasing energy from food and in using folic acid. You can get it through meat, salmon, cod, milk, cheese, eggs, some fortified breakfast cereals. All yummy stuff 🙂
Now, I am living in Scotland and truth being said – sunshine here is not that generous to us.We can get it for a while but we can truly enjoy it only for few short summer weeks. So that is why I am so happy that Nutravita’s B complex vitamins are fortified with it.
Vitamin D3 for extra support
Vitamin D helps control the amount of calcium and phosphate in our bodies. Both are needed for healthy bones, teeth and muscles. Vitamin D is found naturally in oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks as well as fortified foods (breakfast cereals and fat spreads). However, the main source is the sunlight. So, I hope you are living on a place where you can get tons of sunshine 🙂
Daily recommendations
You know how the saying goes – the cure is in the quantities. Supporting our bodies with vitamins is very imprtant but considering the healthy doses is as important as that. Hence, you might want to take a look at the recommended doses below. Also, mind the food that you eat as you would normally take some of these vitamins through it as well.
|
Males |
Females |
During pregnancy |
During breastfeeding |
|
|
Vitamin B1 |
1.2 mg |
1.1 mg |
1.4 mg |
1.4 mg |
|
Vitamin B2 |
1.3 mg |
1.1 mg |
1.4 mg |
1.6 mg |
|
Vitamin B3 |
16 mg |
14 mg |
18 mg |
17 mg |
|
Vitamin B5 |
5 mg |
5 mg |
6 mg |
7 mg |
|
Vitamin B6 |
1.3 mg |
1.5 mg |
1.9 mg |
2.0 mg |
|
Vitamin B7 |
30 mcg |
30 mcg |
30 mcg |
35 mcg |
|
Vitamin B9 |
400 mcg |
400 mcg |
600 mcg |
500 mcg |
|
Vitamin B12 |
2.4 mcg |
2.4 mcg |
2.6 mcg |
2.8 mcg |
Source: The National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements
Vitamin B Complex Deficiency Symptoms
So, how can you tell that you are defficient in any of these vitamins? Generally, some of the symptoms might include headaches, feeling fatigue, being weak, cold, or dizzy. Other common symptoms would rather how up in the skin, nails, and hair as rashes or cracks.
Vitamin B Complex Benefits
To summarize, the benefits of taking vitamin B complex are pretty much endless. Not only these vitamins prevent the conditions associated with B Vitamin deficiencies but also help energyze and maximize our workout performance.
In addition, having the right levels of B vitamins improves digestion and absorption of nutrients, and keeps our hair, skin, and nails healthy. Ensuring adequate levels of B vitamins can improve mood and cognition. Cool, right?!
XXX
The Mermaid
