Vitamins to Get Energy

Your body gets energy from calories, which come from the macronutrients carbohydrates, protein and fat. Vitamins do not contain any calories, so they do not provide you with energy directly. Certain B vitamins do provide you with energy indirectly, however, by metabolizing the nutrients that contain calories and allowing you to use these calories for energy.

Thiamin

Thiamin, also referred to as vitamin B-1, helps you metabolize carbohydrates, which provide you with energy in the form of calories as well as the simple sugar glucose. To ensure they can properly break down carbohydrates, the Food and Nutrition Board recommends that adult women consume 1.1 mg of thiamin per day and adult men consume 1.2 mg daily. Sources of thiamin in the diet include enriched breads and whole-grain foods. Pork is also a source of naturally occurring thiamin.

Riboflavin

Riboflavin, or vitamin B-2, helps your body metabolize each one of the macronutrients. Riboflavin also helps increase the effectiveness of other B vitamins, specifically vitamin B-12 and niacin. The Food and Nutrition Board suggests that adult women consume 1.1 mg of riboflavin every day, and adult men consume 1.3 mg of riboflavin daily. You can obtain riboflavin from dairy products, eggs, lean meats, nuts, leafy green vegetables, and fortified cereals and breads.

Niacin

Niacin, also called vitamin B-3, also helps your body convert carbohydrates, protein and fat into energy. Recommendations by the Food and Nutrition Board for daily niacin intake are 14 mg for women and 16 mg for men. Sources of niacin in the diet include meat, fish, poultry and enriched grains.

Vitamin B-6

Vitamin B-6 helps your body convert fats and carbohydrates into energy. Vitamin B-6 also helps break down glycogen, which is the storage form of glucose in the liver, so your body can use the sugar for energy when dietary intake is insufficient. The recommendations for vitamin B-6 are given in ranges. The Food and Nutrition Board suggests that adult women consume between 1.3 and 1.5 mg per day, and adult men consume between 1.3 and 1.7 mg daily. Vitamin B-6 is available in meat, fish, poultry, peanut butter, nuts, enriched grains, and several fruits and vegetables.

Biotin and Pantothenic Acid

Biotin, or vitamin B-7, and pantothenic acid, or vitamin B-5, work together to convert the macronutrients into energy your body can use. Because biotin and pantothenic acid are available in a wide variety of foods, such as enriched grains, meat, milk, eggs, peanut butter and whole grain cereals, "Nutrition and You" by Joan Salge Blake notes that most Americans easily meet their needs. The Food and Nutrition Board recommendations for adults are 30 mcg of biotin and 5 mg of pantothenic acid per day.