B vitamins play an important role in many functions, including maintaining healthy red blood cell and synthesizing DNA. When a supplement contains all eight B vitamins, it is called B complex. B vitamins have individual functions but work best together.
Thiamine (B1)
Thiamine is required for proper circulation, blood formation and metabolism of carbohydrates. It is a precursor to several neurotransmitters, including gamma-amino butyric acid, known as GABA. GABA is a chemical that affects the nervous system and prevents neurons from overfiring, calming the brain.
Riboflavin (B2)
Riboflavin is essential to generating energy from carbohydrate intake. It transports oxygen and helps metabolize fatty acids and amino acids. Riboflavin is necessary for cell division and important to human growth, and is often included in hair, skin and nail growth supplements.
Niacin (B3)
Niacin helps the adrenal gland produce various hormones such as adrenaline. It also expands capillaries, increasing blood flow. This increased blood flow can cause a warm, tingling sensation after ingesting niacin supplements, known as niacin flush. The tingling sensation is caused by the release of histamine.
Pantothenic Acid (B5)
Pantothenic acid helps release energy from starches, fats and sugars by transporting them to energy cell centers called mitochondria. B5 is needed in the production of fatty acids and cholesterol. It also helps prevent the breakdown of proteins, so they are saved for later use as energy.
Pyridoxine (B6)
Pyridoxine exists in three forms, pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine. It is necessary for the production of more than 100 enzymes related to protein metabolism. It is needed to produce oxygen-carrying molecules in red blood cells known as hemoglobin. B6 helps regulate the immune system and blood sugar.
Biotin (B7)
Biotin is necessary for proper fat formation. Fat production is needed for healthy skin cells. Biotin prevents skin cells from dying too quickly. It is important in glucose metabolism and helps convert sugar to a usable form of energy.
Folate (B9)
Folate helps produce and maintain new red blood cells. Without folate, anemia, which is a deficiency of red blood cells, may occur. Folate is necessary to produce DNA, the building blocks of cells. It helps regulate the amino acid homocysteine, high levels of which are linked to heart disease.
Cobalamin (B12)
B-12 exists in three forms: cyanocobalamin, methylcobalamin and hydroxocobalamin. B-12 is needed for cell formation and DNA synthesis. Without B-12, large, malfunctioning, immature blood cells called megaloblasts occupy the bloodstream. Another anemia, known as pernicious anemia occurs when the immune system erroneously identifies a substance necessary for B-12 absorption as a pathogen and attacks it.
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