Vitamin B includes a number of vitamins, sometimes bundled together in vitamin B complex supplements. Not all vitamin-B complex products contain the same B vitamins or similar amounts of each. Depending on the type and amount of B vitamins in a supplement, your appetite could increase or decrease taking vitamin B. Unless you suffer from a vitamin B deficiency or a specific medical condition such as Type 1 diabetes or heart disease, taking vitamin B supplements may prove more harmful than helpful.
Possible Appetite Suppressant
Some of the B vitamins -- B2 and B5, for example -- may boost your energy or improve low blood sugar levels. This could, theoretically, suppress your appetite and make you less likely to reach for a high-fat or high-sugar snack in the middle of the afternoon. But no real proof exists that the theory holds true. And the energy-elevating powers of vitamin B mostly affect people who suffer from deficiencies. In other words, if you don't need extra vitamin B, adding the nutrients to your diet won't reduce food cravings.
B Vitamins and Increased Appetite
Taking B vitamins -- B1 and B6, for example -- could increase your appetite. B1, also known as thiamine, proves useful in restoring appetite loss. And supplements may contain very high doses of vitamin B1. The recommended daily allowance -- RDA -- of thiamine measures between 1.1 mg and 1.5 mg. The suggested dose for treating thiamine deficiency ranges from 5 mg to 30 mg daily. At least one vitamin-B complex contains 100 mg of vitamin B1 -- more than 6,000 percent of the RDA. If taking 5 mg a day works to increase your appetite, taking 100 mg a day might make you very hungry.
Side Effects
If you decide to take vitamin B, choose supplements that stick close to the RDA for each ingredient. Some of the B vitamins are fairly safe when taken in high doses, but others prove dangerously toxic. If you take vitamin B3 in high doses, side effects include stomach ulcers, gout, vision loss and liver damage. Vitamin B3 can also cause kidney disease to deteriorate and create unsafe blood sugar elevations in persons with Type 2 diabetes. Vitamin B6 may cause nerve and brain problems.
Considerations
A healthy diet proves the best appetite suppressant. Fiber-rich foods can help control hunger pangs. Fiber helps fill you up quickly and keep you feeling full for a long time. Foods high in fiber can also help you lower your low-density lipoprotein -- LDL or "bad" cholesterol -- as well as lower your blood sugar and blood pressure. Many fiber-dense foods also contain relatively few calories, making them helpful in weight loss and maintenance. Some good choices include non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach; fruits with edible seeds or skins such as apples, pears, bananas and raspberries; whole grains such as oatmeal and brown rice; and legumes such as kidney beans and black beans. Nuts and seeds also provide fiber.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B 3 (Niacin)
- Medline Plus: Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
- Medline Plus: Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Medline Plus: Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health: Vitamin B6
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Learn More about Vitamin B12 Deficiency; August 2009
Member Comments