The B vitamins are vital for the breakdown of fats, proteins and carbohydrates that provide you with energy. They are also important for maintaining the muscles that your digestive system uses. The B-complex vitamins include: B-12; thiamine or B-1; riboflavin or B-2; niacin, also called B-3; pantothenic acid, that's best known as B-5; pyridoxine or B-6; folic acid or B-9; and biotin or vitamin B-7.
Vitamin B-1
A thiamine deficiency can cause you to have difficulty digesting carbohydrates. When carbs pass through your system undigested, you can develop heart damage, have difficulty breathing and lose mental alertness. Vitamin B-1 is a water-soluble vitamin, like the other B-complex vitamins and must be obtained through your daily diet or from supplements. Most food contains small amounts of thiamine, although pork and organ meats have considerably higher thiamine contents. Other effective sources of vitamin B-1 include brewer's yeast, blackstrap molasses, wheat germ, legumes and enriched cereal.
Vitamin B-2
Riboflavin works in concert with the other B-complex vitamins for healthy metabolism of protein, fats and carbohydrates. It is easily absorbed through your small intestinal walls to be carried through your bloodstream to promote cell production. Riboflavin is vital for healthy mucus membrane development in your digestive tract. It also facilitates vitamin B-6 and iron absorption. Nuts, cheese, eggs, milk, green leafy vegetables, yogurt, whole grains and legumes are effective sources of dietary vitamin B-2.
Vitamin B-3
You can develop significant digestive disorders from a niacin deficiency, according to MedlinePlus. Mental impairment and inflamed skin disorders also can occur from a lack of vitamin B-3. You should talk to your doctor before taking niacin supplements, because it can lead to a number of side effects, including liver damage, flushing, peptic ulcers and increased blood sugar levels. Effective dietary sources of niacin are fish, eggs and dairy products. Enriched cereal and bread, meat, nuts and legumes also contain niacin.
Vitamin B-6
Biotin is needed to convert tryptophan, which is an amino acid, into a usable B-vitamin. Vitamin B-6 is involved with blood sugar maintenance during the digestive process. It helps convert stored carbohydrates into usable glucose when your calorie intake is low. Vitamin B-6 deficiency is rare, and symptoms usually don't appear until you've gone a significant amount of time on a poor-quality diet. Symptoms of biotin deficiency include a sore tongue, dermatitis and confusion. Untreated, a lack of biotin in your body can lead to convulsions. Effective dietary sources of vitamin B-6 include fortified cereal, bananas, baked potatoes and garbanzo beans.
