Monthly hormonal changes or eating salty foods can cause water retention. Some causes of water retention -- edema -- may signal symptoms of heart problems or other serious medical conditions. One of the B vitamins may increase urine output, but taking vitamin B complex puts you at risk for side effects more uncomfortable and serious than occasional bloat. Talk to your doctor before taking vitamin B complex for any reason.
Vitamin B Benefits
Your diet probably provides all of the B vitamins you need. A variety of foods, including cereal, bread, chicken, fish, nuts, eggs, milk and green vegetables, contain B vitamins. Unless you suffer a deficiency in one or more B vitamins, few, if any, medical reasons exist for taking vitamin B complex. B vitamins obtained from your diet promote healthy liver and nervous system function. They also help keep your eyes, skin and hair healthy and help your body produce sex and stress hormones. B vitamins help you convert carbohydrates to glucose, providing your body with energy, and help you metabolize fat and protein.
Vitamins B-2 and B-6
The recommended daily allowance for vitamin B-2 ranges from 1.1 mg to 1.6 mg. If you take vitamin B-2, also known as riboflavin, in high doses, you may expel more urine than usual. This increase, along with a tendency for your urine to turn orange, rates as a side effect of vitamin B-2, not a reason to take it for fluid retention. Some women take vitamin B-6 to treat symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, but not specifically for water retention. Vitamin B-6 may help symptoms of PMS such as breast tenderness and depression.
Side Effects
Not all vitamin B complex supplements contain the same types or the same amounts of B vitamins. Some complex supplements contain less than the RDA for one or more vitamins while they may contain more than 6,000 percent of the RDA for others. If you take vitamin B complex that contains high doses of B vitamins, you put yourself at risk for side effects such as diarrhea, vomiting, headaches and nausea. More serious effects of B vitamins may cause allergic reactions, heartbeat irregularity, nerve damage, brain problems, liver damage, gout, stomach ulcers and vision loss.
Relieving Water Retention
Simple, safe ways to reduce water retention include eating a diet rich in complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts, and reducing refined carbohydrates such as sugary soft drinks and baked goods. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, cut back on salt and drink plenty of water. Although many causes of water retention prove more uncomfortable than harmful, serious causes include blood clots, high or low blood pressure, allergies, brain tumor and kidney, and liver and cardiovascular disease.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin B3 (Niacin); June 18, 2009
- MedlinePlus: Niacin and Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- MedlinePlus: Thiamine (Vitamin B1;) May 9, 2011
- MedlinePlus; Riboflavin (Vitamin B2); Nov. 19, 2010
- MedlinePlus: Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5); Nov. 19, 2010
- MedlinePlus; Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6); Dec. 13, 2010
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