“That Brilliant Vitamin: Vitamin B”
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Perhaps you first read riboflavin at the back of a cereal box.

Perhaps you first encountered folic acid from your first gradescience teacher. Perhaps you first heard balanced diet fromyour mom.

All that and more compose Vitamin B which is a groupof eight individual vitamins, often referred to as B vitaminsor B-complex vitamins.

Vitamin B is also essential for the breakdownof carbohydrates into glucose, breakdown of fats and proteins,muscles in the stomach and intestinal tract, skin, hair, eyes,mouth, and liver.

As mentioned earlier, Vitamin B is a group of eight individualvitamins. These vitamins are thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2),niacin, pyrodixine (B-6), folic acid (B-9), cyanocobalamin(B-12), panthotenic acid, and biotin.

Vitamin B1 or Thiamine is essential for the conversion ofcarbohydrates into simple sugars called glucose which producesenergy. This Vitamin B is also essential for the properfunctioning of the heart, muscles, and nervous system.

Thiamine deficiency is rare but often occurs to alcoholics becausealcohol oftentimes interferes with the absorption of Vitamin Bthiamine through the intestines. There are also several healthimplications associated with being thiamine deficient.

One is beriberi, a disease characterized by anemia, paralysis,muscular atrophy, and spasms in the leg muscles. Otherdisorders associated with being thiamine deficient isWernicke's encephelopathy which causes lack of coordination,Korsakoff's psychosis which affects short-term memory. Beingthiamine deficient can also affect the mouth resulting toincreased sensitivity of the teeth, cheeks, and gums as well ascracks in the lips.

Vitamin B thiamine can be found inwhole-grain cereals, bread, red meat, egg yolks, and greenleafy vegetables. High doses of thiamine has been found not tocause adverse health effects and excess of this water-solublevitamin b can be excreted.

Vitamin B2 Riboflavin is important in the breakdown ofcarbohydrates, and fats and proteins. It is also significant inthe maintenance of the skin and mucuous membrane, the cornea ofthe eye, and nerve sheaths. Riboflavin deficiency can causeskin disorders and inflammation of the soft tissue liningaround the mouth and nose.

It can also cause the eye to behypersensitive to light. Like Thiamine, Riboflavin is found inwhole grain products, milk, meat, and eggs. This is alsoexcreted because it is a water-soluble vitamin although alittle is stored in the kidney and liver.

Vitamin B3 Niacin, also known as nicotinamide, is important inmetabolism as well as in the maintenance of healthy skin,nerves, and gastrointestinal tract. Niacin deficiency canresult to a disease called pellegra. The symptoms of pellegraare sometimes called "Three Ds" - diarrhea, dermatitis, anddementia.

The mouth is also affected by pellegra which causesthe inside of the cheeks and tongue to become red and painful.Vitamin B3 can be found in dairy products, poultry, fish, leanmeat, nuts, and eggs. Niacin can also be prescribed in higherdoses as drugs to help lower cholesterol but this can causeside effects such as flushing of the skin , itching, headaches,cramps, nausea, and skin eruptions.

Vitamin B6 Pyridoxine which is also known as pyridoxalphosphate is used in the production of red blood cells and inthe biochemical reactions involved in the metabolism of aminoacids. It is also responsible in the synthesis of of antibodiesin the immune system and helps maintain normal brain function.

Vitamin B6 deficiency is rare except for alcoholics. It causesskin disorders, abnormal nervous system known as neuropathy,confusion, poor coordination, and insomnia. Inflammation of thelips, tongue and the rest of the mouth are oral symptoms ofVitamin B6 deficiency.

Vitamin B6 can be found in organ meats,brown rice, fish, whole grains, fortified breads and cereals,and legumes.

Vitamin B9 Folacin is a Vitamin B-complex which interacts withVitamin B12 for the synthesis of DNA which is important for allcells in the body. Folacin, a combination of Vitamin B12 andVitamin C, is essential in the breakdown of proteins andproduction of red blood cells, tissue growth, and cellfunction. It also stimulates appetite and formation ofdigestive acids.

Folacin deficiency causes anemia, stuntedgrowth, and irritation of the mouth. Alcoholics, themalnourished, the poor, the elderly, and those who have certainillnesses are usually the ones found to be Vitamin B9deficients.Vitamin B9 is found in legumes, citrus fruits, wholegrain cereals, and green vegetables.

Vitamin B12 Cyanocobalamin like all other Vitamin B-complex isessential in the processing of carbohydrates, proteins, andfats. Vitamin B12 is also needed for maintenance of our nervesheaths, activates amino acids during protein formation, andhelps in the perpetuation of cells and fomation of new ones.

One interesting thing about Vitamin B12 is that it cannot beabsorbed by the body unless combined with mucoprotein made inthe stomach. Once Vitamin B12 attaches to the mucoprotein, ittravels in the small intestine to be absorbed by the body.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is recurrently seen in strictvegetarians who do not take vitamin supplements. A deficiencycan also cause pernicious anemia which in turn causes weakness,numbness of the extremities, and fever.

Pantothenic acid and biotin are the last two VitaminB-complexes.

Pantothenic acid is used in the breakdown ofcarbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids while biotin functionsas a coenzyme in carboxylation reactions. There is no knowndisorder associated with pantothenic acid deficiency whiledeficiency in biotin can cause scaly dermatitis which is a skindisorder.

Pantothenic acid is mainly found in meat, legumes, andwhole-grain cereals while abundance of biotin is found in beefliver, mushrooms, and egg yolk.

About The Author: Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date linksand information about vitamins, please go to:http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/

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