B Complex Vitamins
The rest of the water-soluble vitamins include the eight vitamins that make up the B Complex of vitamins. The vitamins are thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folate, cobalamin and biotin.B vitamins are needed for conversion of food to energy. They do not provide the energy, that comes from the macronutrients, but the B vitamins are essential helpers. When you are deficient in any of the B vitamins you will feel fatigued and some B vitamin deficiencies will lead to anemias. B complex vitamins also help you withstand stress, keep your cardiovascular system healthy and will boost your immune system.
B vitamins are easily obtained from a healthy diet. However many people choose to take B vitamin supplements with the hopes of increasing their energy, reducing homocysteine and cholesterol, preventing birth defects and for general good health. B vitamin supplements are generally safe, but a couple of important points will be made in the descriptions of the individual B vitamins that follow:
Vitamin B1 – Thiamine
Your body needs thiamine to help convert carbohydrates into energy. Thiamine is also needed for healthy muscles and normal nervous system function. A deficiency of thiamine will cause fatigue and decreased mental alertness. A severe deficiency will cause a nervous system disorder called beriberi. People with beriberi may have nerve damage in their hands and feet or heart damage.Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is another thiamine deficiency disorder. In this case, the brain and nervous system are affected so that a person has nerve damage and impaired mental ability. This disease is most commonly found in people who drink lots of alcohol on a regular basis. Replacing the deficient thiamine improves the symptoms.
Thiamine and Diet
Thiamine is found in whole grains, legumes, lean meat, fish and fortified breads and cereals. Fruits and vegetables contain smaller amounts of thiamine. Your daily requirement for thiamine may be increased if you eat a lot of sugar or if you are a heavy alcohol drinker.The RDA for Thiamine
- children age 4 to 8 need 0.6 mg
- males age 9 to 13 need 0.9 mg
- males age 14 and up need 1.2 mg
- females age nine to 13 need 0.9 mg
- females age 14 to 18 need 1.0 mg
- females age 19 and up need 1.1 mg
- pregnant females need 1.4 mg
- one cup chopped chicken breast – 0.098 mg
- one cup raw broccoli – 0.083 mg
- three ounces of tuna – 0.027 mg
- six ounce pork chop – 1.265 mg
- one half cup sweet corn – 0.353 mg
- one hamburger patty – 0.036 mg
Riboflavin – B2
Have you ever taken B complex vitamins and noticed later that your urine was bright yellow? This is the vitamin that caused that reaction. In fact, "flavin" means yellow. Riboflavin is very important for your body to metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins and produce energy.Riboflavin is easily obtained from a healthy diet and can be found in dairy products, legumes, green leafy vegetables and nuts. Riboflavin can be destroyed fairly easily by light. This is the reason milk is sold in cartons or opaque bottles. Riboflavin is also reduced by alkaline conditions, so soaking legumes in baking soda and water before cooking them destroys some riboflavin.
A deficiency of riboflavin will cause a person to have cracked lips and at the corners at the mouth, ulcers in the mouth, dry skin and a sore throat.
Riboflavin and Diet
Riboflavin is easily absorbed and readily available from your diet, especially dairy products.The RDA for Riboflavin
- children age 4 to 8 need 0.6 mg
- males age 9 to 13 need 0.9 mg
- males age 14 and up need 1.3 mg
- females age nine to 13 need 0.9 mg
- females age 14 to 18 need 1.0 mg
- females age 19 and up need 1.1 mg
- pregnant females need 1.4 mg
- one cup two percent milk – 0.451 mg
- two ounces of mozzarella cheese – 0.202 mg
- one cup raw spinach – 0.057 mg
- twelve almonds – 0.117 mg
- one cup cooked navy beans – 0.120 mg
- one cup cooked lentils – 0.145 mg
- one ounce pecans – 0.037 mg
- one cup raw broccoli – 0.084 mg
This Week's Assignment
Getting enough vitamin C is vital. Think about the foods you eat every day and make sure you choose foods contain vitamin C. This week I want you to choose one food with lots of vitamin C at every meal. You can use the list on the previous page, or you can join Calorie-Count Plus to find the vitamin C content and other important nutrition information for all your favorite foods.This Week's Quiz
You can test your knowledge of vitamin C, thiamine and riboflavin with this quiz: Quiz One – Water Soluble Vitamins C, Thiamine and RiboflavinSources:
USDA. "National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference." Release 20. September 2007.
Harvard School of Public Health. "Vitamins." 2007.
Yeom CH, Jung GC, Song KJ. "Changes of terminal cancer patients' health-related quality of life after high dose vitamin C administration." J Korean Med Sci. 2007 Feb;22(1):7-11.
Massey LK., Liebman M, Kynast-Gales SA. "Ascorbate increases human oxaluria and kidney stone risk." J Nutr. 2005 Jul;135(7):1673-7.
Favell DJ. "A comparison of the vitamin C content of fresh and frozen vegetables." Food Chemistry, Volume 62, Number 1, May 1998, pp. 59-64(6).
Merck. "Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)." Updated February 2003.
Gropper SS, Smith JL, Groff JL. "Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism." Fourth Edition. Belmont, CA. Wadsworth Pub Co. 2005.
Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, National Academies. "Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Recommended Intakes for Individuals, Vitamins." Published 2004.
