B vitamins are found in a variety of plant and animal food sources. The B vitamins are utilized as coenzymes (key components of enzymes) in almost all part of the body.
There are essential for maintaining healthy nerves, skin, hair, eyes, liver and mouth and for preserving good muscle tone in the gastrointestinal tract.
They are water soluble and important group of nutrients for the proper functioning of the blood and entire immune system.
The vitamins that belong in the B-complex family includes B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin and niacinamide), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cobalamin), folic acid, pantothenic acid, biotin, choline, inositol and PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid).
Each B complex vitamins has a fundamentally different function and a very distinct chemical structure for others.
Deficiency of certain B vitamins can cause anemia, tiredness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, depression, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, muscle cramps, respiratory infections, hair loss, eczema, poor growth in children, and birth defects in the fetuses of pregnant women.
It was discovered in London that when patients were orally given pantothenic acid, osteo and rheumatoid arthritis improved.
B vitamins are found in many types of foods. They are often naturally group together in various combinations to help one another do their jobs. Also, they often need to work in tandem with other molecules and different types of vitamins to function most efficiently.
Vitamin B complex
