The B vitamins are eight water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism. Historically, the B vitamins were once thought to be a single vitamin, referred to as vitamin B (much like how people refer to vitamin C or vitamin D). Later research showed that they are chemically distinct vitamins that often coexist in the same foods. Supplements containing all eight are generally referred to as a vitamin B complex.
List of B vitamins are as follows:
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- Vitamin B3 (niacin, includes nicotinic acid and nicotinamide)
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine)
- Vitamin B7 (biotin), also known as vitamin H
- Vitamin B9 (folic acid), also, vitamin M
- Vitamin B12 (various cobalamins; commonly cyanocobalamin in vitamin supplements)
Each B vitamin has its own individual properties and its own unique biological role to play. As a group, these nutrients have so much in common that they are often thought of as a single entity.
Key Functions of Vitamin B
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine) – helps the body convert Ashwagandha Gummies reviews carbohydrates into energy and helps in the metabolism of proteins and fats.
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – is required to complete several reactions in the energy cycle.
- Vitamin B3 (niacin, includes nicotinic acid and nicotinamide) – helps the metabolism of carbohydrates.
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) – promotes a large number of metabolic reactions essential for the growth and well-being of animals.
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine) – is a coenzyme for several enzyme systems involved in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
- Vitamin B7 (biotin), also known as vitamin H – plays a role in metabolic processes that lead to the formation of fats and the utilization of carbon dioxide.
- Vitamin B9 (folic acid), also, vitamin M – is necessary for the synthesis of nucleic acids and the formation of red blood cells.
- Vitamin B12 (various cobalamins; commonly cyanocobalamin in vitamin supplements) – is a complex crystalline compound that functions in all cells, but especially in those of the gastrointestinal tract, the nervous system, and the bone marrow. It is known to aid in the development of red blood cells in higher animals.
