This Week in Focus- B vitamins and your health

[book]

For our second week focusing on a nutrient or nutrient family, I am starting off a discussion of the B vitamins. I will start with a simple breakdown of these important nutrients. Please view this as a springboard for discussion, and feel free to add what you have learned or read about these. If you have been greatly benefited by adding these to your diet, as I have, please share that as well.

We would also like to invite you to share in opening our discussions. If you would like to do the research and present another vita-nutrient, please pm Skank or myself with your choice, and we will fit you in!

Dr. Atkins was so much more than a "diet doctor." The subject of vita-nutrients was vitally important to him, and should be to us as well.


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[book]

Imagine how good it might be if you could have a insulating layer surrounding the nerve tissues of your body, keeping them intact and functioning properly. Imagine how well this could help you avoid that "frazzled nerve" feeling we can get when under stress. The good news is, you do have this special layer, it is called a "myelin sheath." The bad news is, without enough B vitamins in your diet, this sheath is not going to be as healthy as it could be, and your moods and abililty to withstand stress will be compromised.

Maintaining the integrity of this "nerve sheath" is just one of the many benefits the vitamins of the "B" family can bring to your body. This week our focus will be on the B vitamins and their role in our health, as well as our weight loss.

The B Vitamin Family



The B-complex vitamins are actually a group of eight vitamins, which include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid (B9), cyanocobalamin (B12), pantothenic acid and biotin. These vitamins are essential for:


The breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose (this provides energy for the body)
The breakdown of fats and proteins (which aids the normal functioning of the nervous system)
Muscle tone in the stomach and intestinal tract
Skin
Hair
Eyes
Mouth
Liver


The B vitamin thiamine is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates into the simple sugar glucose. Thiamine is also important for the proper functioning of the nervous system. It plays an important role in the movement of "messages" along the cells of the nervous system.

Riboflavin is important in the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and, like thiamine, it acts as a coenzyme in the process. It is also significant in the maintenance of the skin and mucous membranes, the cornea of the eye and for nerve sheaths.

Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid and nicotinamide, is needed for the metabolism of food, the maintenance of healthy skin, nerves and the gastrointestinal tract.

Pyridoxine, also known as pyridoxal phosphate and pyridoxamine, is needed (like some of the other B vitamins) for the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Vitamin B12 is necessary for processing carbohydrates, proteins and fats and to help make all of the blood cells in our bodies. Vitamin B12 is also required for maintenance of our nerve sheaths. Vitamin B12 is the treatment for pernicious anemia, which is not uncommon.

Folic acid, also known as folacin and pteroylglutamic acid, is one of the B-complex vitamins that interacts with vitamin B12 for the synthesis of DNA, which is important for all cells in the body.

Pantothenic acid is used in the breakdown of carbohydrates, lipids and some amino acids.

Biotin deficiency may be found in individuals who eat large quantities of egg whites. These contain the substance avidin, which "ties up" the body's biotin. Biotin plays a role in skin and hair, and deficiency can result in scaly dermatitis. Dr. Atkins mentions biotin as playing a role in regulating blood sugar and insulin, as well as burning fat.

The B vitamins work best "in concert", taken as a group. This is very easy to do, as formulations called "Super B complex" or the like are commonly found on store shelves. B vitamins are water soluble, so you will excrete the excess. Unless you take very large amounts, you are unlikely to get too much.


Who especially needs these? Women taking birth control, for one. Depression is not uncommon as a side effect of taking oral birth control pills, and is often easily reversed by adding B vitamins to the diet. Anyone regularly using alcohol will also benefit. If you are considering getting pregnant, supplementation is recommended, both for you, and because the Folic acid has been shown to reduce neural tube defects in the baby. If you smoke, you need extra B vitamins, and you also do if your diet is high in sugar. B vitamins have been shown to reduce symptoms of menopause as well.

My own experience did come from an evident deficiency caused by birth control pills years ago. I became very tired, edgy and found myself feeling angry for no apparent reason. When I began dreaming of hurting people, I was sure something was seriously wrong with me, and started to do my research. This led to the information that birth control pills could deplete the B vitamins, which my doctor confirmed when I called her. Within two weeks of supplementation, I felt normal again.

B vitamin supplements are not expensive. If you find yourself without the energy you would like, or having more extreme moods than is comfortable, it is worth trying them out to see if they aren't a good, simple solution. The diet of humankind was rich in these nutrients when our grains were whole, and our soil was not depleted. As flour became more and more processed, "stripped of its goodness," and the soil in which we grow our grains and vegetables has been degraded, the daily intake of these nutrients from food alone became almost impossible.

[Happyme]

I started taking a B complex about a week ago. I take this in addition to the multi and other supplements that I take. I started taking B Complex to help with mood. Some days I can be moody sad and blue :sadblinky I have not seen a change as of yet but it has only been a week. I take a 150 B complex. I thought spring time would help me with the mood thing but it really has not. I am also trying different things for energy as I am feeling really sluggish. Once I find a supplement to help with that I thing it will work hand in hand with the B's and I will be feeling better.

Happyme

[AJ2004]

Yeast and Liver Base

My B Complex says that it is in a base of Yeast and Liver. I have not lost any weight since I started all my suppliments. Could the yeast be doing this. It says it I Brewers Yeast 100 mg and Liver Powder 100 mg.

[toymom74]

Nutritional yeast--brewer's yeast --does not cause or aggravate candida albicans yeast overgrowth. Had to find that out for my son, as I wanted to supplement him with brewers yeast--one of the best sources of selenium and GTF chromium--and he does have problems with yeast overgrowth. BY is also an excellent source of B vitamins, amino acids, amd minerals.

Belinda

[parisgirl_811]

I had severe mood problems on BC pills too. It was horrible. I had terrible moods and unexp. anger too. I also had a bout w/ depression about 5 years ago when i started them...i quit them the beg. of this year b/c i couldnt deal w/ the mood factor and neither could my b/friend. No more of that...also on great vitamins (including all my b's too) and feel great, not to mention no more bouts w/ depression.

[cranberry]

I've read Dr. Atkins' Vita-Nutrients book, from what I understand, B complex vitamins should be balanced with one another. I would really like to start taking these, but I am confused.

If balance is a must, then wouldn't it be a bad idea to choose one vitamin from the B family to supplement?

Or do the makers of vitamins include other B vitamins to balance your choice.

Any help is greatly appreciated

[book]

I have read it both ways. In my old "Adele Davis" days, I would have preached to you that the B's have to be "in balance." She believed that taking too much of any one could make you deficient in others.

I have also read theories debunking this thinking. Since you will excrete the excess when you "go," it is hard to get an excessive amount of any one. Your body sort of seeks its own balance. But as far as taking them, I agree with Dr. Atkins that you need a balanced formula, so that you are getting some of all of them.

This is why a complex is your best choice, imo. Any labeled Super B complex or something similar should cover you. You can only benefit from these nutrients, there really is not downside, plus most stores carry them very reasonably, they are pretty easy on the pocketbook.

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[book]

No that should be perfect. They call them stress formula because that is what they are so good for! A stress formula is a good complex.

Did you notice improvement?

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[cranberry]

Thanks for your help, Book

[parisgirl_811]

Yep...I picked up that Oil of Oilay b stress d-fense one you always mention book. I added that to my supps a few weeks ago!

[MotherOfGizmo]

No that should be perfect. They call them stress formula because that is what they are so good for! A stress formula is a good complex.

Did you notice improvement?

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Sorry I forgot to check back for your answer until today. I haven't really noticed any specific differences but I continue taking them everyday. I had also heard that taking B vitamins before bedtime could interfer with sleep paterns. I wonder if this is true, I have had real problems with sleeping for so long now I don't remember if they started before or after I started taking the B supplements. Any ideas on this Book? I fall asleep really quickly but wake up several times every nite! It is very annoying and I wonder if I am getting a good nites rest at all with it being interrupted constantly. We are taking melatonin supplements now and I tell you, they really give you funky dreams! but I still wake up constantly! :sadblinky

[theislandgirl]

No that should be perfect. They call them stress formula because that is what they are so good for! A stress formula is a good complex.

Did you notice improvement?

book

Sorry I forgot to check back for your answer until today. I haven't really noticed any specific differences but I continue taking them everyday. I had also heard that taking B vitamins before bedtime could interfer with sleep paterns. I wonder if this is true, I have had real problems with sleeping for so long now I don't remember if they started before or after I started taking the B supplements. Any ideas on this Book? I fall asleep really quickly but wake up several times every nite! It is very annoying and I wonder if I am getting a good nites rest at all with it being interrupted constantly. We are taking melatonin supplements now and I tell you, they really give you funky dreams! but I still wake up constantly! :sadblinky

If I take my B complex at night, I'm too energized to sleep well. I now take the B Stress complex in the morning with breakfast, and take a Calcium:Magnesium 1:1 and my Melatonin at night; sleep MUCH better (and stay there mostly).

[ronitgla]

sorry for the silly question ... can brewers' yeast stop weight loss? i've heard that because is a rich source of chromium it helps brake the carbs... i've been 1.5 month on OWL and cant loose even 10 grams... i am stuck in 70 kilos... is this considered a plateau? i just want to loose 2-3 kilos more... i dont notice any difference in the clothes either so i am also not loosing inches.... i read somewhere about that and just want to ask your opinion before i try them. or shall i do induction again? i dont know.
by the way, this is the third time i do atkins... maybe my body does not want to loose more weight? i am 1.72 m and weight 70... when i first did atkins i weighted 95 and then the other 2 times i had to loose the 'winter kilos' 6 each year...

thanks all for your help !