Download B Vitamins ARE NOT Created Equal

B Vitamins ARE NOT Created Equal
01/28/2005
Over the last several months, I've heard from many of you asking why our Nutraceutical
Sciences Institute (NSI) Vitamin-B Complex had varying amounts of the B vitamins. The
simple answer is, despite their common designation, the B vitamins are all very different.
Your benefits from these critically important vitamins drastically improve when you take
them in the proper quantities and optimal forms. Conversely, some of them can actually do
you harm when you take too much.
Now I know that many of you are aware of the so-called B-50 or B-100 complex
formulations. These formulas for the B vitamins use the same 50 mg or 100 mg dosage for
each major B vitamin. I assure you that this is just a marketing scheme used by most
vitamin companies over the last several decades to help sell their products. It has
absolutely no scientific basis, and could actually cause some of you harm. By the end of this
newsletter, I hope that you will understand the reasons why.
The subject matter regarding the B vitamins is enormous. I could literally write a 1,000page book for you on the benefits. For the purposes of this newsletter, I'll keep the
discussion tightly focused on some important information you need to know.
Although many people think of the so-called "B vitamins" as one large group of vitamins, in
point of fact, it is comprised of multiple individual and unique vitamins, each with amazing
benefits and various recommended dosing amounts. The B vitamins include B1 (thiamine),
B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin or niacinamide), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), biotin,
B12 (methylcobalamin is the far more potent active form), and folic acid.
B1, otherwise known as thiamine, was actually the first B vitamin discovered and that is
why it is called B1. It is found primarily in soybeans, brown rice and certain nuts. Thiamine
is critically important for your energy production and proper nerve function. Severe
thiamine deficiency is known as beriberi. This condition, which is rarely seen today, can lead
to the loss of muscle mass and heart failure. Although beriberi is considered rare nowadays,
thiamine deficiency is actually more common than most physicians realize. A study
published several years ago in the prestigious American Journal of Medicine studied patients
with congestive heart failure who were receiving long-term therapy with a diuretic called
furosemide. It was found in those patients on long-term furosemide therapy that thiamine
levels were depleted. A subsequent double-blinded study that treated these heart failure
patients with 200 mg of thiamine daily actually improved cardiac output by 22% in only a
few weeks time. Other studies have shown the benefit of thiamine for cognitive functioning,
as well. This is especially important for a condition known as Wernicke Korsakoff Syndrome,
which is seen primarily in alcoholics and patients with chronic renal failure.
Although the RDA for thiamine is only 1.5 mg, I recommend a dose of at least 50 to 100 mg
daily. In certain individuals, such as alcoholics, thousands of milligrams of thiamine should
be given daily. There is no known toxicity for this nutrient.
Vitamin B2, otherwise known as riboflavin, is found primarily in yeast and the organs of
animals, including the liver, kidney and heart. It is also found in mushrooms, whole grains,
and green vegetables. A deficiency of riboflavin can cause cracking along the sides of your
lip, an inflamed tongue, and impairment of vision, along with some other nasty symptoms.
Although riboflavin is important, it actually only has a few clinical benefits. There have been
some studies showing that riboflavin in doses up to 400 mg daily can help with migraine
headaches. It has also shown some benefit in patients with sickle cell disease.
Unfortunately, taking high doses of riboflavin long-term can cause photosensitivity in the
eyes and lead to an increased incidence of cataracts. It is therefore my recommendation
that you take no more than approximately 10 mg - 20 mg of riboflavin daily.
Vitamin B3, otherwise known as niacin, is generally found in organ meats, eggs and
peanuts. It is critical for your production of energy and for regulating your blood sugar.
Vitamin B3 deficiency is known as pellagra. The symptoms of pellagra are primarily skin
rash, confusion, and diarrhea. Vitamin B3 is available as either niacin or niacinamide.
Unfortunately, the niacin form of B3 can cause your skin to become flush when taken in
doses of more than 50 mg to 75 mg. It is, therefore, generally recommended that the
niacinamide form of vitamin B3 be taken.
Niacinamide has been shown experimentally to prevent the development of diabetes in
animals. There have been numerous studies in the medical literature indicating the benefit
of niacinamide for diabetes mellitus or high blood sugar. There have also been studies
showing that niacinamide has benefit as an anti-inflammatory for conditions such as
rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. B3 has also proven its benefits for lowering
cholesterol and triglycerides (lipids), although these benefits are typically seen in only the
niacin form. I generally do not recommend taking high doses of niacin in the time-released
form, since it can lead to an increased risk of liver damage. The safest form of niacin to take
for the lowering of cholesterol is inositol hexanicotinate, also called no flush niacin.
However, you need to take large quantities -- in the 1,500 mg range -- in order to see
beneficial effects for lipid lowering. The RDA for niacin is typically 15 mg to 20 mg a day,
although the recommended dose for niacinamide for general health purposes is 100 mg to
200 mg a day. As noted above, if you are taking B3 as a lipid-lowering agent, you need
much larger doses, and it should be in the inositol hexanicotinate form. Even though this
nutrient is considered safe in high doses, liver function tests should be performed under the
supervision and guidance of your doctor.
Vitamin B5, otherwise known as pantothenic acid, plays an important role in your energy
production and the manufacturing of certain hormones. I recently wrote a newsletter on a
form of pantothenic acid called pantethine that provides cholesterol-lowering benefits, and I
refer you to that newsletter for more information. Although the RDA for pantothenic acid is
only about 5 mg a day, it can safely be taken in up to thousands of milligrams daily.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is an extremely important B vitamin for you. It is a co-factor in
many enzymatic reactions in the body, and is involved with the formation of chemical
transmitters in your nervous system, red blood cells, and other important proteins. It is also
critically involved in maintaining optimal immune function and hormonal balance. Vitamin
B6 is found primarily in whole grains, soybeans, nuts and yeast. Deficiencies of vitamin B6
can lead to depression, anemia, impaired nerve function, skin rash, and even convulsions,
especially in children.
Of all the B vitamins, I would say that B6 is clearly one of the top two or three most
important nutrients for you to take in adequate doses. It has a multitude of clinical benefits,
and is successfully used in patients with asthma, heart disease, peripheral nerve disease,
depression, pre-menstrual syndrome, and other conditions. I routinely recommend vitamin
B6, along with other nutrients, to patients who come into the office with peripheral nerve
entrapment, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, or other problems with the nervous system. It
is also critically involved in homocysteine reduction.
As I have discussed many times in the past, homocysteine, which is an amino acid produced
in the body, has been shown to have toxic effects for not only the cardiovascular system,
but also as a potential toxin to the brain, which leads to confusion and dementia. Vitamin B6
taken along with vitamin B12 and folic acid has been shown in multiple clinical studies to
lower this dangerous amino acid.
In a recent study out of England, several patients were given either B vitamins (including 50
mg of B6) or a placebo immediately following a stroke. Within the two-week study period, it
was found that those individuals in the treatment group had a statistically relevant lowering
of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. I have
discussed CRP in a prior newsletter. The authors of this study concluded that
supplementation with B vitamins immediately following a stroke may have both antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory effects in stroke patients, independent of a homocysteine-lowering
effect.
Although B6, along with the other B vitamins, is considered water-soluble and theoretically
non-toxic, in point of fact, it does have potential toxicity when taken in excess of more than
300 or 400 mg on a chronic basis. It is certainly safe to take 150 to 200 mg of B6 daily.
Although the RDA for B6 is only approximately 2 mg a day, I recommend 50 - 100 mg daily.
For reasons that I am not certain, biotin, which is also a B vitamin, was never designated
with a number. Biotin deficiency can lead to skin rash, seborrhea (an increased discharge of
sebum), and other conditions, along with potential hair loss. I see biotin as being used
primarily to help with maintaining healthy hair and strong nails. It appears to have benefits
for seborrheic dermatitis and diabetes mellitus, as well. The RDA for biotin is 300 mcg, but
there is no known toxicity at even much higher levels. I recommend anywhere from 500
mcg - 5 mg a day (1/2 mg to 5 mg).
The last two, but not least, B vitamins are B12 and folic acid. I have sung the praises of
these two nutrients in many newsletters in the past. They are both miracle nutrients. Aside
from reducing your risk of certain cancers, they appear to have benefits for cardiovascular
disease, depression, and congenital birth defects, and provide a host of other miraculous
benefits.
Recent studies have even shown that folic acid can effect a modest lowering in blood
pressure. As noted above, B6, B12 and folic acid are critical elements necessary in the
lowering of homocysteine. I recommend a dose for folic acid that is at least 800 mcg daily,
although this nutrient can be taken safely up to 5 milligrams a day with adequate B12
intake.
When taking folic acid, it is critically important for you to take adequate doses of B12, as
well. I recommend at least 500 mcg per day. The best and most active form, B12, is what is
known as methylcobalamin. Almost all vitamins sold on the market these days utilize the
extremely inexpensive and ineffective form of B12 known as cyanocobalamin.
Methylcobalamin is a much more beneficial form, which can help with cognitive functioning,
immunity, the nervous system, stroke, heart disease, and a host of other benefits.
Another myth I would like to correct is that of the incorrect marketing schemes utilized by
many vitamin companies, which claim that you must take B12 in its sublingual form; this is
a total lie. In fact, B12 in the methylcobalamin form, with a higher dosage range and in a
capsule form (which I recommend), actually achieves blood levels similar to B12 injections.
I recommend that you use dosages of methylcobalamin in the 500 mcg to 5 mg a day range
in a capsule for general health, and 2 - 5 mg per day if you have specific health concerns,
as discussed above. Capsules are superior to rock hard tables, as they provide greater and
quicker absorption.
Having gone through this short dissertation on B vitamins, I believe you now understand the
reason why the concept of a B-50 or B-100 complex makes no scientific sense. It may even
cause harm to your vision. To include 50 or 100 mg/mcg amounts of all the B vitamins is
scientifically illogical and does not provide optimal benefits and safety. In fact, 50 - 100 mg
or more of vitamin B2 with long-term daily dosing may actually be dangerous.
Although larger doses of thiamine (B1) should be utilized, only small amounts of riboflavin
(B2) should be taken on a daily basis. The Vitamin-B Complex from Nutraceutical Sciences
Institute (NSI) is formulated by a team of medical doctors on the NSI Scientific Advisory
Board that includes myself. The Board understands the function of each of the individual B
nutrients, and their specific roles and optimal doses. It is for that reason that our NSI B
complex product contains varying amounts of these B vitamins in their correct forms and
dosages, and is based on thousands of published scientific studies. Although we put in 250
mg of thiamine, we utilize only 10 mg of riboflavin. Likewise, the folic acid and B12 levels
are considerably higher and in better forms than you would see in your typical B complex,
mass-marketed vitamin product. The really amazing part is that we offer this superior
product for less than 9 cents per day!
We utilize the same scientific thought process in our entire Synergy multi-vitamin line of
nutraceuticals, varying the dose of B vitamins correctly as the medical literature would
dictate. To review all of your NSI Synergy multi-vitamin product choices, click here.
As usual, it is my hope that these newsletters make you a more informed and
knowledgeable vitamin consumer. Please feel free to forward these newsletters to your
family and friends; you may save a life.