Fwd: The B-Vitamins ; Dr. Ray Sahelian M.D.

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Benefits of B Vitamins

Since B vitamins and their coenzymes play important metabolic roles in numerous

biochemical reactions throughout the body, they can influence just about every

aspect of brain and physical health. As a rule, individuals who take B vitamins

notice improvements in:

Mood and energy

Alertness

Learning and memory

Speed of thinking

Verbal fluency

Concentration and focus

Visual clarity

Which Clinical Conditions are B vitamins involved in?

Because of their wide range of effects, B vitamins and their coenzymes can

potentially play a role in:

Depression

Age related cognitive decline

Anxiety disorders

Addiction disorders

Chronic fatigue

Alzheimer’s disease

Parkinson’s disease

The Bs in the Brain Get an A

B vitamins help in energy production and deficiencies lead to fatigue and poor

mental functioning. The increased consumption of refined foods has decreased the

amounts of B vitamins present in our diet. However, on the positive note, small

amounts of B vitamins are regularly added to some food products, such as

cereals. The question of whether B vitamin supplementation is necessary in

healthy individuals who have a normal diet has been debated ever since vitamins

were discovered. The results of several studies over the past few years have

influenced my decision in favor of low dose supplementation. There can be

cognitive improvements from taking B vitamins. Back in 1995, Dr. D. Benton and

colleagues, from the University College Swansea, in Great Britain, gave ten

times the recommended daily allowance of nine vitamins (mostly the B vitamins)

to healthy college students (Benton 1995). The study lasted for one year. The

students reported improvement in mood and feeling more

agreeable. There was also an improvement in cognitive functioning, especially

in regards to concentration. Many of my patients consistently report that B

vitamin supplementation improves their energy, concentration and mood while

helping them handle everyday stress better.

For otherwise healthy individuals, supplementation with one to three times the

recommended daily allowance of the B vitamins is suggested. Higher dosages may

be required for individuals with medical, psychiatric, or neurological

disorders.

Understanding Coenzymes

In the past few years, many of the B vitamins have become available in their

more activated forms known as coenzymes. For instance, the B vitamin niacin is

now available in a coenzyme form known as NADH. An enzyme is basically a protein

that promotes chemical changes in other substances, itself remaining unchanged

in the process. A coenzyme is a substance that facilitates or is necessary for

the action of an enzyme.

The brain, just like a car, needs fuel. Our primary source of fuel is through

fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in the diet. After digestion in the stomach,

foodstuffs are absorbed into the bloodstream and circulate to various tissues

and cells where they are broken down into even smaller particles. One of these

particles is a two-carbon molecule known as acetyl. Enzymes help break down

these fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into acetyl and they then help extract

the final energy from acetyl through a process called the Krebs cycle, named

after the German biochemist who defined it. This energy is in the form of ATP

(adenosine triphosphate). Enzymes also need helpers, and these helpers are

called coenzymes. Most of the coenzymes in the body are partly made from

vitamins, such as vitamins E, C, lipoic acid, and riboflavin (vitamin B2).

The coenzyme form of a B vitamin often has a significantly more powerful

effect than a regular B vitamin. The coenzyme forms of the B vitamins are an

exiting addition to the field of nutrition. It is quite possible that the

elderly or certain individuals with a particular biochemical deficiency may not

be able to make adequate amounts of the coenzyme forms of the B vitamins despite

adequate intakes of the individual B vitamins. Hence, the coenzyme forms should

be seriously considered in those who do not respond to the regular B vitamins.

Some companies include most of the Bs in their coenzyme form together in one

pill. I think these products deserve serious consideration, especially for their

use in the middle aged and the elderly.

The Individual B Vitamins and Their Coenzymes:

Thiamin (B1) is necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids

to adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary source of energy in the human body.

Thiamin is found in good amounts in milk, lean pork, legumes, rice bran, and the

germ of cereal grains, but is lost during food processing and cooking. The

current recommended daily allowance (RDA) by government advisory panels is about

1.5 mg.

Studies indicate that supplementation with thiamin provides cognitive

benefits. Dr. Benton and colleagues gave 50 mg of thiamin daily to young adult

females for a period of two months (Benton 1997). The women reported being more

clearheaded, composed, and energetic. The taking of thiamin had no influence on

memory but reaction times were faster following supplementation. Prior to taking

the thiamin, the women had normal blood levels of this vitamin.

Researchers at Princess Margaret Hospital in Christchurch, New Zealand,

measured thiamin levels in elderly individuals before giving them 10 mg of the

vitamin a day (Wilkinson 1997). Only the subjects with low thiamin

concentrations showed benefits. They had an improvement in quality of life with

more energy and deeper sleep, along with decreased blood pressure and weight.

Thiamin is now sold in its coenzyme form called cocarboxylase or thiamin

pyrophosphate (TPP). Human studies giving TPP to evaluate cognitive functioning

have not yet been published. See also Benfotiamine.

Food sources for thiamne B vitamin % of daily need

Thiamin (vitamin B1)

Pork, lean, broiled (3 oz.) 73%

Beef liver, braised (3 oz.) 18%

Enriched corn tortilla (1) 18%

Enriched rice, cooked (1/2 cup) 18%

Whole-grain bread (1 slice) 9%