Vitamin B is actually a complex of eight different vitamins. All are involved in helping the body break down food to make energy, but various B vitamins also help to ward off headaches, to support the immune system, and to ensure healthy pregnancies, amongst other things. A balanced diet will typically provide you with your daily allowance of each kind of Vitamin B, but there may be health benefits from consuming additional B vitamins.
EditSteps
EditGetting to Know the B Vitamins
- Know that there are 8 vitamins in the B group. Each vitamin plays a slightly different role in promoting good health. Depending on your circumstances, you may need to take more of a certain type of B vitamin. For instance, pregnant women will need to increase their intake of B9 (folic acid), while vegans will need to find a supplement for B12, which only comes from meat products.[1] Also, patients who have undergone gastric bypass or similar surgeries tend to experience vitamin B12 deficiency related to malabsorption.
- Get more B1 (thiamine) to support a healthy immune system. Thiamine also plays a prominent role in breaking down carbohydrates to release energy.[2] If you are endurance training, consuming more B1 can help to reduce fatigue.[3] Also, you may consider taking supplemental thiamine if carbo-loading, as increased carbohydrate uptake may require more thiamine for processing.[4]
- Eat foods rich in B2 (riboflavin) for healthy skin and to avoid headaches. Riboflavin is an antioxidant – a substance that helps to prevent cell damage, particularly in the skin.[7] It also supports blood production, the immune system, and the breakdown of food for energy. Consuming 400mg of riboflavin daily has been shown to reduce the frequency of migraines.[8]
- Take B3 (niacin) to boost your levels of HDL (good cholesterol), particularly if you drink regularly.[11] Niacin also supports the immune system and the breakdown of food for energy. Deficiency, which can cause skin problems, fatigue, depression, and indigestion, is rare. It most frequently occurs among those who drink frequently, as alcohol interferes with the absorption of niacin.[12]
- Recommended daily amount: 14mg/day (females); 16mg/day (males).[13]
- Foods richest in B3: Tuna, mackerel, salmon, swordfish, halibut; chicken and turkey; pork, red meat, or liver; mushrooms; peanuts; sunflower seeds.[14]
- WARNING: Taking high doses of nicotinic acid supplements (a source of niacin) can cause skin flushes in the short term, and liver damage in the long term.[15]
- Use B5 (pantothenic acid) to promote healthy skin. Taking daily B5 supplements has been shown to reduce acne,[16] and may also help reduce thinning and graying of hair. It is easy to get enough pantothenic acid, as it is found in nearly all meat and vegetables.[17]
- Consume B6 (pyridoxine) to help you sleep and avoid depression. B6 is involved in the production of neurotransmitters that regulate sleep and mood, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine and melatonin.[20] In addition, pyridoxine is vital in the production of red blood cells, meaning that a shortage can cause anemia.[21] People who are at risk of not getting enough B6 include those with kidney or autoimmune disorders, and people who drink alcohol frequently.[22]
- Recommended daily amount: 1.6mg/day (females and males).[23]
- Foods richest in B6: Sunflower seeds; pistachios; tuna, salmon, halibut, swordfish; turkey and chicken; pork and red meat; dried fruit; bananas; avocados; spinach.[24]
- WARNING: Consuming over 200mg per day of vitamin B6 can lead to sometimes irreversible numbness in your arms and legs.[25]
- Eat foods with high B7 (biotin) content for healthier skin and less brittle hair and nails.[26] Intestinal bacteria produce an adequate amount of biotin for most people.[27] However, those on low carbohydrate diets should consider increasing their biotin consumption, as these diets require more biotin to process fat and protein, and thus may result in biotin deficiencies.[28]
- Add extra B9 (folic acid) to your diet to prevent anemia and slow memory loss,[31] or if you are pregnant. The recommended daily intake of folic acid is 400 micrograms, but pregnant women should consume an extra 200 micrograms daily to prevent birth defects.[32]
- Consume B12 (cobalamin) to ensure a healthy nervous system. B12 keeps nerve and blood cells healthy and is involved in the creation of DNA.[35] A lack of it can cause anemia and eventually nerve damage.[36] Most people will get plenty of B12 from their diet, but a small percentage of the population has a hard time absorbing it, leading to deficiencies that result in anemia.[37] In addition, vegans should be aware that B12 comes only from meat products, so they will need to take a supplement or eat foods fortified with B12.
- Vitamin B-2 can also relieve symptoms of caffeine withdrawal in people who are eliminating caffeine from their diet.
- Recommended daily amount: 2.4mcg/day (females and males.[38]
- Foods richest in B12: Clams, oysters and mussels; liver, foie gras and paté; mackerel, salmon, tuna, herring, and trout; crab; red meat; milk; swiss cheese; eggs.[39]
- Foods with B12 that vegans can eat: fortified silken tofu; fortified soy milk; fortified cereals.
EditEating a Diet Rich in B Vitamins
- Pick the right foods to maximize your B vitamins. If you want to focus on one vitamin, you can eat more of the foods listed above. Or, you can create a diet rich in all the B vitamins by eating a few foods that contain multiple B vitamins. A spinach salad that included hard-boiled eggs and sunflower seeds, for instance, would provide a high amount of every single B vitamin.
- Eat more salmon and trout. These fish are a great low-fat source of protein, and they contain loads of B vitamins. A meal featuring salmon, in particular, provides high levels of 6 of the 8 B vitamins: B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, and B12. Trout has more B1, B2, B5, and B12 than almost any other food. Mackerel (B2, B3, and B12) and tuna (B3, B6, B12) are two more fish you can rotate into your diet.[40]
- Snack on sunflower seeds or add them to your salads. A quarter cup of sunflower seeds will give you 43% of your daily B1, 28% of your B6, 24% of your B5, 20% of your B9, 18% of your B3, and sunflower seeds are a good source of B7.[41]
- Add more meat to your diet. Lean cuts of beef, pork, and lamb are very good sources of B vitamins. Red meat provides high levels of B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, and B12, while pork is rich in B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6. Chicken and turkey are less potent, but do contain large amounts of B3, B5, and B6.[42]
- Add spinach to your salads, omelets, or other dishes. Spinach is rich in B2, B6, B7, and B9. Other leafy greens have smaller, but still significant amounts of B vitamins.[43]
- Try to eat more hard-boiled eggs. Hard-boiled eggs are a great, portable snack, as well as a delicious salad topping. Try boiling several in advance and keeping them in the refrigerator for when you need them. They are rich in B2, B5, B7, and B12.[44]
- Make sure your bread is whole wheat. Whole wheat bread is a great way to get more B1, B7, and B9. White breads tend to have very little B vitamins, though French bread is very rich in B9.[45]
- Drink alcohol in moderation. It’s not just what you eat that determines your vitamin B levels. What you don’t consume matters, too. Drinking too much alcohol will interfere with your ability to absorb B3[46] and B6.[47]
- Go easy on the coffee, tea and soda. Caffeine interferes with the absorption of B1. In addition, it is a diuretic (it makes you pee more), which can lead to low levels of B vitamins because they are all water soluble.[48]
EditUsing B Vitamin Supplements
- Buy supplements to increase your daily B vitamin intake. You can buy a B-complex supplement that will provide the daily allowance or more of all the B vitamins, or supplements of particular vitamins, like folic acid (B9). In addition, multivitamins usually contain most or all of the B vitamins.
- Remember that it is always better to get your nutrition from food. In some cases, like pregnant women taking folic acid, a supplement is an easy and effective way to ensure adequate consumption of a particular vitamin. But supplements should be just that: supplements. Whole foods are superior in three ways:[49]
- Foods contain a complex mix of nutrients, which often work together to provide benefits that exceed those of supplements.
- Foods like vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes contain fiber, which is important in preventing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, amongst other problems.
- Food contains other helpful substances, like antioxidant and phytochemicals, which fight cell damage and protect against cancer and heart disease.
- Check with your doctor before taking any supplements. Supplements can have side effects, or interact with other medications. You should be particularly cautious if you are pregnant, have a health condition, or are providing supplements to children.[50]
- Make sure you are getting good vitamins. Lab analysis has shown that some supplements contain more or less of the vitamin than listed on the label, or contain other unlisted ingredients. To be sure you are getting what the label says, purchase vitamins with a seal of approval from U.S. Pharmacopeia, ConsumerLab or NSF International, three organizations that test vitamins.[51]
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