The natural health researchers at Institute for Vibrant Living (IVL) have investigated the natural forms of B vitamins and their uses. Here is their report:
B Vitamins and Brain Health
Considering the importance of keeping one's brain in peak condition, it is vitally important that one receives enough B vitamin on a daily basis.
Other supplements and food sources, such as the spice turmeric and the supplement CoQ-10, are also believed to improve brain health and function as we age.
For this important reason, any steps that you can take towards keeping your brain healthy and robust are steps you should integrate into your lifestyle.
B Vitamins, in particular, have been shown to be very helpful in keeping the brain from degenerating and developing problems such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
What exactly are the B vitamins?
The major B vitamins are:
Thiamine (B1)
Requirements increase with diets high in carbs and sugars
10-100 mg (common dose, consult with your health provider)
Riboflavin (B2)
Higher doses shown to reduce migraine headaches
10-400 mg (common dose, consult with your health provider)
Niacinamide (B3)
Helps increase energy; needed for DNA repair; niacin form can cause flushing
50-100 mg (common dose, consult with your health provider)
Pyridoxine (B6)
Needed for neurotransmitters, such as serotonin; may relieve PMS
10-50 mg (common dose, consult with your health provider)
Folic acid (B9)
Lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, and birth defects; colon-cancer prevention
400-800 mcg (common dose, consult with your health provider)
Cyanocobalamin (B12)
May improve memory and reverse mental fogginess
20-1,000 mcg (common dose, consult with your health provider)
Vitamin B Food Sources
You can find B vitamins, ranging from folic acid to the all-important vitamin B12, in a wide range of foods.
Some excellent food sources of B vitamins include:
Red meat, and liver in particular.
Nutritional yeast
Beans
Lentils
Molasses
B vitamins are also widely available in fortified cereals and whole grain breads, as well as numerous other foods.
Check the labels.
Other food sources, such as the spice turmeric are also believed to improve brain health and function as we age.
To Supplement or Not to Supplement?
Between smart nutrition choices and supplementation, it is possible to get the B vitamins you need into your daily diet.
Many people find that supplementation is necessary, as it may be difficult to many busy consumers to receive the necessary spread of B vitamins from food sources alone.
A nutritionist should be able to point you in the necessary direction, both in terms of supplements and food, although this article has valuable information as well.
An overall benefit you can expect B vitamins to provide is that they may increase the health of your immune system and may even help reduce the risk of some forms of cancer.
Note - A great way to get your B vitamins as well as the other "alphabet vitamins" (A,C,D,E, etc.) is to take a quality liquid vitamin supplement like Liquid Vitamin 528 from the Institute for Vibrant Living.
This unique liquid formula also supplies the trace minerals and precious metals your body needs for optimum health in a monatomic form (so molecularly small they go right into your cells). To learn more, visit IVLProducts.com and use search term: Liquid Vitamin528.
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