Sorry (again) for the late post... I meant to post this on Monday, and then on Tuesday, and then on Wednesday, and somehow it's Friday now and I don't know how that happened... So rather than a recipe, I have my Vitamin B post, and since it's my birthday tomorrow, I should probably promise a good recipe, because I'd definitely like one! I just can't promise when it'll come... I'll let you know, though!
This is post one to pay attention to! B vitamins are pretty important, and there’s
a lot going on in this category too.
Vitamin B is a complex – as you may have heard of vitamin B1, B6, or
B12. Each one plays a different, yet
very important, role in the body, but mostly in the mind! Moods, memory, anxiety or depression, energy
levels, PMS, even migraines are all affected by how much vitamin B you’re
getting. Along with the mind, B vitamins
are also good for DNA repair, making serotonin and other neurotransmitters, and
helping the body convert fats and sugars into energy.
Vitamin B is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning excess is
easily eliminated through urine (and you’ll know it too – excess B2 will turn
it bright yellow!).
Here are the different B vitamins broken down (this’ll help
you to recognize them when you’re reading labels too – you are reading labels,
right??).
B1: Thiamine (great to help your digestive system process a
high-carb diet, and excess is secreted through not only urine but also through
the skin, supposedly making it a natural mosquito repellant! Worth a shot this summer, right?)
B2: Riboflavin (this helps with migraines)
B3: Niacinamide or Niacin (this is the one that boosts
energy and is also essential for DNA repair)
B5: Pantothenic acid (helps with wound healing and can
reduce cholesterol levels)
B6: Pyridoxine (this can help relieve PMS, and also helps
produce serotonin)
B9: Folic Acid (helps reduce the risks of heart disease,
stroke, and birth defects, and also helps prevent colon cancer)
B12: Cyanocobalamin (can improve memory and lift mental fog
– this is VERY important for vegetarians and vegans to make sure they’re
getting enough of, as this vitamin only comes from animal sources)
Also in the B family are:
·
Biotin (good for your hair and nails and in high
doses it can improve blood-sugar control)
·
Choline (good for brain and memory function, but
is mostly found in eggs and fatty meats which our lovely USDA has gotten a lot
of people to avoid, causing quite a bit of deficiencies, more on that Friday…)
·
Inositol (good for depression and anxiety)
As for dosages, as I said before these are water-soluble, so
you’re usually pretty safe with the amount you consume. Just be careful with taking too much B3,
which can affect the liver, and B6, which can hurt the nerves – 200 mg is the
highest recommended amount. B vitamins
are found in animal proteins and also in dark green leafy vegetables and
legumes. Taking a B complex as a
supplement is definitely a good idea though, just to ensure you’re getting
enough. B complexes can range from low
doses (around 1.5 mg of B1 and B2, and usually the rest of the B’s follow suit
from there) to moderate doses (10-25 mg of B1 and B2), to high doses (B-50,
meaning 40-50 mg of B1 and B2), to very high doses (B-100 – 100mg of B1 and
B2). Low potencies are good for
generally healthy lifestyles and people under 30. Stressful lifestyles could benefit from a
moderate potency, and those dealing with anxiety or depression could benefit
from high doses.
Hope that helps your understanding of the many benefits of
B! Oh, and maybe take it earlier in the
day, as it stimulates neurotransmitter production and could disrupt sleep –
it’s been shown to increase dreaming though, so maybe you want to experiment
with that? I’ll admit I kinda get a kick
out of it…
“C” you next week! ;-)
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