B Vitamins

Mighty Minerals, Vital Vitamins

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Our bodies are built up from the food we eat. There is a constant breaking down of the tissues of the body; every movement of every organ involves waste, and this waste is repaired from our food. Each organ of the body requires its share of nutrition. The brain must be supplied with its portion; the bones, the muscles, and the nerves demand theirs. It is a wonderful process that transforms the food into blood and uses this blood to build up the varied parts of the body; but this process is going on continually, supplying with life and strength each nerve, muscle, and tissue.” Child Guidance, 378.

Our bodies were designed to operate without our conscious effort. We do not have to think through our body’s digestive process in order for it to happen, nor do we process out our blood’s circulation to get the life sustenance to our extremities. We do not usually pump our lungs manually to get air into them. We breathe without conscious effort. But in order to be able to do all these things, we need to provide our bodies with sufficient calories, vitamins, and minerals, which can best be done through a varied diet. Also, since the invention of dietary supplements, those who have a poor diet, or are compromised in their health condition, are able to use these aids to improve their overall health.

The substances that the body needs to develop and maintain properly are vitamins. There are 13 vitamins that are essential to our livelihood: A, C, D, E, K, and the B-family (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, B6, B12, and folate). To break things down a little further, a vitamin is an organic compound that an organism cannot create in sufficient amounts on its own and must be obtained via another source, mainly through diet. As the word “compound” implies, each vitamin consists of several vitamers. These collective vitamers work together to produce the vitamin and the effect each vitamin has on the body. For example, cyanocolabim, hydroxocolabim, methylocolabim, and 5-deoxadenosylcolabim are all vitamin B12 vitamers. Each unique combination of vitamers are what allow the 13 different vitamins to play their different roles in the body’s upkeep. These roles are as diverse as regulating tissue growth and hormones and aiding in vision.

Today, we have an abundant supply of vitamins that come in the form of pills. But before these were available, food was the only way to obtain these necessary nutrients. Hippocrates, who is known as the Father of Modern Medicine said, “Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine, thy food;” which is still the best health practice. His finding, among many others, was that feeding his patients liver which is packed with vitamin A, was a cure for night blindness. We now recognize vitamin A as necessary for night vision.

The Renaissance period spawned the growth of oceanic travel which led also to the rise in scurvy cases. Scurvy is a disease defined by the lack of collagen formation which prevents wounds from healing, bleeding from the gums, extreme fatigue, and severe joint and muscle pain. James Lind, a Scottish surgeon, found that citrus fruits prevented the onset of this terrible ailment. The ultimate finding was that scurvy was brought on by a vitamin C deficiency. Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, scientists were able to identify necessary components of the diet through deprivation studies. However, it was not until 1912 that the word “vitamine” was pronounced as a vitally necessary component to the human body and its functionality. Later, in 1920, the word was changed to vitamin.

Since then, vitamins have been classified into two groups: fat soluble and water soluble. Four of the thirteen human vitamins are fat soluble: A, D, E, and K. The eight B vitamins and vitamin C are water soluble. Water soluble vitamins are dissolvable in water and thus are eliminated through urination. Because of this, the water-soluble vitamins must be replenished on a daily basis.

Both groups of vitamins are absorbed through the intestinal tract with the aid of lipids, or fats. However, fat soluble vitamins are stored in the body’s fat for long periods of time and do not need to be replaced as frequently as the water-soluble vitamins. Replacing these vitamins too frequently leaves to a higher danger of toxicity (known as hypervitaminosis).

From the moment of conception, the human body develops through the use of vitamins and minerals. The nutrients play an integral role in the chemical reactions that are responsible for the creation of the body’s many intricate systems. When even one vitamin or mineral is lacking in an appropriate amount, the development can be seriously impaired. In order for the body to be properly maintained, these same nutrients must be available for use. They are necessary for everything from tissue repair to the support of chemical reactions that keep the body operational.

Minerals are the second of these two vital components. Unlike vitamins, which are carbon compounds, or derived from living matter, minerals are inorganic and make up about 4% of our body mass. There are two types of minerals: major or (macro) minerals, and trace minerals. Trace minerals are iron, zinc, copper, selenium, iodine, cobolt, fluorine, manganese, molybdenum, and chromium. The body requires less than 100 milligrams of trace minerals per day for optimum upkeep. The major, or macrominerals, are sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, sulfur (provided through adequate protein intake) and chlorine (amply provided through sodium). These minerals are needed by the body in quantities higher than 100 milligrams daily. Minerals serve three principle roles in the body. They provide structure in forming bones and teeth. Minerals maintain normal heart rhythm, muscle contractility, neural conductivity, and acid-based balance. Also in their realm is the regulation of cellular metabolism. Just like vitamins, minerals are obtained through our diet.

Vitamins and minerals interact with each other to produce the necessary effects in the body. For example, a combination of vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, fluoride, chloride, manganese, copper, and sulfur is necessary to keep bones healthy. And calcium, for instance, depends on the presence of certain vitamins such as vitamin D for its proper absorption. Because vitamins and minerals depend on the presence of one another to function optimally in the body , it is not enough to ensure that your body is just obtaining enough of one or the other; maintaining a proper balance of both is vital to optimum health.

“Health reformers, above all others, should be careful to shun extremes. The body must have sufficient nourishment. We cannot subsist upon air merely; neither can we retain health unless we have nourishing food.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 207.

“A diet lacking in the proper elements of nutrition brings reproach upon the cause of health reform. We are mortal and must supply ourselves with food that will give proper nourishment to the body.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 161.

1 Vitamins: Their role in the Human Body, by George F. M. Ball.

Health – The Busy B’s

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The B-vitamin family truly is just that—a family—and they are really busy. The B’s have a role in more than 50 different body processes! Each one performs a vital role independently, but the body also depends on them to work together to maintain vital body functions. Take the heart for example—it depends on folic acid (or B9), pyridoxine (B6), and cobalamin (B12), for optimal health. The job that B12 does cannot be done by two B6. The body needs both of them. This group of vitamins carries many important responsibilities from assisting in cell growth and reproduction to breaking food down into a fuel usable by the body.

Each of the B vitamins has an accompanying number—why? These numbers serve no other purpose than for identification. The first B vitamin was called water-soluble B. The second B recognized was riboflavin, or B2, hence the 2. Thus a system was developed—a faulty system however, because later in 1926, B1 was found to actually be two separate vitamins. Since thiamin was already named and there was a preexisting B2, niacin took the vacant slot of B3. As more B’s were found, more numbers proceeded them. Once again, though, the system was proven inadequate since scientists discovered that some of the ‘vitamins’ they named with the B group were not really vitamins at all but wholly different substances, hence the missing B4, B8, B10, and B11.

Here is an abbreviated rundown, starting with B1, of the B-family and their most recognized roles in the human body.

Thiamine (B1): Sometimes called aneurin, is responsible for keeping the body’s cells working properly. Nerve and brain cells particularly benefit from B1. The body also needs thiamine to convert food into a fuel that the body can use.

Riboflavin (B2): Works with B1 to release energy from food. It is necessary for creation of hormones, normal body growth, and red blood cells.

Niacin (B3): This B-member wears many hats, having a hand in over 50 different body functions; from releasing energy from food to detoxifying chemicals.

Pantothenic Acid (B5): Your body needs B5 to make vitamin D, hormones, and red blood cells. In addition to this, it also serves as a helper to several of the other B’s to turn fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into energy.

Pyridoxine (B6): The human body needs over 50,000 different proteins to operate properly. We turn to B6 to help the amino acids fill these many positions.

Biotin (B7): Sometimes known as vitamin H, it is also involved in breaking down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into a usable energy for the body.

Folic Acid (B9): First and foremost, B9 helps cells grow and divide properly. This means, for pregnant women, folic acid is essential for the prevention of birth defects. Additionally, it helps to keep veins and arteries open which, in turn, lowers chances of related health issues. It also has a hand in making chemicals in the body that control things like sleep patterns, mood, and appetite.

Cobalamin (B12): Although that scrape on your knee feels like raw nerves, those nerve cells actually have a protective covering that are formed by B12. Cobalamin helps with the other B’s in the fueling of the body from food.

The B-family has some closely related relatives that almost made the cut to become part of the group, but the body normally makes them in high enough quantity to supply need: choline, which the brain uses to store memories; inositol, helps make healthy cell membranes; lipoic acid works hand in hand with the B’s to convert food into energy, is a great antioxidant, and works to help the body get more use out of vitamins C and E; and lastly, PABA (Para-aminobenzoic acid) helps protect the skin from UV rays (it is commonly found in sunscreens).

As with most vitamins and minerals, there is much controversy over the amounts of the B vitamins that we ought to take in each day. Like vitamin C, the B’s are also water-soluble so they need to be replenished through diet or supplements on a regular basis. The daily recommended intake has changed several times, being lowered in the late 1980’s and then raised again in the 1990’s. Much to the chagrin of dieticians and nutritionists, though, the recommended intake was not raised to the levels that most were seeing that their patients needed. Most believe that higher levels of intake would do much good for overall health, especially of folic acid. Vitamin B deficiency is generally acknowledged in older patients even with the recommended daily dosages. Because vitamin B plays such a huge role in the development and division of cells during the years of major growth (0-25), it is imperative that there is an ample supply of vitamin B. As the body develops from infancy to childhood to puberty to adulthood the need for vitamin B only increases as the body goes through its changes before reaching a plateau. Women who are pregnant also require higher levels of vitamin B. After all, they are eating for two!

Some people may need to be extra aware of getting the levels of vitamin B in their systems. Those who drink alcohol may need a higher intake since alcohol blocks the body from using the vitamin B and also excretes it faster. Elderly people also absorb less and often do not get adequate nourishment to begin with. Smokers have the same issue as someone who uses alcohol; their bodies do not absorb vitamins properly. Those with digestive issues and special diets may also need to monitor closely their vitamin levels more so than usual.

Vitamin B, for the most part, is easily obtained through a proper diet. Thiamine is found in peanut butter, oranges, beans, wheat germ, and grains. Riboflavin is in dairy products, beans, nuts, avocado, leafy vegetables, and beets. These foods are also good sources of Niacin, and folic acid. Pantothenic Acid is in whole grains and nuts. Peas, bananas, potatoes, beans, and avocado are good foods to eat to get pyridoxine. Oatmeal, bananas, and peanut butter are great for Biotin. Cobalamin is found mainly in dairy so those who practice a vegan diet must be aware of this.

There are many benefits of keeping the B’s replenished in bounty. A study conducted in 1995 by the New England Journal of Medicine showed that people with high levels of vitamin B lowered the levels of homocysteine in the blood. (People with high levels of homocysteine are at greater risk of stroke and heart disease.) The people in the study with the highest levels of vitamin B were 50% less likely to suffer from either stroke or heart disease; whereas those with lower levels of vitamin B had higher homocysteine levels in their blood and twice as likely to suffer from either one! The lower levels of homocysteine and higher B’s also raise the strength of bones. Niacin is used in prescription drugs to lower cholesterol. One in four people who are hospitalized for depression are seriously low in pyridoxine and cobalamin. Pyridoxine, folic acid, and cobalamin are important for the immune system as they assist in making the white blood cells that constitute it.

See a reference table for the current vitamin B RDA’s (recommended daily allowance).

Obviously, the recommended daily allowances for the B vitamins are very small. However, no matter how small, it is easy to see how vital these amounts are to the body and its ability to operate. As was mentioned before, most nutritionists and health experts are quite dissatisfied with these low numbers. The best option would be to consult with your physician to decipher what is best for you.

We have only one life and one body on loan to us. No one would borrow another’s property and destroy it. When we become aware of the fact that our beings are the property of our heavenly Father, the careful care of His property becomes important to us. Awareness of what the body needs allows us to put the optimal effort into our lives for good health. God is the key to an enriching life.