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NEWSLETTER 19 : The Vitamins of the B Group (Edited:
5/29/02. Updated: December 2010)
Questions
Importance
The Group
Vit B1 (Thiamine)
Vit B2 (Riboflavin)
Vit B3 (Niacin)
Vit B5 (Pantothenic acid)
Vit B6 (Pyridoxine)
Folic Acid (Folates)
Vit B12 (Cyanocobalamin)
Biotin
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Vit B1 or Thiamin
Content in Food : Vitamin B1 occurs in
animal and in vegetal products. The highest concentration is found
in brewers yeast, followed by baker's yeast, pork (particularly
the liver), cereal germs, whole grain and derivatives, nuts, and
dried legumes.
In grain vitamin B1 is unevenly distributed, low in the starch of
the grain, it is higher in the germ, and most of it occurs in the
thin layer around the starch. This is why polished rice is almost
completely deprived of vitamin B1.
Absorption : The absorption of vit B1
occurs in the intestine by diffusion and with a specialized carrier
only if the concentration of vit B1 is very low in the intestine.
Alcohol considerably inhibits the intestinal absorption of vit B1.
Natural substances like the enzymes thiaminasesv and other antithiamines
destroy vit B1. They are found in coffee, tea, in some other plants,
and in raw fish.
Vit B1 from animal sources is better absorbed than vit B1 from vegetal
source. Vit B1 from animal sources is also ready for use, while
vit B1 from vegetal source has to be processed by our metabolism
before use.
See the effect
of feeding raw herring to animals They need vitamin B supplementation
(attention: Sushi lovers!)
Storage : Vit B1 is not stored in the
body in large amounts or for any period of time in any tissue. A
continuous supply of vit B1 is highly recommended.
Excretion : Vit B1 is rapidly excreted
in the urine.
Essential for : Oxygen consumption, energy
production, growth, brain and nerve function.
Good for : Quality of hair, and skin.
(in pets: flea repellent!)
Signs of vit B1 Deficiency : The initial
signs of a vitamin B1 deficiency are fatigue, sleep disturbances,
irritability, and poor appetite.
Table 1 : The signs of a
vitamin B1 (Thiamin) deficiency |
General |
Fatigue, sleep disturbance |
Brain and Nerve |
Irritability, Incoordination |
Digestive System |
Loss of appetite, mucosa inflammation, hemorrhages |
Circulation |
Slow heart rate, heart enlargement, heart failure |
Skinn |
Swelling (back of hands and feet), pale bluish skin |
Muscles |
Weakness, fiber swelling and degeneration |
Liver |
Food intolerance, fatty degeneration of the liver |
The degree and the manifestation of the various symptoms may vary from individual to individual.
More : See the
animated 3D
structure of vit B1 published by Dr. Karl N. Harrison in the web site of the Chemistry group of the University
of Oxford.
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Vit B2 or Riboflavin
Contents in Food : Milk, milk products,
meat and eggs are the best contributors to dietary riboflavin in
the United States. Vitamin B2 also occurs in fruit and in rapidly
growing green vegetables. Only one has to consume large quantities
to reach adequate levels of vit B2. The highest concentration is
found in liver, and in cheese.
In grain vitamin B2--like vit B1--is unevenly distributed, low in
the starch of the grain, it is higher in the germ, and most of it
occurs in the thin layer around the starch. This is why white flower
-- if not enriched with it -- is deprived of vitamin B2.
Like for vit B1, vit B2 from animal sources is better absorbed than
vit B2 from vegetal sources.
Absorption : In the intestine the absorption
of vit B2 occurs through an active process.
The absorbed vit B2 is processed in the intestinal mucosa cells
before entering the blood circulation.
Storage : Vit B2 is stored in the liver.
The liver contains up to one third of the vit B2 stored in the body.
Liver, heart, kidney and the eyes have the largest concentration
of this vitamin.
A continuous supply of vit B2 is highly recommended
Excretion : Vit B2 is rapidly excreted
by the kidneys in quantity up to 200 micrograms per 24 hours. The
urine may turn strong yellow.
Pale urine indicates a possible vit B2 deficiency. (The limit is
set at 25 micrograms of vitB2 per gram of creatinine excreted in
the urine).
Essential for : Oxygen consumption, energy
production from sugars, growth, brain and nerve function.
Good for : Quality of hair, and skin.
Signs of vit B2 Deficiency : The first
signs of a vitamin B2 deficiency appear at the mouth angles as a
discoloration of the mucosa (angular stomatitis)
Possible Candida Albicans overgrowth gives it a red and swollen
outlook.
Table 2 : The signs of a
vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) deficiency |
Mouth |
Angular stomatitis, Tongue inflammation (glossitis), Loss of
taste |
Nerve |
Peripheral neuropathy |
Skin |
Seborrheic dermatitis |
General |
Retarded growth |
More : See the animated 3D structure of vit B2 published by Dr. Karl N. Harrison in the web site of the Chemistry group of the University of Oxford.
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Vit B3 or Niacin-Niacinamide
Contents in Food : Fish, nuts, seeds,
and meat are the best contributors to dietary niacin. Vitamin B3
also occurs in wheat and in brown rice. The highest concentration
is found in pumpkin seeds and in Parmesan.
In food vitamin B3 is quite stable when exposed to most heat, storage,
and irradiation procedures.
Vitamin B3 shares with vitamin D the property that the body
can synthesize it.
We synthesize niacin from tryptophan, an essential
fatty acid
Table 3 : Tryptophan content of food, in milligrams per 100 grams edible portion
|
Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted |
580 |
Cheese, parmesan |
560 |
Chicken, broilers or fryers, meat only, cooked, fried |
360 |
halibut, Atlantic and Pacific, cooked |
300 |
tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids |
290 |
shrimp, mixed species, raw |
280 |
Beans, white, mature seeds, raw |
280 |
brazil nuts |
260 |
Peanuts, all types, raw |
250 |
Beef, top sirloin, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4" fat |
220 |
Egg, whole, raw, fresh |
150 |
Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared |
140 |
Beans, kidney, california red, mature seeds, cooked |
110 |
Absorption : The gastrointestinal absorption
of vit B3 occurs fast. Large intakes (up to 3 grams) are followed
by a 85% excretion through the urine.
Storage : Vit B3 is poorly stored in the
body.
A continuous supply of vit B3 is highly recommended
Excretion : Vit B3 is rapidly excreted
by the kidneys.
Essential for : Brain function (memory)
and quality of skin.
Signs of vit B3 Deficiency : The first
signs of a vitamin B3 deficiency are red patches on skin exposed
to sunlight, a burning in the mouth, and behavioral changes.
Severe vitamin B3 deficiency occurs only with a simultaneous deficiency
of niacin and of its precursor tryptophan and usually occurs in
areas where maize (Indian corn) forms a major part of the diet.
However, vitamin b3 deficiency may occur after episodes of diarrhea,
in liver conditions like cirrhosis, and in alcoholics, It is not
exceptional to find signs of vitamin B3 deficiency in patients after
a long hospital stay (Vitamin supplementation is not the rule in
hospitals!)
Table 4 : The signs of a vitamin B3 (Niacin-Niaciamide) deficiency
|
Skin |
Redness |
Mouth |
Redness, burning |
Digestive System |
Abdominal discomfort, nausea, diarrhea |
Behavior |
Very variable memory, confusion, depression,
excitement |
More : See the animated 3D structure of vit B3 published by Dr. Karl N. Harrison in the web site of the Chemistry group of the University of Oxford.
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Vit B5 or Pantothenic Acid
Content in Food Vitamin B5 also named
Pantothenic acid is widely distributed in foodstuffs. The name says
it all: "Pantos" is Greek for "Everywhere" .
Processed food contains only about 50% of its original vit B5 content.
The higher the processing the lower the pantothenic acid content.
Table 5 : Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) content of food, in milligrams per 100 grams
edible portion
|
Bakers's Yeast |
11 |
Liver, raw |
7.7 |
Egg, yolk |
4.4 |
Milk, dry |
3.6 |
Bran |
2.9 |
Peanuts, raw |
2.8 |
Lentils |
1.36 |
Absorption : Alcohol reduces the intestinal
absorption of vit B5.
Excretion : Vit B5 is rapidly excreted
in the urine.
Essentiality : An integral part of coenzyme
A (CoA), pantothenic acid is essential for all its functions, in
the first place for the synthesis and the utilization of fatty acids,
and the synthesis of steroid hormones in the adrenals, the testis,
and the ovaries.
Good for : Quality of hair (gray hair),
hair growth, osteoarthritis, diabetic neuropathy, behavioral disorders,
weight loss.
An intriguing beneficial effect of vit B5 is its protective role
against radiation sickness (Egarova ND, 1979)
Signs of vit B5 Deficiency : The signs
of a vitamin B5 deficiency have been observed only during human
experiments.
However, a vitamin B5 deficiency is incriminated as the mean factor
of acnea (Leung LH. 1995)
Table 6 : The signs of a vit B5 deficiency
|
General |
Malaise, Fatigue |
Brain and Nerve |
burning and numbness of feet |
Skin |
Acnea (?) |
Digestive System |
Abdominal discomfort |
More : See the animated 3D structure of vit B5 published by Dr. Karl N. Harrison in the web site of the Chemistry group of the University of Oxford.
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Vit B6 or Pyridoxine
Content in Food : Vitamin B6 occurs in animal and
in vegetal products mainly bound to proteins.
The highest concentration is found in wheat bran, tuna, salmon,sesame
seeds, bananas, nuts, rice and chicken.
Table 7 : Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) content of food, in
milligrams per 100 grams edible portion |
Wheat bran |
194 |
Tuna, fresh, yellowfin, raw |
90 |
Salmon, Atlantic, wild, raw |
82 |
Seeds,sesame, whole, roasted |
80 |
Bananas, raw |
58 |
Nuts, walnuts |
54 |
Rice, brown, long-grain, raw |
51 |
Chicken, broilers or fryers, meat only, cooked, fried |
48 |
Absorption : The absorption of vit B6 occurs by
diffusion in the small intestin. Absorption in the colon is minimal.
The pyridoxine produced by the colon flora is pourly absorbed.
Heat processing of food is responsible for vit B6 loss. Pyridoxine
hydrochloride is a form of vit B6 beter resistant to heat.
Storage : Although Vit B6 is widely distributed
in tissue and organs, it is stored only in small amounts. A
continuous supply of vit B6 is highly recommended
Essential for : Vit B6 is essential for all protein
metabolism.
Vit B6, with vit C, and vit B3 (niacin) is also essential for the
production of the messenger molecules cell use to communicate with
each other.
Vit B6 is involved in hormone production and in the saccharide metabolism.
Signs of vit B6 Deficiency : The initial signs of
a vitamin B6 deficiency are fatigue, skin disturbances, irritability,
muscle weakness, and depression.
Table 8 : The signs of a vit B6 deficiency
|
General |
Fatigue, reduced immunity, tooth decay |
Brain and Nerve |
Irritability, depression, convulsion |
Digestive System |
Abdominal distress, nausea, vomiting |
Reproduction |
Spina bifida and other teratogenic effects |
Skin |
Scalling dermatitis, glossitis |
Muscles |
Weakness |
Kidney |
Oxalate calculi |
Blood |
Homocysteine buildup |
The degree and the manifestation of the various symptoms may vary
from individual to individual.
More : See the animated 3D structure of vit B6 published by Dr. Karl N. Harrison in the web site of the Chemistry group of the University of Oxford.
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Folic Acid (Folates)
Note
Folic acid does occur rarely in food. Folates are salts
of folic acid that exist in many forms and occur in food and human
body. Supplements contains folic acid. Folic acid is more stable
than any folate.
Content in Food
Folates occur in vegetal products and in animal products.
The highest concentration is found in beans and seeds, nuts, and
eggs.
Table 9 : Folic acid content of
food, in micrograms per 100 grams edible portion.
|
Beans, white, mature seeds, raw
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388
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Bran, wheat |
353
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Seeds, flax seed |
278
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Peanuts, all types, raw |
240
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Spinach, raw |
194
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Bran oat |
182
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Kelp, raw |
180
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Collards, raw |
166
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Soybeans, green, raw |
165
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Safflower seeds |
160
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Parsley, raw |
152
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Lettuce, cos or romaine,
raw |
136
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Seeds, sesame, whole, roasted |
98
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Nuts, walnuts, english
(1) |
98
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Seeds, sesame, whole, dried |
97
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Bread, white, commercially
prepared |
95
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Peanut butter, with salt |
74
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Beans, kidney, california
red |
74
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Lettuce, butterhead, raw |
73
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Broccoli, raw |
71
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Egg, quail, whole, fresh,
raw |
66
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Avocados, raw, California |
66
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Nuts, almond butter, plain |
65
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Basil, fresh |
64
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Function
Folates are essential for the addition of methyl groups (CH3)
to molecules. This function has important implications in gene transcription,
and in the methionin metabolism.
Signs
of a Folate Deficiency
The signs of a folate deficiency are fatigue, muscle weakness,
and homocysteine buildup.
Table 10 : The signs of a folate
deficiency
|
General
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Fatigue, shortness of breath
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Muscles |
Weakness
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Blood |
Homocysteine buildup
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More : See the animated 3D structure of folic acid published by Dr. Karl N. Harrison in the web site of the Chemistry group of the University of Oxford.
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Vitamin B12 or Cyanocobalamin
Note
Vitamin B12 is the only vitamin to have a mineral atom in it.
The mineral is cobalt. Hence, the name cyanocobalamin.
Content in Food
Vitamin B12 occurs in animal products exclusively. The highest
natural concentration is found in fish and in meat, followed by
cheese and eggs.
Table 11 : Vitamin B 12 content
of food, in micrograms per 100 grams edible portion
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Herring, Atlantic, raw
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13.67
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Beef, heart, raw |
13.66
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Herring, Pacifiic, raw |
10.00
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Bluefish, raw |
5.39
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Bran, wheat |
5.30
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Cereals type Kellogs |
5.00
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Salmon, Atlantic, wild,
raw |
3.18
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Salmon, Chinook, raw |
2.99
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Tuna, light, canned in
water |
2.99
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Beef, top sirloin, separable |
2.90
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Salmon, Atlantic, farmed,
raw |
2.80
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Game meat, bison, ground,
raw |
1.79
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Barbecue loaf, pork, beef |
1.68
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Cheese, gruyere |
1.60
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Egg, quail, whole, fresh,
raw |
1.58
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Cheese, parmesan, grated |
1.40
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Halibut, Atlantic and Pacific |
1.37
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Finfish, halibut, raw |
1.18
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Shrimp, mixed species,
raw |
1.16
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Egg, whole, cooked, hard-boiled |
1.11
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Egg, whole, raw, fresh |
1.00
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Crustaceans, lobster, raw |
0.93
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Cod, Atlantic, raw |
0.91
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Cheese, mozzarella, whole
milk |
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Absorption
Because vitamin B12 is tightly bound to proteins, a high stomach
acidity is required to cut it loose. As we age, the stomach makes
less acid. Advice for the elderly: Beware of anti-acid
drugs!
Another cause of vitamin B12 deficiency is pernicious anemia, an
auto-immune condition. A vitamin B12 deficiency is also found in
younger people, particularly in vegetarians, and the condition
is prevalent in people with a Helicobacterium pylori infection.
Storage
Although vitamin B12 is widely distributed in tissue and organs,
it is stored only in small amounts. A continuous supply of Vitamin
B12 is highly recommended.
Function
Vitamin B12 is with folic acid and folates essential for the
methionine metabolism. In this chain of events, vitamin B12 is the
weak link.
Vitamin B12 is also essential for brain and nerve cells maintenance.
We need vitamin B12 for the insulating layer around the nerves.
Signs
of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency
The initial signs of a Vitamin B12 deficiency are memory loss,
an inability to concentrate (More 5), walking and balance disturbance,
followed by depression, sometimes agitation and hallucination.
Table 12 : The signs of a Vitamin
B12 deficiency
|
Brain
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Femory loss, lack of concentration, depression,
agitation
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Nerves |
Walking and balance disturbance, loss of
vibration sensation
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Blood |
Megalocytosis (L), homocysteine buildup
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More : See the animated 3D structure of vit B12 published by Dr. Karl N. Harrison in the web site of the Chemistry group of the University of Oxford.
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Biotin
Biotin is essential for cell and organ growth, for the metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
Content in Food : Biotin is found in eggs, animal liver and in some vegetables.
Signs of a Biotin Deficiency
Table 13 : The signs of a Biotin
deficiency
|
General
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Fatigue, muscle pain
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Brain and Nerve |
Depression
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Skin |
Hair loss, facial rash
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Muscles |
Pain
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See
a static image of the molecule Biotin.
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