Fighting Mosquitoes, and Other Surprising Benefits of B Vitamins
We all know that taking the right amount of vitamins and minerals is essential for maintaining good health. B vitamins, in particular, are one of the few essential vitamins each person should include in his or her daily regimen to keep the body working at its best.
Vitamin B complex refers to the eight B vitamins – B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. Many of these B vitamins play an individual ? yet essential ??role, while others work in collaboration with one another to keep us healthy. B Vitamins can be found in leafy greens, meat, and various fortified grains, but it’s often difficult to consume the required daily amount from diet alone.
It’s estimated that a whopping 40 percent of American adults are vitamin B deficient. Symptoms of deficiency include lethargy, depression, memory problems, and even nerve and muscle dysfunction. Read on to find out about the many important roles of vitamin B, from boosting your mood to keeping mosquitoes at bay.
It Fires Up Your Fuel Tank
You should think of B vitamins as the oil that keeps your machine running smoothly. They’re absolutely essential for keeping a whole host of bodily functions working as they should. For example, Vitamin B-1, known as Thiamine, provides us with energy by helping to convert the food e eat into glucose. It also boosts our immune systems and helps protect the body from stressful conditions.
B Vitamins are also responsible for stimulating the production of certain hormones within the body, such as Vitamin B-6, which is known for guarding against progesterone deficiency. Our bodies require B-12 and B-6 to produce dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. In other words, B vitamins are directly responsible (in part) for your happiness.
It Helps Maintain Muscle
B vitamins can play a crucial role in how strong you are and how well you respond to exercise. Vitamin B-6 enables your body to maintain muscle mass and to make use of the energy in your muscles when needed, by allowing the release of glycogen stores during strenuous exercise. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to pull anything from your main energy stores.
Vitamin B doesn’t just help with gaining muscle for aesthetic or athletic reasons. It can also be incredibly beneficial for children that are affected by slow development. Vitamin B deficiency has been linked to developmental issues in infants and children, so taking a B-vitamin supplement can help ensure that children grow strong and healthy.