Published: Wednesday, October 12, 2011
B Vitamins: Do you need them?
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For The Weekly Herad/SARAH JACKSON
Deficiency of certain B vitamins can cause anemia, fatigue and other health problems, but people should talk to their doctors before taking supplements to prevent adverse drug interactions and overdosing.
Walking down the vitamin and supplement aisle can be a daunting -- and costly -- experience.
If you’re already taking vitamin C and D, you might be wondering if you also should take a B complex, promising all eight of the water-soluble B vitamins essential for myriad body processes.
Could you have a vitamin B deficiency? Do you need those little pills or gummies at 10 cents a pop?
If you’re young, healthy and eat a variety of foods, chances are, no.
Most of us are probably getting enough B vitamins because they are needed in small amounts and many foods are fortified with them or already contain them.
Serious deficiencies, however, can happen, said Deb McGrath-Zehm, a diabetes educator and dietitian at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.
If you are vegan, vegetarian, pregnant or trying to get pregnant, abuse alcohol or don’t eat a variety of foods, check with your doctor.
B12, also known as cobalamin, and B9, also known as folic acid, are the most common deficiencies among adults, McGrath-Zehm said.
People with insufficient stomach acid can have a difficult time absorbing enough vitamin B12, which is commonly found in meat, poultry, shellfish, eggs and dairy products.
Because stomach acid decreases with age, seniors are at risk for deficiencies.
In fact, the National Academies of Sciences recommends everyone age 50 and older take B vitamin supplements or eat enriched foods to prevent deficiency.
McGrath-Zehm said that might not be necessary. She’s far more concerned about seniors in the 70-and-older group.
B12 deficiency can cause anemia, which can make you feel weak, tired and lightheaded, according to WebMD’s fact sheet on B12.
Other symptoms include pale skin, weight loss, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, a sore red tongue and bleeding gums.
Long-term deficiencies can lead to numbness and tingling in fingers and toes, a poor sense of balance, depression and dementia.
Blood tests can determine if you are getting enough B12 and folate, McGrath-Zehm said.
If you have a deficiency, you may need B12 injections rather than supplements since absorption problems can continue with supplements that must go through the stomach to be absorbed, McGrath-Zehm said.
Dr. Kevin Clay, a family practice doctor at the Everett Clinic in Stanwood, said B vitamins are essential for keeping the immune system strong.
He said long-term use of drugs that reduce stomach acid, such as the over-the-counter version of the drug Prilosec, used to treat reflux and heartburn, can put people at higher risk for B12 deficiency.
Long-term use of antacids such as Mylanta could create the same effect, said Clay, who also serves as the ambulatory division chief of Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.
Clay said he is far more concerned with vitamin D deficiencies among seniors and even young people.
“Get your vitamin D checked,” he said. “I’ve had 20-year-old kids with vitamin D levels of 10. It should be 30 or higher.
“They’re way down.”
If you’re considering B vitamin supplements, talk to your doctors first, McGrath-Zehm said.
Even vitamins, especially when taken at unusually high doses, can interact with other drugs and cause health problems.
McGrath-Zehm doesn’t recommend taking more than twice the recommended daily allowance for any vitamin, unless directed by a doctor.
“There can be negative side effects of the B vitamins. Too much niacin (B3) can give falsely high blood sugars,” she said. “Some of the B vitamins can cause diarrhea and skin flushing.”
Too much B9 or folic acid, also known as folate, can mask B12 deficiencies or cause insomnia, McGrath-Zehm said.
Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy is the best way to ensure a healthy body, McGrath-Zehm said, adding that it’s extremely uncommon to overdose on vitamins through food, which provide natural, not man-made, forms of vitamins and nutrients.
“Supplements are not substitutes,” she said. “They supplement. They do not substitute.”
B vitamins: What they are and what they do
They end with B12, but there are just eight B vitamins. When combined in one pill, they are referred to as B complex vitamins.
Here’s a look at each and where to find them in foods.
• Vitamin B1 (thiamin) and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) help the body produce energy and affect enzymes that influence the muscles, nerves and heart.
They are found in cereals and whole grains. B1 is also found in potatoes, pork, seafood, liver and kidney beans. B2 is found in enriched bread, dairy products, liver and green leafy vegetables.
• Vitamin B3 (niacin) helps with energy production in cells and keeps the skin and nervous and digestive systems healthy. It is found in fish, chicken, lean red meat, liver, nuts, whole grains and dried beans.
• Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) influences normal growth and development and is found in almost all foods.
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) helps the body break down protein and maintains the health of red blood cells, the nervous system and parts of the immune system. It is found in fish, pork, chicken, liver, potatoes, wheat germ, bananas and dried beans.
• Vitamin B7 (biotin) helps break down protein and carbohydrates and helps the body make hormones. It is made by intestinal bacteria and is also found in peanuts, egg yolks, liver, bananas, mushrooms, watermelon and grapefruit.
• Vitamin B9 (folic acid) helps cells make and maintain DNA and is important in the production of red blood cells. It is found in green leafy vegetables, liver, citrus fruits, mushrooms, nuts, peas, dried beans and wheat bread.
• Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) plays a role in the body’s growth and development, blood cell production, nervous system function and how the body uses folic acid and carbohydrates. It is found in eggs, meat, poultry, shellfish and dairy products.
Source: American Cancer Society
If you’re already taking vitamin C and D, you might be wondering if you also should take a B complex, promising all eight of the water-soluble B vitamins essential for myriad body processes.
Could you have a vitamin B deficiency? Do you need those little pills or gummies at 10 cents a pop?
If you’re young, healthy and eat a variety of foods, chances are, no.
Most of us are probably getting enough B vitamins because they are needed in small amounts and many foods are fortified with them or already contain them.
Serious deficiencies, however, can happen, said Deb McGrath-Zehm, a diabetes educator and dietitian at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.
If you are vegan, vegetarian, pregnant or trying to get pregnant, abuse alcohol or don’t eat a variety of foods, check with your doctor.
B12, also known as cobalamin, and B9, also known as folic acid, are the most common deficiencies among adults, McGrath-Zehm said.
People with insufficient stomach acid can have a difficult time absorbing enough vitamin B12, which is commonly found in meat, poultry, shellfish, eggs and dairy products.
Because stomach acid decreases with age, seniors are at risk for deficiencies.
In fact, the National Academies of Sciences recommends everyone age 50 and older take B vitamin supplements or eat enriched foods to prevent deficiency.
McGrath-Zehm said that might not be necessary. She’s far more concerned about seniors in the 70-and-older group.
B12 deficiency can cause anemia, which can make you feel weak, tired and lightheaded, according to WebMD’s fact sheet on B12.
Other symptoms include pale skin, weight loss, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, a sore red tongue and bleeding gums.
Long-term deficiencies can lead to numbness and tingling in fingers and toes, a poor sense of balance, depression and dementia.
Blood tests can determine if you are getting enough B12 and folate, McGrath-Zehm said.
If you have a deficiency, you may need B12 injections rather than supplements since absorption problems can continue with supplements that must go through the stomach to be absorbed, McGrath-Zehm said.
Dr. Kevin Clay, a family practice doctor at the Everett Clinic in Stanwood, said B vitamins are essential for keeping the immune system strong.
He said long-term use of drugs that reduce stomach acid, such as the over-the-counter version of the drug Prilosec, used to treat reflux and heartburn, can put people at higher risk for B12 deficiency.
Long-term use of antacids such as Mylanta could create the same effect, said Clay, who also serves as the ambulatory division chief of Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.
Clay said he is far more concerned with vitamin D deficiencies among seniors and even young people.
“Get your vitamin D checked,” he said. “I’ve had 20-year-old kids with vitamin D levels of 10. It should be 30 or higher.
“They’re way down.”
If you’re considering B vitamin supplements, talk to your doctors first, McGrath-Zehm said.
Even vitamins, especially when taken at unusually high doses, can interact with other drugs and cause health problems.
McGrath-Zehm doesn’t recommend taking more than twice the recommended daily allowance for any vitamin, unless directed by a doctor.
“There can be negative side effects of the B vitamins. Too much niacin (B3) can give falsely high blood sugars,” she said. “Some of the B vitamins can cause diarrhea and skin flushing.”
Too much B9 or folic acid, also known as folate, can mask B12 deficiencies or cause insomnia, McGrath-Zehm said.
Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy is the best way to ensure a healthy body, McGrath-Zehm said, adding that it’s extremely uncommon to overdose on vitamins through food, which provide natural, not man-made, forms of vitamins and nutrients.
“Supplements are not substitutes,” she said. “They supplement. They do not substitute.”
B vitamins: What they are and what they do
They end with B12, but there are just eight B vitamins. When combined in one pill, they are referred to as B complex vitamins.
Here’s a look at each and where to find them in foods.
• Vitamin B1 (thiamin) and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) help the body produce energy and affect enzymes that influence the muscles, nerves and heart.
They are found in cereals and whole grains. B1 is also found in potatoes, pork, seafood, liver and kidney beans. B2 is found in enriched bread, dairy products, liver and green leafy vegetables.
• Vitamin B3 (niacin) helps with energy production in cells and keeps the skin and nervous and digestive systems healthy. It is found in fish, chicken, lean red meat, liver, nuts, whole grains and dried beans.
• Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) influences normal growth and development and is found in almost all foods.
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) helps the body break down protein and maintains the health of red blood cells, the nervous system and parts of the immune system. It is found in fish, pork, chicken, liver, potatoes, wheat germ, bananas and dried beans.
• Vitamin B7 (biotin) helps break down protein and carbohydrates and helps the body make hormones. It is made by intestinal bacteria and is also found in peanuts, egg yolks, liver, bananas, mushrooms, watermelon and grapefruit.
• Vitamin B9 (folic acid) helps cells make and maintain DNA and is important in the production of red blood cells. It is found in green leafy vegetables, liver, citrus fruits, mushrooms, nuts, peas, dried beans and wheat bread.
• Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) plays a role in the body’s growth and development, blood cell production, nervous system function and how the body uses folic acid and carbohydrates. It is found in eggs, meat, poultry, shellfish and dairy products.
Source: American Cancer Society