Life Is Like A Box Of B-Vitamins. . .
I was having some trouble coming up with a fun and engaging way to start this blog, so I decided to have a chat with an old friend, Forrest Gump, since I was relatively sure he had some interesting things to say on the topic. Sure enough, he certainly did, and gave me the spark of inspiration needed to get this blog off to a great start! Below follows the short conversation we had:
Emiel:
Hey Forrest, I’m having some trouble coming up with a fun and engaging way to start a blog about B-vitamins, can you tell me something interesting about them?
Forrest Gump:
Well shucks, B vitamins are somethin’ special, I tell ya! They’re like a box of chocolates, ya never know what you’re gonna get. But one thing’s for sure, they’re important for keepin’ your body runnin’ like a well-oiled machine.
Now, these B vitamins are a real powerhouse team, just like me and my good buddy Lieutenant Dan. They collaborate to metabolize food into energy, maintain skin and hair health, and support the nervous system. They run a relay race inside your body, passing the baton from one to another, working together toward the finish line.
Each B vitamin has its unique strengths and abilities, just like Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump. Vitamin B6 aids brain function and mood regulation, while vitamin B12 supports red blood cell production and cardiovascular health. Getting enough B vitamins is crucial for feeling good and staying healthy. So when you enjoy shrimp, remember you’re getting a dose of vitamin B12.
Emiel:
Wow, you surprisingly know quite a bit about B-vitamins Forrest, color me impressed! People often overlook B-vitamins, but as you mentioned, they play a crucial role in almost every bodily function. At Nootropics Depot, we especially admire the nootropic benefits of the B-vitamins! You are right too, B-vitamins are indeed like a box of chocolates, they all have distinctly different effects, which is why we came out with a highly optimized B-vitamin stack, which I’ll be exploring in this blog. Thanks again for the insights Forrest, it was a pleasure chatting!
Forrest Gump:
You’re welcome, Emiel. Keep pushing forward with your writing; soon enough, a multitude of readers will engage with your thoughts and ideas. Stay focused and persistent. Best of luck to ya, my friend.
Shrimp indeed are relatively high in vitamin B12, packing on average about 1-2 micrograms of vitamin B12 per 100 grams. That’s not a lot compared to our usual supplementation, but it still constitutes a significant portion of our recommended daily intake, set at 2.4 µg!
Well, that definitely gave me the spark of inspiration to get this blog off to an excellent start! While I haven’t found much use for it in terms of writing real meaningful content, it is quite spectacular for producing and transforming content into the voice of whoever you would like. This conversation, while obviously quite silly, actually hit on some pretty good points. One of those being that B-vitamins are essential for almost every bodily function, and certainly are important for “feelin’ good and stayin’ healthy”! Secondly, many different foods contain them, and obviously, this is where we primarily obtain our B-vitamins.
However, some of these foods are not incredibly common in our diet. The discussion illustrated that shellfish, such as shrimp, are rich sources of vitamin B12, as evidenced by their high concentrations. Discovering that clams boast the highest concentration of vitamin B12 was astonishing; a mere 100g serving provides nearly 100 µg of it!
Clams: Rich Source of Vitamin B12
Clams stand out as possibly the most abundant vitamin B12 source, offering nearly 100 µg per 100g serving—a remarkable concentration! That sounds like a great excuse to eat more delicious bowls of clam chowder. Given their limited presence in daily diets outside coastal areas, shrimps and clams might not be staples for many people. In fact, animal products predominantly contain vitamin B12, which obviously poses problems for vegans and vegetarians.
Vegans and vegetarians often have low vitamin B12 levels, prompting us to incorporate it into our vegan OmegaTAU variant. Insufficient vitamin B12 intake among vegans and vegetarians can lead to cognitive, mood, and energy-related challenges, underscoring the importance of monitoring intake.
While a vegan diet is accompanied by lots of benefits, there are also some downsides to it. One of the main downsides being that vegans more often than not, have very low vitamin B12 intake. Thus, if you are a vegan or vegetarian, you should take special attention to optimize your intake of vitamin B12.
Challenges of Vitamin B12 for Vegans and Vegetarians
Over human history, significant B vitamin deficiencies have periodically emerged, manifesting in noteworthy and often dramatic manners. These B vitamin deficiencies are almost always due to major changes in our diet. For example, due to technological advancements, we progressively started to refine the rice grain, by polishing it. The whole rice grain, which we commonly refer to as ‘brown rice’ is a significant source of vitamin B1 (thiamin). White rice’s polishing process removes its outer layer containing thiamin, resulting in its depletion, as thiamin resides there. As polished rice became widespread in Asian diets, so did thiamin deficiencies, as the polishing process removes thiamin-rich outer layers.
In 1883, Japanese physician Takaki Kanehiro noticed sailors on a 9-month mission for the Imperial Navy contracting an unusual illness. Out of the 376 sailors on board, 169 sailors contracted this mysterious illness. Initially deemed infectious, Takaki Kanehiro observed Western ships didn’t face similar issues, and higher-ranking Japanese officers were immune.
Kanehiro observed free polished white rice provision aboard; most sailors consumed only rice, contributing to their health issues. Conversely, higher-ranking officers and Western naval sailors consumed diverse diets, unlike the Japanese sailors reliant on polished white rice. In 1884, Takaki Kanehiro devised a plan for the next voyage, incorporating a diverse diet, including whole grains, for sailors. On this voyage, only 16 sailors out of a crew of 333 sailors, contracted the then mysterious illness.
Historical Perspectives on B Vitamin Deficiencies
In 1897, Christiaan Eijkman discovered chickens fed polished rice got sick, but improved when switched to unpolished rice. At the time, we lacked a concept of what vitamins were, so a lot of research was conducted. This eventually led to Christiaan Eijkman and Frederick Gowland Hopkins discovering vitamins. They both won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1929. Unfortunately, the story often somewhat unfairly leaves out the Polish-American biochemist, Casimir Funk. We actually have Casimir Funk to thank for the name ‘vitamin’. Initially, he called it ‘vital amine’, later shortened to ‘vitamine’. Later it was discovered that vitamins didn’t have to be nitrogen-containing amines. Thus, the ‘e’ was dropped, giving us the name ‘vitamin’!
The humble rice grain, one of the most commonly consumed foods, led to the discovery of vitamins! The brown rice grain on the left contains a fairly high concentration of vitamin B1 (thiamin). The polished rice grain on the right has been stripped of most of its thiamin since it’s contained in the outer layer that’s polished off.
B-Vitamins | The Drivers Of Cellular Excellence
As we just discovered, B-vitamins are important to our well-being. There are quite a few of them, eight to be exact! Each one has a different function in the body, and each B-vitamin has its own unique dietary source. Some B-vitamins are relatively easy to acquire in adequate amounts from common dietary sources, such as vitamin B1 (thiamin) from rice, whilst others can be much harder to obtain, for example vitamin B12 (cobalamin), which is mostly consumed via animal proteins and seafood.
Some B-vitamin forms need low doses to avoid issues. Others benefit from doses above recommended levels. During our research, we realized that reaching recommended intake prevents deficiency. Dosing certain B-vitamins higher optimizes health and cognition. During our research, we realized that reaching recommended intake prevents deficiency. Dosing certain B-vitamins higher optimizes health and cognition.
Understanding the function of each B-vitamin can be challenging. So, we’ll outline each one’s role in detail. Analyzing each B-vitamin’s function aids in explaining our development decisions, shedding light on its subjective impact. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Vitamin B1 | Thiamin | Energy Metabolism, Cognition & Mood
Dietary food sources for thiamin are relatively diverse, but the largest contributor to vitamin B1 intake is likely whole grains. As we already mentioned, refined grains have much lower thiamin content. Since grains are a staple food source for most of the world, this can cause major issues. Due to this, these days when grains are refined, they usually fortify them with vitamin B1 to prevent potential deficiencies.
Whole, unrefined grains are one of the most important sources for dietary thiamin. Other major sources include beans, fish and pork. Thiamin is an incredibly important B-vitamin, and humans are very sensitive to deficiencies.
In recent years, thiamin has gained attention, emphasizing achieving higher levels than previously considered adequate. In fact, even mega dosing protocols are becoming popular, due to their effects on energy levels and mood. The rising popularity of thiamin for this purpose makes sense, given its effects on energy metabolism.
Vitamin B2 | Riboflavin | ATP Synthesis, Methylation & Mood
The dietary sources for riboflavin are also relatively diverse, but appear to be highest in meat and dairy products. Specifically, organ meats like liver and heart are high in riboflavin; however, they are not commonly included in our diets. This presents a challenge for vegans to consume enough riboflavin. Fortunately, plant-based sources like spinach, almonds, mushrooms, and avocados are available. Yeast extracts are relatively high in riboflavin, which might explain why nutritional yeast flakes have a yellow hue and cheesy taste!
Various foods contain riboflavin, with main sources being meats and dairy, supplemented by nuts, legumes, and green vegetables. Riboflavin is likely a B-vitamin many of us are already intimately familiar with, albeit somewhat unknowingly.
That’s quite a vivid description! Energy drinks do often have vibrant colors due to added dyes and other ingredients. This weird color is due to the frequent addition of riboflavin, which has an incredibly bright yellow color. In fact, many foods even contain added riboflavin as a coloring agent! Yes, that’s a common observation! The intense yellow color of urine after taking riboflavin supplements is due to its excretion in the urine.
Exactly, since riboflavin is water-soluble, the body does not store it to a significant extent and excretes it in urine after utilization. Thus, due to its very strong coloring properties, riboflavin can quite readily color our urine a bright yellow color. Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, supports energy production, metabolism, and acts as an antioxidant, promoting overall health.
Vitamin B3 | Niacin | NAD+ synthesis, Neuroprotection & Mood
Niacin, abundant in various foods, can uniquely be synthesized from L-tryptophan, providing an alternative source for this essential nutrient. L-tryptophan, found in protein-rich foods, can convert to niacin, with approximately 60 mg yielding 1 mg of niacin. This means that eating practically any protein containing food will be a good source of niacin. Many foods contain niacin, with meats being rich sources. Additionally, various vegetables, nuts, and legumes provide significant amounts of this essential B-vitamin. Thus, getting niacin from your diet, in general, is quite easy!
Our bodies’ ability to convert L-tryptophan, abundant in protein-rich foods, into niacin makes obtaining niacin through diet relatively easy! A lot of us are probably quite familiar with niacin, because it is a pretty infamous B-vitamin. If you take too much niacin, you will oftentimes experience an intense flushing sensation.
This effect is dubbed the “niacin flush.” It is caused by a rapid and transient release of histamine in the skin, resulting in pronounced vasodilation. For many, this is quite an uncomfortable sensation, but others actually enjoy this effect.
Vitamin B5 | Pantothenic Acid | Coenzyme A Synthesis, Cognition & Skin Health
Pantothenic Acid’s Ubiquitous Presence in Foods
Almost all foods contain significant levels of pantothenic acid. Interestingly, the name “pantothenic acid” is derived from the ancient Greek word “pantos,” which translates to “all” or “everywhere.” This refers to pantothenic acid being abundantly present in the foods we eat. Thus, obtaining enough pantothenic acid through our diets is not particularly hard, even for vegans and vegetarians. In fact, one of the richest pantothenic acid sources is shiitake mushrooms! As usual with the B-vitamins, pantothenic acid is abundantly found in meat and dairy products.
Shiitake Mushrooms: Rich Source of Vitamin B5
Shiitake mushrooms are one of the richest sources of vitamin B5, containing more than 100% of our daily value of vitamin B5 in a 100 gram portion of cooked shiitake mushrooms! Vitamin B5 is an incredibly important B-vitamin for one particular reason: it is required for the synthesis of coenzyme A (CoA). Coenzyme A (CoA) is used in practically every process that transforms the food we eat into usable energy.
Vitamin B5’s Vital Role in Energy Metabolism
It is particularly important in the citric acid cycle, which is a cycle we have now talked about multiple times already in this blog. When we discussed vitamin B1, we highlighted its importance in the first step of the citric acid cycle, which converts pyruvate to acetyl-CoA. Vitamin B1 is involved here because it acts as a cofactor for the enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase, which carries out this reaction. However, for this reaction to occur, we also need CoA, which we need vitamin B5 for. Thus, without vitamin B5, vitamin B1 can’t even complete its cofactor function with pyruvate dehydrogenase! CoA is also required at other stages of the citric acid cycle, and thus, the whole citric acid cycle is quite dependent on vitamin B5. This means that inadequate levels of vitamin B5 would drastically impact the way in which we convert food to usable energy.
Vitamin B6 | Pyridoxine | Neurotransmitter Synthesis, Mood & Cognition
Vitamin B6 is once again quite abundantly present throughout our diet. A unique attribute of vitamin B6, is that it is particularly high in various fruits, which is somewhat unique because not a lot of the other B-vitamins are found in fruits. When we think of fruits, we more often than not just think that they are a great source of vitamin C. Bananas are a particularly rich source of vitamin B6 though, so George Bluth Sr. was right when he said “there is always B6 in the banana stand!” or was that money? We forget, we haven’t watched ‘Arrested Development’ in a little while, so our memory is fuzzy! As is pretty much always the case with B-vitamins, vitamin B6 is also found abundantly in meats, particularly poultry and fish.
Vitamin B6 is found in relatively high levels in bananas, which is unique because the B-vitamins are not often found in significant amounts in fruits! Vitamin B6 is one of our favorite nootropic B-vitamins, because it acts as a cofactor in the production of various different neurotransmitters.
This is due to the fact that the enzyme, aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC), requires the active form of vitamin B6, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (P5P) as a cofactor. AADC is the enzyme that is responsible for the final stage in both serotonin and dopamine synthesis. Serotonin synthesis starts from a dietary amino acid called L-tryptophan, an amino acid which we also discussed in the vitamin B3 section, because L-tryptophan is also a precursor to niacin.
Vitamin B7 | Biotin | Hair, Skin & Nail Health
Vitamin B7 in Dietary Sources
It is again present in many different foods, and we only need very small amounts of it to satisfy our daily recommended intake. Thus, biotin is fairly easy to get from our diet, with avocados, sweet potatoes, nuts and of course, meats, being great sources of vitamin B7. Eggs are another great source of vitamin B7, but with a caveat. Raw eggs contain a protein called avidin, which strongly binds to biotin, and can actually lower biotin levels. It has been found that consumption of high levels of raw eggs for this reason can actually deplete biotin.
This protein is mostly denatured during cooking though, which means that cooked eggs are a good source of biotin. So with that in mind, don’t try to be a tough guy like Rocky Balboa, by starting your day off by chugging freshly cracked raw eggs, because you may just be depleting your biotin with that trick!
Cooking Eggs for Optimal Biotin Absorption
Eggs are a rich source of vitamin B7, providing about 10 micrograms of biotin per egg. Just make sure to properly cook your eggs in order to denature the biotin binding avidin protein! Biotin is perhaps most famous for its skin and hair effects. In fact, biotin actually used to be called vitamin H, in reference to the German word “haar und haut” which translates to hair and skin.
Biotin’s Impact on Hair and Skin: The Vitamin H Connection
It was discovered, due to investigations into the negative effects of consuming raw egg whites, with one of the first symptoms being thinning hair, and skin rashes. As we mentioned earlier, raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin, which strongly binds to biotin, leading to gradually declining levels of biotin. At the time when this was being investigated, in the 1930’s, we did not know what biotin was, but we certainly knew that consuming raw egg whites caused a slew of negative effects.
Since some of the first symptoms of raw egg white consumption are visually noticeable on our hair and skin, it is no surprise that this vitamin was first called vitamin H by the Hungarian biochemist Paul György. We haven’t mentioned this name yet in this blog, but Paul György was actually very important to the field of B-vitamin research and was also behind the discovery of vitamin B2 and B6!
Vitamin B9 | Folate | Methylation, Homocysteine Metabolism, Mood
Vitamin B9 in Plant-Based Diets
Vegans and vegetarians rejoice, because vitamin B9 is found predominantly in vegetables! In fact, research has shown that on average, vegans and vegetarians have amongst the best vitamin B9 status. In 1998 the FDA made it mandatory for folate to be added to enriched cereal grain products. With this in mind, if you eat a well-balanced diet which includes lots of vegetables and fortified grain products, you are more than likely getting plenty of vitamin B9! In fact, vitamin B9’s abundant presence in vegetables, and particularly leafly greens, also earned it its name folate/folic acid, based on the latin name “folium” which means leaf!
The Role of Vitamin B9 in Methylation and DNA Synthesis
Edamame beans are not only very fun to eat, but are one of the richest sources of vitamin B9, that’s a win-win in our books! Vitamin B9 is perhaps the most well known for its effects on methylation and RNA/DNA synthesis. Vitamin B9 plays a few key roles here, first and foremost, it helps transport single carbon groups which are necessary for DNA synthesis, these include methylene, methyl, and formyl groups. Most importantly, vitamin B9 is required for the synthesis of one of the main building blocks of DNA, thymidine. Additionally, vitamin B9 plays an important role in the repair of DNA, through its ability to transport methyl groups.
Vitamin B9’s Synergistic Effect with Vitamin B12
Vitamin B9 is also crucial for metabolizing homocysteine. This compound can cause a slew of negative health effects when its levels go unchecked, most notably producing cardiovascular and neurological abnormalities. Vitamin B9 helps metabolize homocysteine, which then yields L-methionine. This compound is crucial for the synthesis of the universal methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine. For this reaction however, another B-vitamin, vitamin B12 is required, thus, vitamin B9 and B12 have a highly synergistic effect!
Vitamin B12 | Cobalamin | Methylation, Energy & Cognition
Vegan Challenges and Vitamin B12 Sources
As we mentioned earlier in the blog, vitamin B12 is abundantly present in shellfish and other types of seafood, with clams being one of the richest sources of vitamin B12. That being said, plant sources of vitamin B12 are few and far between, and due to this, low vitamin B12 status is incredibly common amongst vegans and vegetarians. One interesting thing to note about vitamin B12 however, is that it is predominantly produced by bacteria, which includes bacteria that are commonly found in fermented foods. In fact, it appears that kombucha, a tea based beverage produced via bacterial and yeast fermentation, is a very rich source of vitamin B12! This does mean that vegans and vegetarians may be able to consume enough vitamin B12 by consuming fermented foods, yet in many western countries, this is not commonly done.
Fermented Foods: A Vegan Vitamin B12 Solution
A fermenting jar of kombucha, which is a surprisingly rich source of vitamin B12. Bacteria, such as those contained in the kombucha bacterial culture, have the ability to synthesize vitamin B12. This makes fermented foods a very interesting vegan source of vitamin B12! Vitamin B12 is perhaps one of the most well-known and hyped up B-vitamins in existence.
Vitamin B12’s Role in Energy Production
We can’t deny it, we are big fans of vitamin B12 too! In fact, we’ve carried a vitamin B12 supplement since day 1, called super B12. Pinpointing exactly what causes this energizing effect is somewhat hard, but it likely results from a combination of vitamin B12’s effect on the citric acid cycle, methylation and myelination. As we have become intimately familiar with during the course of this blog, the B-vitamins are incredibly important for turning food into energy. Vitamin B12 is no different, and pulls this trick off by acting as a cofactor for the enzyme methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, which converts methylmalonyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA, an important input of the citric acid cycle.
Also read our blog on L-Tyrosine
