Signs you may need more B vitamins in your diet
Vitamins & Minerals

Signs you may need more B vitamins in your diet

3 minutes to read

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please reach out to a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle.

Unlike its term, Vitamin B Complex is pretty simple. The term B complex is commonly a mixture of eight B vitamins including Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Pyridoxine (B6), Biotin (B7), Folate/Folic Acid (B9) and Cyanocobalamin (B12).

Each play an essential role in maintaining a good health. It is important to remember you should be able to get the B vitamins you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. 

In this blog we will highlight the symptoms of vitamin B deficiency and the steps you can take to ensure you are getting your recommended daily intake. 

Tiredness and Fatigue

If you’re missing out on vitamin B12, your body might respond with various signs and symptoms including fatigue. Vitamin B12 and Folate assist with healthy red blood cell production which carry oxygen to your vital organs so when you are deficient in these vitamins, it’s not uncommon to feel wiped out no matter how much you snooze.²

Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is another key vitamin that plays a role in storing energy from protein and carbohydrates in food as well as forming haemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body.³

Tiredness is a common symptom amongst those who are lacking in B12, Folate & B6 so it’s important to ensure you are getting plenty of it through a varied diet. Good food sources for Vitamin B12 include meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, yeast extract (such as Marmite... or Vegemite for our Aussie fans) and specially fortified foods. Vitamin B6 can include wholegrain cereals, vegetables and soya beans. Folate is found in small amounts of many foods. Good sources include broccoli, brussel sprouts, leafy green vegetables and peas.⁴

Lack of Energy

To keep energy levels up, it’s important to eat a healthy balanced diet that’s full of energy sources. A common reason for a lack of energy could be because an absence of nutrients including Vitamin B1. Thiamin (Vitamin B1) breaks down and releases energy from food and like the other B vitamins, it also contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism. 

Common food sources of vitamin B1 include fortified breakfast cereal, enriched and whole-grain products (bread, breakfast cereals, rice, noodles, and flour), wheat germ, pork, trout, black beans, mussels, and tuna. 

Muscle & Nerve Weakness

As playing an essential role in the production of our red blood cells, DNA and the nervous system, without vitamin B our bodies can’t work as well. Another sign that you may not have enough vitamin B in your body is muscle and nerve weakness. Muscle weakness occurs when your body doesn’t have enough vitamin B12 to make red blood cells, which transport oxygen throughout your body. A lack of B12 also damages the myelin sheath that surrounds and protect nerves. Without this protection, nerves cease to function properly.⁶

Weakened Immune System

If you’ve noticed that you’re often sick, feel fatigued or have other nagging symptoms you can’t figure out, it may mean your immune system is weakened. [4] Please reach out to a qualified doctor for a diagnosis or treatment.

Vitamin B6 is an essential vitamin needed to maintain normal brain development and keeping the immune system healthy. It plays a role in a wide variety of functions in the body and is extremely versatile, with involvement in more than 100 enzyme reactions including gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis and immune function. [5]

Good food sources of vitamin B6 include pork, fish, bread, wholegrain cereals, eggs, vegetables, soya beans, peanuts and milk. [6]

Food supplements should not replace a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, however if you sometimes struggle to intake your daily recommended intake of vitamins and minerals, VÖOST can help fill in the gaps.

VÖOST Mega B complex can help contribute to normal energy yielding metabolism and helps relieve fatigue when consumed in recommended daily amounts.

VÖOST products have no sugar added*, no preservatives added, no added dairy, lactose or yeast and are simply added to 200ml of water and enjoyed.

Remember to always consult your healthcare professional before taking any supplements.

*Not applicable to Mega B Complex, Collagen, Multivitamin. Refer to product labels for more details.

References: 

  1. Link not found in article 

  2. NHS UK (2019) Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia - NHS (www.nhs.uk) 

  3. NHS UK (2020) Vitamins and minerals - B vitamins and folic acid - NHS (www.nhs.uk) 

  4. NHS UK (2020) Vitamins and minerals - B vitamins and folic acid - NHS (www.nhs.uk) 

  5. Link not found in article 

  6. West, H. (2017) 9 Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency (healthline.com) 

  7. National Institute of Health (2021) Vitamin B6 - Health Professional Fact Sheet (nih.gov) 

  8. NHS UK (2020) Vitamins and minerals - B vitamins and folic acid - NHS (www.nhs.uk)