The Importance of B Vitamins

September 16-20 is National Malnutrition Awareness Week. You may be thinking, "Why is she blogging about malnutrition from a weight loss practice?". Malnutrition in the Standard American Diet often stems from a reliance on processed and fast foods, which are high in calories but low in essential nutrients. Despite the abundance of food available, many people face "hidden hunger," lacking vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This can lead to deficiencies in key nutrients which contribute to chronic health issues like obesity, heart disease, poor immune function, and poor bone health, to name a few. Each day this week we will be discussing common nutrient deficiencies in the American diet. Next up: B Vitamins.

These vitamins play a big role in keeping our body working properly, but many people in the U.S. don't get enough of them. Let's dive into why that is and what we can do about it!

What Is Vitamin B?

Vitamin B isn’t just one vitamin—it’s a family of eight! Each of them has a different job. Here’s a quick look:

• B1 (Thiamine): Helps turn food into energy.

• B2 (Riboflavin): Keeps our skin and eyes healthy.

• B3 (Niacin): Helps digestion and keeps nerves working.

• B5 (Pantothenic Acid): Helps make blood cells and turn food into energy.

• B6: Important for brain development.

• B7 (Biotin): Great for hair, skin, and nails.

• B9 (Folate): Helps make DNA and is especially important for pregnant women.

• B12: Important for nerves and red blood cells.

Why Are People Missing Out on Vitamin B?

A lot of people in the U.S. follow the Standard American Diet (also called SAD), which is high in processed foods and low in the vitamins and nutrients our bodies need. Processed foods are things like chips, sugary cereals, fast food, and other items that don’t contain many natural ingredients. When we eat these foods too often, we miss out on healthy choices like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats.

These healthier options are packed with Vitamin B, but when we don’t eat enough of them, we can become deficient—or not have enough of these vitamins in our bodies.

How Does a Vitamin B Deficiency Affect You?

Without enough Vitamin B, people can experience all kinds of problems. For example:

• Feeling tired: Vitamin B helps your body turn food into energy, so without it, you might feel tired all the time.

• Weak muscles: Some B vitamins, like B12, help keep your muscles and nerves strong. Without it, you might feel weak.

• Mood changes: B vitamins are good for brain health, so not getting enough can make you feel sad or grumpy.

• Skin problems: Since some B vitamins help keep your skin healthy, not having enough might lead to dry or irritated skin.

How Can You Get More Vitamin B?

The good news is it’s easy to get enough Vitamin B if you choose the right foods. Here are some foods that are rich in Vitamin B:

• Whole grains (like brown rice and oats)

• Leafy green vegetables (like spinach and kale)

• Meats and eggs

• Beans and lentils

• Nuts and seeds

If you feel like you’re not getting enough Vitamin B from food alone, some people take a daily multivitamin or a B-complex supplement, which has all the different B vitamins. When choosing a supplement, it is important to choose a practitioner grade supplement so that you know that the ingredients have been tested by a third party. This ensures that you are getting what you are paying for. You can use my link: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/balancedlifehealthandwellness

Check back with us tomorrow, we will be taking on Iron and Folic Acid deficiencies.