What Is The Importance Of Vitamin B?

B vitamins are a collection of vitamins that have a variety of different functions in the body. They work both together and on their own to achieve these functions – of which some are: brain development and function, red blood cell production, immune system function and energy production. Today, our focus is on the effects that B vitamins have on the brain and nervous system function, also known as neurological function. The B vitamins primarily responsible for neurological function are B1, B2, B3, B6, B7, B9 and B12.

What Is The Most Important B Vitamin?

Vitamin B12 is arguably the most important vitamin. It is responsible for the maintenance of the ‘casing’ that surrounds nerves, like the plastic casing that surrounds electrical wire. These cases are made of what’s called myelin, allowing efficient and effective transmission of nerves from Place A to Place B in the body. The breakdown of myelin is what leads to neurological dysfunction and diseases mainly found in later life, like dementia and nerve disease. An example of neurological dysfunction that B12 deficient people experience is peripheral nerve neuropathy. 

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when there isn’t enough myelin around the nerve, which means the nerve becomes damaged, and the signals are unable to be passed from the spinal cord to other body parts properly. This is bad as it means that certain parts of the body can lose sensation, and the muscle in those areas starts to deteriorate. With age the brain shrinks, but vitamin B12 deficiency has been associated with speeding up this process. Deficiency in B12 increases the levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, which is what speeds up brain deterioration. In addition, a shortage of vitamin B12 can cause memory loss, depression and sometimes hallucinations due to the alteration of brain signal transmission.

However, it is thought that around 3.2% of adults over 50 have seriously low vitamin B12 levels, and up to 20% have borderline B12 deficiency. As well as the older population, vegetarians are at a higher risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency, because the most common sources are from animal produce. Other B vitamins can be found in plant sources, however the only non-meat source of vitamin B12 comes from some cereals that have been fortified with B12 to make it more available for non-meat eaters.

Are There Side Effects Of Vitamin B?

The recommended daily intake of vitamin B is 2.4mg in adults, 2.6mg in pregnant women, and 2.8mg for women who are breastfeeding. In some very rare cases, vitamin B12 can cause side effects, such as vomiting, headaches and nausea. Even rare is that some people can experience a very serious allergic reaction, which causes difficulty breathing and swallowing. For that reason, it is important to consult a medical professional before supplementing if you are worried about any potential side-effects.

B vitamins play a very important role in the body’s neurological function, nervous system function and brain function, so it’s vital that we are consuming enough sources of vitamin B in our everyday diet. Vegans and vegetarians may struggle with this more than usual, since B12 can be mostly found in animal products. In this case, supplements may be useful to ensure you’re consuming enough, but do make sure to consult your health provider before taking supplements. We hope this article has been helpful for you! If you do have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us – either by calling us on 0203 947 3222, by email at info@themayfairclinic.com or through our social channels!