Important Tips on Taking B Vitamins

B vitamins are great for many things but be careful when you take them. Each B vitamin has its own benefits but today we are talking about the complex of B vitamins. Whenever you take an individual B vitamin be sure to take a complex as well to keep them balanced. My two favorite B-complexes are Methylcare by Metagenics and Basic B-Complex by Thorne Research. You can find them both through our website. Remember to come in to be muscle tested.

Quality is Queen

Make sure that if you are purchasing a B-complex or individual B vitamin outside our office that you know what to look for. If you are looking for a B12 or a complex with B12, choose Methylcobalamin and not Cyanocobalamin. If you are looking for folate or a complex with folate (it helps prevent neural tube defects in the babies of pregnant women), choose a methylated folate, like methyltetrahydrofolate, and not folic acid.

The Beauty of B’s

B vitamins help…

• Energy: Important for the release of stored glucose to give your body fuel needed for physical and mental activity.
• Mood: Many people have an inability to convert some B vitamins that are added to food into the active form that is needed by the body. These people may have anxiety, ADD, OCD, or other emotional and neurological issues. In these cases make sure to take a methylated form and watch the dose carefully or be under my care or the care of a functional medicine practitioner who is educated on this subject.
• Focus: They are good for cognitive function and alertness. Just like previously stated, make sure it is a methylated version to ensure the best chance of getting the best results.

The Bane of B’s

There are three things to be aware of when you take B vitamins.

1. It can make you feel nauseous when taken on an empty stomach.
2. It can cause sleep disturbances when taken too close to bedtime.
3. It can turn your urine bright orange. This doesn’t mean you are losing the supplements, it’s just a chemical reaction to be aware of and there is no need to freak out.

So take your B’s, but make sure you take them when it serves you best.

B smart,

Dr. Stacey