Vitamin B: Group of 8 related Nutrients (Part-2)

Hello Friends!

Today we will talk about Vitamin B. As we all know that Vitamin B is group of 8 related nutrients. Vitamin B is soluble in water and plays an important role in cell metabolism. Let’s talk about Vitamin B in detail.

Vitamins	Chemical Name	Deficiency Diseases	Sources
Vitamin B₁	Thymine	Beriberi, Korsakoff Syndrome and Wernicke Encephalo- -pathy	Ground Nut, Rap seed, Dried Chilli, Pulses, Liver Oil, Egg and Vegetables
Vitamin B₂	Riboflavin	Cracking of Skin, Reddish Eye, Cracking of Tongue, Migraine	Meat, Green Vegetables, Milk, Eggs, Beans and Legumes, Nuts and Seeds
Vitamin B₃	Nico- -tinamide or Niacin	Whitening of Hair, Mentally Retardness, Pellagra	Meat, Milk, Nut, Tomato, Sugarcane

(Also Read: Vitamins an Essential Nutrients)

1. Vitamin B_1:

Functions:

1. Vitamin B₁also known as Thiamine helps the body cells to change carbohydrates into energy.

2. It plays an important role in muscle contraction and conduction of nerve signals.

3. It is essential for the metabolism of Pyruvate.

Deficiency Diseases:

1. Beriberi: This disease is caused due to deficiency of Vitamin B1. Beriberi is usually caused by poor diet and alcoholism. Beriberi is of two types:

(a) Wet Beriberi: It affects the heart and circulatory system and can cause heart failure.

(b) Dry Beriberi: It damages the nerves and can lead to decreased muscle strength and muscle paralysis.

2. Wernicke Encephalopathy: It causes brain damage in lower parts of brain called thalamus and hypothalamus. Symptoms:

(a) Loss of muscle coordination

(b) Confusion and Loss of Mental activity

3. Korsakoff Syndrome: It results from permanent damage to areas of brain involved with memory. Symptoms:

(a) Inability to form new memories

(b) Making up stories

(d) Hallucination (Seeing or Hearing things that are really not there)

Symptoms of Vitamin B₁ deficiency:

1. Loss of appetite

2. Pain in limbs

3. Weakness

4. Shortness of breath

5. Swollen feet or legs

6. Muscle Coordination problem

7. Fast Heart Rate

8. Sensation of Pins and Needles

Tests to diagnose deficiency of Vitamin B₁:

1. Thiamine Loading Test

2. Blood Test

3. Urine Test

Who is at higher risk of Vitamin B₁ deficiency?

1. Alcoholic people

2. Old age

3. HIV/AIDS

4. Diabetes

5. Dialysis

6. Bariatric Surgery

7. High dose diuretic use

Daily intake of Vitamin B₁:

Age	Daily Intake
0-6 months	0.2 mg
7-12 months	0.3 mg
1-3 years	0.5 mg
4-8 years	0.6 mg
9-13 years (boys)	0.9 mg
9-13 years (girls)	0.9 mg
14 years or above (men)	1.2 mg
14 years or above (women)	1 mg

Factors associated with too much consumption of Vitamin B₁:

1. Nausea

2. Gastrointestinal problems

3. Constipation

4. Diarrhea

5. Hair Loss

6. Rashes

7. Nerve Damage

Drug Interaction with Vitamin B₁:

Vitamin B₁ (Thiamine) has no serious interactions with drugs.

2. Vitamin B₂:

Functions:

1. It is also known as Riboflavin. It helps to break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

2. It plays vital role in maintaining body’s energy supply.

3. It converts carbohydrates into Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). The human body produces ATP from food and ATP produces energy as the body requires it.

Deficiency Diseases:

1. Cracking of Skin: It results in cracking of skin around the nose and mouth, skin rash etc.

2. Reddish Eye

3. Cracking of Tongue

4. Migraine

5. Hyperemia (Excess Blood)

6. Edema of Mouth and Throat

7. Angular Stomatitis (Lesions at the corners of the mouth)

Symptoms of Deficiency of Vitamin B₂:

1. Weakness or Fatigue

2. Change in mood

3. Soreness of throat

4. Skin cracking

5. Dermatitis

6. Anemia

7. Hair Loss

8. Reproductive Problems

Tests to diagnose deficiency of Vitamin B₂:

By measuring Urinary Excretion of Riboflavin

Who is at higher risk of Vitamin B₂deficiency?

1. Over dieting

2. Abusing Alcohol

3. Liver disorder

4. Kidney Dialysis

5. Old Age People

Daily intake of Vitamin B₂:

Men	1.3 mg
Women	1.1 mg

Note: A higher dose of 3 mg/day can help to prevent cataracts. Higher doses up to 400 mg can be used to treat migraine.

Factors associated with too much consumption of Vitamin B₂:

Liver Damage

Drug Interaction and Vitamin B₂:

Riboflavin does not interact with other drugs. Try to avoid alcohol while taking riboflavin. Pregnant woman should not take more than 1.4 mg of riboflavin a day and recommended daily intake of Riboflavin for breastfeeding women is 1.6 mg.

3. Vitamin B_3:

Functions:

1. It is also known as Niacin and it is an important nutrient.

2. Its main function is to lower cholesterol, ease arthritis and boost functioning of brain.

3. It plays important role in digestive system and supports the functioning of more than 200 enzymes in the body.

Deficiency Diseases:

1. Whitening of Hair

2. Mentally retardness

3. Diarrhea

4. Dementia (a group of thinking and social symptoms that interferes with daily functioning)

5. Pellagra: This disease causes inflamed skin, sores in mouth. Areas of skin exposed to sunlight are affected first.

Symptoms of Vitamin B₃:

1. Fatigue

2. Headaches

3. Anxiety

4. Dizziness

5. Poor Circulation

6. Unexplained digestive problems

7. Inability to concentrate

8. Cellular changes leads to cancer in women

Tests to diagnose deficiency of Vitamin B₃:

1. CBC (Complete Blood Count Test)

2. Serum Test

3. ECG

4. Stool Test

5. Urine Test

Daily Intake of Vitamin B₃:

Age	Daily Intake
0-6 months	2 mg
7-12 months	4 mg
1-3 years	6 mg
4-8 years	8 mg
9-13 years	12 mg
14 years and above (Men)	16 mg
14 years and above (Women)	14 mg

Note: A pregnant woman needs 18 mg and lactating women needs 17 mg daily intake of Vitamin B₃.

Who is at higher risk of Vitamin B₃ deficiency?

1. Alcoholism

2. Digestive system order

3. Prolonged treatment with tuberculosis drug

Factors associated with too much consumption of Vitamin B₃:

1. Liver problem

2. Gout

3. Ulcers in digestive tract

4. Loss of Vision

5. High blood Sugar

6. Irregular Heart Beat

Drug Interaction and Vitamin B₃:

Blood thinning medicines can interact with Vitamin B₃. Consuming alcohol with niacin might increase the chances of liver damage. Taking larger amount of niacin might increase the chances of liver damage. Taking large amount of niacin might worsen gout. Taking niacin with low blood pressure medications can cause blood pressure too low. Long term use of niacin may increase blood sugar.

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Vitamin B: Group of 8 related Nutrients (Part-2)