If you’re here, then you probably Google’d: vitamin b deficiency diseases.
Who Is At Risk?
Certain groups, such as older adults and pregnant women, are more at risk for vitamin B deficiencies. They need larger amounts of some types of vitamin B. Certain conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, HIV, and alcohol use disorder can prevent the body from absorbing B vitamins effectively, increasing the risk for deficiencies.
They can range from fatigue and confusion to anemia or a compromised immune system.
How Much To Get?
The answer depends on things including your age, your eating habits and medical conditions, and what medications you take.
What Is Vitamin B?
Vitamin B refers to several different types of vitamins that, together, are known as the B-complex vitamins.
Deficiencies in these B vitamins can lead to a number of different symptoms over time (if the deficiency isn’t reversed). Each of these eight B vitamins play important roles in the body. B vitamins are needed to drive the chemical reactions that support your body’s many functions.
For example, cells use B vitamins to generate energy from sugar, fatty acids, and other nutrients. B vitamins are water-soluble vitamins. In other words, they can dissolve in water – so excess B vitamins your body doesn’t use are washed out through urination, for example.
What Are B Vitamins?
B vitamins are important for making sure the body’s cells are functioning properly. There are eight types of B vitamin, each with their own function: thiamin (vitamin B-1)
riboflavin (vitamin B-2)
niacin (vitamin B-3)
pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5)
vitamin B-6
biotin (vitamin B-7)
folate (vitamin B-9)
vitamin B-12 Together, they are called the vitamin B complex. They may also have a deficiency if their body cannot absorb nutrients properly, or if their body eliminates too much of them due to certain health conditions or medications.