How Much To Get?
Who Is At Risk?
Certain groups, such as older adults and pregnant women, are more at risk for vitamin B deficiencies. 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. Skin rashes also can occur.
To treat a B vitamin deficiency, your doctor will likely recommend that you take supplements or increase your intake of certain foods that contain the target vitamin. Summary Older adults, pregnant women, and people with certain health conditions are more likely to have vitamin B deficiencies.
What Is Vitamin B?
Vitamin B refers to several different types of vitamins that, together, are known as the B-complex vitamins.
There are 8 kinds of vitamins in the vitamin B complex: thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folate (B9, also known as folic acid), and cobalamin (B12). So without B-complex vitamins, the human body could not function well at all.
What Are B Vitamins?
Many people can get enough B vitamins by eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods.
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.