B vitamins benefit, proper dosage, RDA guidelines and health benefits, what is the right daily dosage, is there a risk of taking too much?
A discussion of benefit for mood support, energy enhancement and wellbeing and to reduce the risk for dementia

B vitamins are involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions in the body. These nutrients are very popular and found in all multivitamins and are sold either as individual vitamins or as part of a formula. You can find them in an excellent doctor-formulated multivitamin product. They help in energy production and deficiencies lead to fatigue and poor mental functioning. The increased consumption of refined foods has decreased the amounts of B vitamins present in our diet. However, on the positive note, small amounts of B vitamins are regularly added to some food products, such as cereals.
   The question of whether supplementation is necessary in healthy individuals who have a normal diet has been debated ever since vitamins were discovered. The results of several studies over the past few years have influenced our decision in favor of low dose supplementation.

B Vitamins and coenzymes
For otherwise healthy individuals, supplementation with one to three times the recommended daily allowance is suggested. Higher dosages may be required for individuals with medical, psychiatric, or neurological disorders.

Thiamin Cocarboxylase
Riboflavin Flavin Mono Nucleotide
Niacin Nicotinamide NADH. You can buy a
NADH supplement.
Pantothenic acid product as part of a B complex supplement. Pantothene
Pyridoxine Pyridoxal Phosphate
Biotin
Cyanocobalamin  Dibencozide also known as B12

B Vitamins and their coenzymes
A B vitamin supplement is an inexpensive and safe way to improve your wellbeing and overall cognitive abilities. We recommend the Bs to those who wish to improve their mood, mental clarity, and energy. The effects are subtle, especially in the young who normally have adequate dietary intake of these nutrients. Improvements in cognitive functions from the B vitamins are particularly noticeable in middle age individuals and the elderly. Most of the B complex products contain too high doses. Two to five times the RDA is sufficient for most purposes. This page reviews coenzymes, the new, more activated forms of the B vitamins—and make recommendations on how to reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid derivative that can be harmful to the cardiovascular and neurological system when present in excess.

Coenzymated B Vitamin Complex
B Vitamin coenzyme is an activated and more powerful form of Vitamin B complex.

Supplement Facts:
Amount Per Serving
Vitamin C 9 mg
Thiamin 6 mg - Coenzymated B vitamin 1
Riboflavin 6 mg -  Coenzymated B vitamin 2
Niacin 20 mg (from inositol 34 mg, niacinamide ascorbate 30 mg, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide 10 mg [Coenzymated])
Vitamin B 6 5 mg from 15 mg pyridoxal -5-phosphate Coenzymated
Folate (as folic acid) 200 mcg
Vitamin B12 340 mcg from 1 mg dibencozide Coenzymated
Biotin 75 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 13 mg as calcium D-Pantothenate
Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) 6 mg
Inositol hexanicotinate 4 mg

Benefits
Since B vitamins and their coenzymes play important metabolic roles in numerous biochemical reactions throughout the body, they can influence just about every aspect of brain and physical health. As a rule, individuals who take them notice improvements in:

Mood and energy level
Alertness
Learning and memory
Speed of thinking
Verbal fluency
Concentration and focus
Visual clarity

Which clinical conditions do they benefit?
Because of their wide range of effects, B vitamins and their coenzymes can potentially be helpful in:
Elevated homocysteine levels since they are able to lower the levels of this potential toxin
Depression natural treatment can be helped in some people
Age related cognitive decline may be partially offset by the use of these natural pills
Anxiety disorders and stress may be slightly alleviated by the use of these natural pills
Chronic fatigue may be improved by a good natural source
Alzheimer’s disease has many causes but it is possible that a low dose complex could be helpful
Parkinson’s disease  has many causes but it is possible that a low dose B vitamin complex could be of benefit

Dementia prevention and treatment
Daily tablets of large doses of B vitamins can halve the rate of brain shrinkage in elderly people with memory problems and may slow their progression toward dementia,, Scientists from Oxford University said their two-year clinical trial was the largest to date into their effect on so-called "mild cognitive impairment" -- a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. David Smith of Oxford's department of pharmacology, co-led the trial. he said, "It is our hope that this simple and safe treatment will delay development of Alzheimer's in many people who suffer from mild memory problems." Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) affects around 16 percent of people aged over 70 worldwide and is characterized by slight problems with memory loss, language or other mental functions. MCI does not usually interfere with daily life, but around 50 percent of people diagnosed with it go on to develop the far more severe Alzheimer's disease within five years.

Heart disease, studies are conflicting
Two studies released this week reach contradictory conclusions on the value of B vitamins and folic acid (or folate in its naturally occurring form) in reducing the risks of heart disease. In the first study, Japanese researchers wanted to know if folate and vitamins B6 and B12 in the diet would have any affect on deaths due to heart disease. Using data from the large observational Japan Collaborative Cohort Study, Dr. Renzhe Cui and colleagues calculated the nutrients eaten daily by 23,119 men and 35,611 women by analyzing their answers given in food "frequency" questionnaires. After 14 years of follow-up, 3815 deaths related to heart disease were recorded in the study population of 58,730: 986 from stroke, 424 from coronary heart disease, 318 from heart failure, and 2087 from cardiovascular disease. The results suggested that eating a diet high in folate and vitamin B6 was associated with reduced risk of death from heart failure in men and with reduced risk of death from stroke, coronary heart disease, and cardiovascular disease in women. In the American Heart Association's journal Stroke, the researchers conclude that greater folate and vitamin B6 in the diet may be useful in preventing cardiovascular disease. Dr. Steven Woloshin of Dartmouth University's Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice questions the validity of such a claim, because of the study's design. Stroke, April, 2010. American Journal of Cardiology, 2010

Mood improvement
There can be cognitive improvements. Back in 1995, Dr. D. Benton and colleagues, from the University College Swansea, in Great Britain, gave ten times the recommended daily allowance of nine vitamins (mostly the B vitamins) to healthy college students (Benton 1995). The study lasted for one year. The students reported improvement in mood and feeling more agreeable. There was also an improvement in cognitive functioning, especially in regards to concentration. 

Understanding Coenzymes
In the past few years, many of the B vitamins have become available in their more activated forms known as coenzymes. For instance, niacin is now available in a coenzyme form known as NADH. An enzyme is basically a protein that promotes chemical changes in other substances, itself remaining unchanged in the process. A coenzyme is a substance that facilitates or is necessary for the action of an enzyme. The brain, just like a car, needs fuel. Our primary source of fuel is through fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in the diet. After digestion in the stomach, foodstuffs are absorbed into the bloodstream and circulate to various tissues and cells where they are broken down into even smaller particles. One of these particles is a two-carbon molecule known as acetyl. Enzymes help break down these fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into acetyl and they then help extract the final energy from acetyl through a process called the Krebs cycle, named after the German biochemist who defined it. This energy is in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Enzymes also need helpers, and these helpers are called coenzymes. Most of the coenzymes in the body are partly made from vitamins, such as vitamins E, C, lipoic acid, and riboflavin.

The coenzyme form often has a significantly more powerful effect. The coenzyme forms are an exciting addition to the field of nutrition. It is quite possible that the elderly or certain individuals with a particular biochemical deficiency may not be able to make adequate amounts of the coenzyme forms despite adequate intakes of the individual B vitamins. Hence, the coenzyme forms should be seriously considered in those who do not respond to the regular B vitamins. Some companies include most of the Bs in their coenzyme form together in one pill. These products deserve serious consideration, especially for their use in the middle aged and the elderly.

RDA
Mind Boosters book mentions finding a B-vitamin that has 2 to 5 times the RDA amount for B vitamins. I have looked all over the place for B-complexes with these amounts and have come up short. Do you have any name brands or generic brands that you could refer me to with these amounts. Most on the market seem to be B-50 or B-100 or B-25 but nothing of the lower dose.
   Yes, it's hard to find a B complex that's reasonable in its content. You may consider getting a multivitamin complex that has 1-5 times the RDA, or, get a B-25 and take about a quarter of a pill or only take it 2 or three times a week.

The Individual B Vitamins and Their Coenzymes:

Thiamin B1 is necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids to adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary source of energy in the human body. Thiamin is found in good amounts in milk, lean pork, legumes, rice bran, and the germ of cereal grains, but is lost during food processing and cooking. The current recommended daily allowance (RDA) by government advisory panels is about 1.5 mg.
   Studies indicate that supplementation with thiamin provides cognitive benefits. Dr. Benton and colleagues gave 50 mg of thiamin daily to young adult females for a period of two months (Benton 1997). The women reported being more clearheaded, composed, and energetic. The taking of thiamin had no influence on memory but reaction times were faster following supplementation. Prior to taking the thiamin, the women had normal blood levels of this vitamin.
   Researchers at Princess Margaret Hospital in Christchurch, New Zealand, measured thiamin levels in elderly individuals before giving them 10 mg of the vitamin a day. Only the subjects with low thiamin concentrations showed benefits. They had an improvement in quality of life with more energy and deeper sleep, along with decreased blood pressure and weight.
   Thiamin is now sold in its coenzyme form called cocarboxylase or thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP). Human studies giving TPP to evaluate cognitive functioning have not yet been published.

Riboflavin B2 is a yellow-colored nutrient involved in dozens of metabolic pathways leading to energy production and the making of fatty acids and sterols. Good sources are lean meats, eggs, milk, some vegetables and enriched cereals. The recommended daily intake is about 1.5 mg. You may notice your urine turning a deeper yellow color after taking riboflavin. Riboflavin is part of two larger activated coenzymes known as flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN). FMN is now available as a supplement. One product contains 25 mg of FMN per pill. Human studies giving FAD or FMN in order to evaluate cognitive functioning have not yet been published.

Niacin B3, also known as nicotinamide and nicotinic acid, plays essential roles in a large number of energy pathways. Perhaps as many as 200 enzymes are dependent on this nutrient. Nicotinamide is part of the coenzyme known as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), which is sold as a supplement. I will discuss NADH later in this chapter since several studies have been published regarding this coenzyme. Good sources of niacin are meats, legumes, fish, and some nuts and cereals. The recommended daily intake is about 15 to 20 mg.

Vitamin B3 overdose
Niacin pills in high doses are sometimes taken by people to pass a urine drug test. However this method does not work and could produce severe side effects. University of Pennsylvania doctors discuss four individuals who took several niacin pills to try to beat their impending drug screening tests. Emergency room doctors discovered these individuals had liver toxicity, heart palpitations, skin reactions, nausea, dizziness and vomiting.

B6
Marginal vitamin B-6 deficiency decreases mean RBC glutathione synthesis with no effect on RBC glutathione concentration, but the responses vary widely among individuals. Because the cysteine concentration in plasma and RBC does not change during vitamin B-6 restriction, the effects of marginal vitamin B-6 deficiency on glutathione synthesis are not caused by altered precursor concentrations.

Today in my local paper I read that excessive doses of pyroxidine Hcl over protracted periods of time can cause serious damage to the nervous system. The paper said for a person like myself (female 31 yrs) I should be getting 1.3 mg a day.
   B6 may cause problems in doses greater than 50 or 100 mg when taken over several months, but it is unlikely that lower doses cause any immediate or significant problems.

Folate rich foods
Foods that are rich in B vitamins and folate include beans, lentils, potatoes, peanuts, spinach, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and some fruits such as bananas, strawberries, and oranges.
Folic acid food source. Folic acid is found in a doctor formulated multivitamin supplement called MultiVit Rx.

Recommendations and review
All of the B vitamins are important and supplementation would probably benefit most everyone. For healthy individuals, taking one to three times the RDA would be sufficient. You will find B complex supplements that say B50 or B100 on the label. This means that many, such as thiamin and riboflavin, are found in dosages of 50 or 100 mg per pill. The RDA for thiamin and riboflavin is about 1.5 mg. The average, healthy person does not need to take these high dosages.

Can you direct me to a web site that has natural healing information and more research data?
    Yes, please see
Index of Supplements and Herbs by a medical doctor and also this site
supplements and herbal information that discusses the benefits and their side effects.

Triple Boost formula
Would a product called
Triple Boost that contains B vitamins help with energy levels?
    Yes, it could. Another option is Coenzymated B Complex. Click Vitamin B complex for more information.

Testimonial
I would like to share with you my own personal experience with this illness. Around the time I hit puberty I began experiencing manic / depressive states of mind with recurring half-hearted attempts at suicide that I really didn't want to commit--I just wanted to be out of the pain of mind I experienced. My friends all thought I was a "schitzo" as they put it, because of the manic state, and then I would withdraw and they would just accuse me of having a big "pity party", in the depressed state. It made me lose many friendships. I eventually married, had 7 children, all the while going through this illness. I was examined by many doctors, some of whom prescribed things like Valium, Prozac, etc., none of which worked very well, and left me with unlivable side effects, over the course of the years. Mostly I just tried to control it by sheer will power, since my husband was an over-the-road truck driver, leaving me with the sole care of the children. He was also an alcoholic, so I knew if I didn't "keep it together" he would never be responsible for the children--he would just run away and drink, and the children would probably be put in foster care. Somewhere in the late 1990's I went through menopause, experiencing the usual hot flashes and not enjoying it. A friend who was also a natural foods enthusiast had come across progesterone cream, which she recommended to me. I started using it and it cured the hot flashes. To my surprise it also cured the mood swings. But I started having extremely heavy menstrual periods every other week, lasting for 5-7 days, and started to think I was just bleeding to death! I mentioned all this to another older friend who had been very skeptical of the progesterone to begin with. She said she would never use such stuff! so I asked what she had done to alleviate the menopause symptoms when she went through it and she just snorted and said "Oh, I just upped my B-vitamins and I was fine!!" I was really skeptical, but a few weeks later the heavy periods had me so scared I quit using the progesterone. Immediately the mood swings became nearly unbearable. So I went to WalMart, knowing from previous research and experience, that the B-vitamins have to be taken in a " complex" form, in natural balance with each other, or they eventually cause a backlash of other symptoms because they have to balance each other. I bought the Super B-complex and started taking 2 or 3 tablets, but didn't see any effect. Since they are water-soluble and flush out of the body in the time it takes to digest food, I knew I couldn't really overdose. So I upped the amount until I was taking 6 tablets each morning and 6 tablets each night. The easiest way to know whether one is getting enough or not is to check one's urine 12 hours later. If it's clear by then you know you need more B tablets. If it's still bright yellow you have enough in your system already so the body is flushing out the excess. Okay---not only did the menopause symptoms stop immediately and I never had another hot flash, but the most thrilling part was my manic depression also stopped immediately!!! I thought it was just coincidence and experimented with the dosage to see what would happen. If I stop taking them completely, within 24 hours I'm sinking into deep depression, and by somewhere between there and 36 hours I'm suicidal. So, since then I've taken B-complex every morning and every night. And had no more problems with manic/depression. I'm a calm happy person, thinking clearly, and have lots of energy despite having hypoglycemia. There are no side effects that I have ever discovered. The interesting thing about all this is that I've recommended this massive B-complex therapy to many other women and seen the same great results! It makes me want to somehow get on national television and tell every woman and every depressed person in the U.S. and the world to at least try it for a couple weeks and see if it makes a difference!! The one problem I have seen with a few people is that the B's make them nauseated. I have found that with some, if they take them with liberal amounts of kefir, it seems to alleviate the nausea. There have been two women who just could not take them. I wish there were a source that could be obtained other than from yeast. If you know of one, please let me know so I can recommend that brand. Thank you for taking the time to read this---I sincerely hope it helps thousands of other sufferers like I was.

    We found your experience very interesting and appreciate you taking the time to write about it, we will keep this in mind to treat others with similar conditions. Perhaps they can be taken at a lesser dosage 3 times a day to reduce nausea? please keep us updated with your interesting findings we wish you optimal healing.

Last year I had some health issues with numbness, tingling etc. Doctors had no idea so I started taking vitamin b complex. Within 1 week it was gone and I felt better. Shortly after that I started taking T7 by Cellucor to help lose weight. At the time I was having sensitivity to caffeine, after 2 weeks on T7 by Cellucor the sensitvity was gone. I resumed drinking coffee. In Dec. of this past year I started taking Recreate to help with some fat loss. Recreate was working but I started feeling nausea everyday, pressure in my head, dizziness too. It lasted for weeks. Both products supposedly stimulate your thyroid so that made me think something is wrong there. I went to my Endocrinologist and told him the story and was checked out. All bloodwork was normal, everything. I then took it into my own hands and decided that the T7 worked to straighten me out before so I tried it again. After 1 week my dizziness, nausea and head pressure were gone. My question is why? I told my Endocrine Dr. about this and he dismissed it saying it was impossible. But obviously I knew he was wrong. I am attaching photos of the two products. Will you please enlighten me if you can. I am not looking for a diagnosis, I already had one. I just want some help in possibly understanding what happened.
    We are not familiar with these two products.

B Vitamins and Coenzymes , by Ray Sahelian M.D., B vitamin, vitamin b information, b complex