Could your patients benefit from a super vitamin B complex for brain health and more?

A super vitamin B complex supplement is an excellent option for patients with mental health or cognitive issues who may also have …

If you ask your patients to name the B vitamins, odds are good that they will be able to name the “big three” associated with a super vitamin B complex – vitamin B6, folate (vitamin B9), and vitamin B12. These are the best known of the B vitamins, often due to the connection to folic acid and pregnancy.

Although it is certainly good for your patients to be taking these three B vitamins, they should also be getting adequate amounts of the other five. Interestingly, two of those remaining five B vitamins have been the subject of research into their effects on mental health. Both vitamin B3 (niacin) and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) play a vital role in brain health and proper cognitive function. Let’s take a closer look at these two vitamins associated with the super vitamin B complex and some of the research into the role they play in mental health and cognitive function.

Why is a super vitamin B complex supplement so important?

Before we look more closely at vitamins B3 and B5, let’s first talk a bit about the importance of all the B vitamins as a super vitamin B complex group. As a group, the B vitamins help enzyme activities needed for proper cellular function. Such activities can include producing and transporting oxygen and energy, as well as synthesizing amino acids that the cells use for certain biological reactions.¹ Many of these functions overlap, so it is important to ensure sufficient amounts of all the B vitamins. However, deficiencies in vitamins B3 and B5 are most closely linked with mental health and cognitive issues.^1,2

Niacin: Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3, otherwise known as niacin, performs several vital functions, including transferring the potential energy in carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which allows cells to store energy until it is needed. Niacin also plays a key role in a number of other functions that are related to the central nervous system, such as modulating inflammatory and immune responses, and reducing oxidative stress and DNA damage.^3,4 In terms of protecting against mood disorders, low levels of niacin may leave the body vulnerable to chronic inflammation and low serotonin levels, both of which play important roles in bipolar disorder and depression.⁴

Pantothenic acid: Vitamin B5

Pantothenic acid, better known as vitamin B5, is needed for producing red blood cells and adrenal hormones. In some instances, vitamin B5 may improve low blood sugar. Vitamin B5 deficiency can lead to numbness and burning in the hands and feet, fatigue, irritability, disturbed sleep, restlessness, and gastrointestinal issues.⁵ Interestingly, a 2020 study from the journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications published results appearing to show that deficits of vitamin B5 may also be linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found a link between lower vitamin B5 levels and damage in areas of the brain known to be linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.⁶

Both vitamins B3 and B5 are commonly found in animal food sources, a variety of nuts and seeds, and certain fortified foods such as breads, cereals, and pastas.

However, a super vitamin B complex supplement is an excellent option for patients with mental health or cognitive issues who may also have food allergies or sensitivities, or difficulty chewing or swallowing certain types of food. Regardless of their source, adequate levels of vitamins B3 and B5 are vital for optimal mental and brain health.

For more information on supplements for brain health, visit https://www.dclabs.com/search.php?search=vitamin+b12.

References

1. Kennedy DO. B vitamins and the brain: mechanisms, dose and efficacy–a review. Nutrients. 2016;8(2):68.
2. Mikkelsen K, Stojanovska L, Apostolopoulos V. The effects of vitamin B in depression. Current Medicinal Chemistry. 2016;23(38):4317-4337.
3. National Institutes of Health. Niacin: Fact sheet for health professionals. Updated Nov. 18, 2022. Accessed Jan. 2, 2023.
4. Gasperi V, Sibilano M, Savini I, Catani MV. Niacin in the central nervous system: An update of biological aspects and clinical applications. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2019;20(4):974.
5. National Institutes of Health. Pantothenic acid: Fact sheet for health professionals. Updated March 26, 2021. Accessed Jan. 2, 2023.
6. Xu J, Patassini S, Begley P, et al. Cerebral deficiency of vitamin B5 (d-pantothenic acid; pantothenate) as a potentially-reversible cause of neurodegeneration and dementia in sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 2020;527(3):676-681.