Archive for February 1st, 2010
The B vitamins are eight water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism. Historically, the B vitamins were once thought to be a single vitamin, referred to as vitamin B (much as people refer to vitamin C or vitamin D). Later research showed that they are chemically distinct vitamins that often coexist in the same foods. Supplements containing all eight are generally referred to as a vitamin B complex. Individual B vitamin supplements are referred to by the specific name of each vitamin (e.g. B1, B2, B3 etc).
~ Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
~ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
~ Vitamin B3 (niacin and nicotinamide)
~ Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
~ Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine)
~ Vitamin B7 (biotin), also known as vitamin H
~ Vitamin B9 (folic acid), also, vitamin M
~ Vitamin B12 (various cobalamins; commonly cyanocobalamin in vitamin supplements)