Do you wonder why doctors always advise you to eat a balanced diet? For example, you enjoy pineapple chicken, and it is healthy and good for you. So why can’t you just live off eating what you enjoy?
There are varieties of nutrients in food that serve as the building blocks for good health, and these nutrients are not all found in the same type of food. Take the case of vitamin B. This vitamin is a key player in keeping you energized and in maintaining cell health.
Vitamin B comes in different forms, and different foods contain them. For example, B7, B9, B1 and B2 are found in fruits and vegetables, while the majority of B12 is contained in dairy products and meat.
Health problems may arise from deficiencies in any of the forms of vitamin B. Symptoms of deficiencies are linked to the type of the B vitamin you lack. Some possible symptoms include confusion, fatigue, anemia, skin rashes, and a compromised immune system.
Larger amounts of some types of vitamin B are needed by pregnant women and older people. Poor absorption of vitamin B is linked to different kinds of diseases such as alcoholism, Crohn’s disease, HIV and Celiac disease.
There are two ways to prevent a deficiency in vitamin B from affecting your overall health: eat a balanced diet rich in B vitamins or take supplements containing the type of vitamin B you lack.
Preventing Deficiency
Getting enough B vitamins means staying healthy. Many people may not need to take supplements in order to get all the nutrients they need. If you belong to this group of people, there are plenty of delicious foods available like grains, meats, vegetables and fruits that naturally contain these vitamins. So as long as you maintain a balanced diet where the food supply is rich in vitamins and minerals (coming from soils that have not been depleted of these key nutrients), there is no need for taking supplements.
You can prevent deficiency of these vitamins by taking a B-complex supplement following the advice of your doctor. Vitamin B supplements are mostly needed by people over the age of 50 or pregnant women. However, some people cannot process one or more B vitamins from food rich in the nutrient, and for these people B vitamin supplementation is essential. Vitamin B is water soluble, so there is a low risk of overdose, but some people may experience side effects when taking supplements.
If you feel you are experiencing symptoms that come from a lack of vitamin B, contact your doctor. A blood test or physical examination can determine whether or not you need a good vitamin B supplement.
Reference:
http://www.healthline.com/health/symptoms-of-vitamin-b-deficiency#Preventingdeficiency7