Research Summary
This review summarizes the current knowledge on essential vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B5. These B-complex vitamins must be obtained from the diet, with the exception of vitamin B3, which can also be synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan. All of these vitamins are water-soluble, which determines their main properties. Specifically, they are partially lost when food is washed or boiled, as they migrate to the water; they require membrane transporters for their permeation into cells; and they are generally safe since any excess is rapidly eliminated via the kidneys.
The therapeutic use of B-complex vitamins is mostly limited to hypovitaminoses or similar conditions. However, due to their general safety, they have also been examined in other pathological conditions. Nicotinic acid, a form of vitamin B3, is the only exception, as it is known to be a hypolipidemic agent at gram doses.
The article also summarizes: (i) the current methods for detecting the B-complex vitamins in biological fluids; (ii) the food and other sources of these vitamins, including the effects of common processing and storage methods on their content; and (iii) their physiological functions.
Keywords: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, essential
<Access the full report below>