Health Articles > Health-supplements-and-vitamins > Vitamin B Tonic: The Facts

So why is vitamin B good for you? Well, that question is one that cannot simply be answered by saying it gives you energy, or is an antioxidant. There is more to the vitamin B story and some things you should know about the vitamin. - What is Vitamin B? The first thing to know about vitamin B is that it is a water-soluble vitamin and it also plays an important role in the metabolism of your cells. Early research of the vitamin concluded that vitamin B was one vitamin, much like vitamin C. However, we now know that vitamin B is chemically made up of distinct vitamins that coexist in some of the foods we eat. When a substance contains all the B vitamins it is known as a vitamin B complex. A vitamin B tonic would most likely have all the B vitamins as well. What are these B Vitamins? - B Vitamins include the following: - B1 (thiamine) - B2 (riboflavin) - B3 (niacin) - B5 (pantothenic acid) - B7 (biotin) - B9 (folic Acid) - B12 (cobalamin) So this means that all 7 of these vitamins will cover the entire B vitamin spectrum and a vitamin b tonic will contain most, or all of these B vitamins. What do these Vitamins do? - B1: Thiamin is essential for neural function and carbohydrate metabolism. - B2: Riboflavin is used for a number of cellular processes and plays a key role in the health of animals. - B3: Niacin plays a metabolic function in living cells, DNA repair and the production of steroid hormones in the adrenal gland. It is also used to flush the system of toxins. - B5: Pantothenic acid is required to sustain life and is essential for the breakdown and synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. - B6: Pyridoxine assists in the balance of sodium and potassium and also promotes red blood cell production. - B7: Biotin is necessary for cell growth and with the production of fatty acids. It also helps with the breakdown of fats and amino acids. - B9: Folic Acid is essential for the production and maintenance of new cells and will prevent anemia during a pregnancy. It is important for rapid cell growth. - B12: Cobalamin is needed for normal nerve cell activity, DNA replication and the production of SAMe which is a mood affecting substance. The Cobalamin family is actually several different vitamins all of which have a particular nutritional activity in preventing a vitamin deficiency disease. - Vitamin B Tonic: A vitamin B tonic is going to contain some or all of these B vitamins in a tonic form. A tonic is simply a medicine that strengthens and invigorates the body. So a vitamin B tonic will most likely contain thiamin (b1), nicotinamide (B3) with some caffeine (so it enters the blood stream faster) and possibly a mild stimulant. Vitamin B tonics could be the way to go if you are interested in getting essential B vitamins in a liquid form with some added pep and energy.