Fight fatigue with B complex vitamins

While these vital nutrients don’t provide the energy surge you get from stimulants like caffeine, they help boost your energy levels in less direct ways.

The important role they play in your metabolism supports energy production, and they help fight fatigue through their role in red blood cell production and nervous system support.

B complex vitamins act as coenzymes in energy metabolism² as they are involved in converting food into energy and supporting adrenal function³. 

These water-soluble vitamins are essential coenzymes involved in numerous metabolic pathways, particularly in the production and utilisation of energy from the carbohydrates, proteins and fats we consume. 

These pathways, such as the Krebs cycle, are responsible for generating ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the body’s primary energy currency.  

Essentially, they enable the chemical reactions that extract energy from the food we consume.

The primary B vitamins contributing to energy production include:

• Vitamin B1: Thiamine plays a central role in carbohydrate metabolism, facilitating the conversion of glucose into energy, and helps synthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell’s primary energy source.

• Vitamin B2: Riboflavin plays a role in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, supporting the conversion of these macronutrients into energy.

• Vitamin B3: Niacin supports the process that converts food into ATP.

• Vitamin B5: Pantothenic acid is a critical component of coenzyme A (CoA), which the body needs to break down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins for energy.

• Vitamin B7: Biotin is involved in various enzymatic reactions that support the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into usable energy.

Vitamins B6, B9, and B12 are particularly important for the formation of red blood cells¹, which carry oxygen throughout the body. This role makes it vital for energy production in muscle cells and for preventing fatigue¹.

Vitamin B12 is necessary for red blood cell maturation in the bone marrow⁴ while vitamin B9 (folate) plays a vital role in DNA synthesis⁵, which is necessary for cell growth and division.

Vitamin B6 contributes to the formation of haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, as well as the synthesis of heme iron, which is an important component of haemoglobin.

Without sufficient B vitamins, these metabolic and biological processes become less efficient, which can lead to fatigue and other health problems.

A balanced diet rich in B complex vitamins is the key to supporting these functions and feeling more energised. 

Foods that contain B vitamins include beef, fish, poultry, dairy and eggs while grains, seeds, legumes, nuts, yeast, leafy green vegetables, mushrooms, cauliflower, and citrus fruits are suitable plant sources.

You can also give your body a B complex boost with a comprehensive supplement like new Biogen Vitamin B Complex Boost Fizzy. 

Each effervescent tablet is formulated to assist energy-yielding metabolism and support healthy nerve function to enhance mental and physical performance. 

The combination of B complex vitamins in each effervescent tablet includes vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 and folic acid (B9), which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and supports mental performance. 

The inclusion of vitamin C and zinc helps maintain the normal function of the immune system during and after intense physical stress, while minerals such as calcium and magnesium deliver a performance boost by supporting your energy-yielding metabolism and normal muscle function. The formulation also includes guarana, a source of natural caffeine, to temporarily promote alertness and wakefulness.

Effervescent tablets also offer various benefits over tablets or pills. For starters, they dissolve quickly in water, which can lead to faster absorption into the bloodstream compared to solid pills that need to break down in the digestive system.

The improved bioavailability could help increase the amount of the B vitamins that reach the bloodstream.

Moreover, the fizzy tablet format makes it convenient and easy to use. Simply drop a tablet into a glass of water or your daily hydrator bottle and let it dissolve.   

Biogen Vitamin B Complex Boost Fizzy is available in a refreshing Mango-Orange flavour from www.biogen.co.za or your local Dis-Chem Pharmacy.