B-complex

Energy

I remember the word "békomplex" very well from my childhood, but I never really knew what it meant. Younger people probably associate this word with drum & bass, because the name B-Complex is used by Slovak DJ and producer Matúš Lenický (hit Beautiful Lies). Strictly speaking, B complex is a group of vitamins B1 to B12.

And it is one of the oldest vitamins discovered. B7 (biotin) was discovered as early as 1898 by F.Steinitz. But the B vitamin group was only discovered in 1911 by Casimir Funk. We mention it mainly because this scientist introduced the word "vitamin" that we use so often. Gradually, other B vitamins were discovered, which today are referred to by the common name: B-complex.

B1 - thiamine

(or also aneurin), is water soluble and heat sensitive. It maintains oxygen levels in the blood and is important for the metabolism of sugars. It is found in yeast, paddy rice, legumes, cheese. Its deficiency is manifested by muscle pain, fatigue, lack of appetite...

B2 - riboflavin

is not heat sensitive, but cannot tolerate light, especially ultraviolet light. I need it especially in stressful situations. We find it in yeast, milk, meat, fish.

B3 - niacin

we need for energy production in conditions for healthy skin for good digestion We get it from meat, bacon, liver, in dried fruit, in coffee, in tea.

B4 - adenine

it is not a vitamin! It is once of the 4 nucleic bases. Under the designation B4 we find three other "non-vitamins".

B5 - pantothenic acid

is necessary for the formation of red blood cells (its dye) - hemoglobin. It is in egg yolk and also in the internal environment of beef.

B6 - pyridoxine

It is soluble in water. It is involved in the metabolism of amino acids and carbohydrates.

B7 - biotin

(or also vitamin H or I). It is in egg yolk, in soy, in liver, in kidney. We need it for our vascular system and skin. Deficiency causes malaise, skin disorders, psychological disorders.

B8 - inositol

- again not a vitamin! It is a carbocyclic sugar, found in the human body, especially in the brain.

B9 - folic acid

(vitamin M). Essential for cell division and growth, for white blood cells, part of genes and chromosomes. It is in leafy vegetables, fruits, meat and yeast;

B10

- vitamin R - and again - it's not a vitamin! It's one of the important ones.

B11 - choline

(or vitamin S) and again, it is not a vitamin! It is a cation that makes up many salts and is in the "vitamin" group B4.

B12 - cobalamin

it is a group of 4 chemical compounds. It's another factor - it's necessary for their proper function. It is in animal food, especially meat, indoor environment, milk, fish, eggs... Especially vegetarians and especially vegans (!) must be for its intake in various supplements, plant-based diet almost not at all! Its deficiency can lead to major central and peripheral nervous system. Disturbances of sensitivity, balance, later gait disturbances. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes depression, memory disorders, leads to dementia...

The B vitamins are very important for the human body (especially B12), and a varied diet, particularly one rich in animal products, is essential. Vegetarians, and especially vegans, should definitely consider various nutritional supplements to ensure sufficient levels in the body.

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21 months ago • 3 min. read

The First of Vitamins - B1

Maybe it's burnout ... that's the current description of the state when we feel different. When the coffee we loved no longer works and in the afternoon we are overwhelmed by unbearable fatigue, when in the evening we have no strength for anything, neither for sports nor for friends. And certainly not for another day at work. A nutritionist would describe this state with further findings of our diet with the words - „ You have a lack of thiamine (B1), which is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system and the conversion of food into energy. Your diet is full of processed carbohydrates, but almost without B1. And when the body doesn't have enough thiamine, you can feel fatigue, forgetfulness, irritability, and even anxiety. And caffeine? It depletes thiamine in the body even more!“ We certainly wouldn't think that this state could be caused by a “triviality”. After all, many of us don't register thiamine, I admit it was also my case. This first of the discovered vitamins in 1912 was named by the Polish biochemist Funk with the term vita (necessary for life), amine (substances that contain nitrogen). Since then, it has gained more names, like aneurin, and for 25 years we have called it thiamine. It is essential, meaning it cannot be synthesized and must come from the diet. It sounds almost frightening that without it we wouldn't survive longer than a few days, at most weeks. This is because the body cannot store it for long and it is necessary to ensure its intake regularly, as it is irreplaceable for the proper functioning of the organism. On the contrary, its abundance helps improve concentration and memory. 

Energy

Let Yourself Shine with B2

„Žltá iskra“, ktorá poháňa naše telo, je vitamín B2 – riboflavín (z latinského flavus „žltý“) , ktorý bol prvýkrát izolovaný z mlieka a pôvodne pomenovaný laktoflavín. Jeho jednoznačne lepšie ste si vedci vďaka jeho prirodzenej fluorescencii pod UV svetlom, čo im pomohlo pochopiť jeho rozšírenie v prírode. Pozornosť vedcov však nepritiahlo len jeho tajomné svetlo. Má schopnosť premieňať jedlo na životnú silu. Riboflavín, známy aj ako vitamín B2, nie je len pekná fluorescenčná molekula, ale je dôležitý aj v bunkovom metabolizme.  

B-complex Vitamin

180 mg | 130

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Účinky

Increases energy production and combats fatigueSupports cognitive health and mental claritySupports cardiovascular healthImproves the health of skin, hair, and nailsRelieves physical and emotional stressFacilitates detoxification and supports liver function

Energy

Cordyceps - zombies in reality

Cordyceps sinensis – this is our zombie predator. In China, they call it "winter insect, summer herb". Imagine a fungus that shoots out its spores (seeds) during reproduction in summer, which then attach themselves to the body of an insect. It gradually overgrows the insect's body and parasitises it, literally eating it from the inside, while the insect continues to live, changing its external appearance but continuing to hunt for food until it burrows underground, where it dies and mummifies. The fungus can survive in it for a long time. The fungus literally takes over the host's body, growing out of it in the summer and forming slender "sticks" 5-20 cm high. This inspired the Last of Us video game series, where the Cordyceps fungus turns humans into zombies. In real life, this video game takes place in the real life of insects. The victims are butterfly larvae, large ants, spiders...

Better concentration and a better memory? Try vitamin B12!

Vitamin B12 is the most complex vitamin (from a chemical point of view); it contains cobalt, which is essential for its activity. Also known as cyanocobalamin, it plays a part in the proper functioning of the body, and our bodies require it every day. Although we only need it in small amounts, its importance for red blood cell production and metabolism is enormous. Various studies suggest that it has a beneficial effect on our mood and memory, and supports brain function. Vitamin B12 is necessary for maintaining the proper functioning of the nervous system and the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Unlike other vitamins, B12 is synthesised in nature only by bacteria found in the digestive systems of animals. We therefore obtain it mainly from animal products, such as meat and dairy products. Its uniqueness also lies in its ability to be stored in the liver for many years, but a deficiency poses a risk not only to vegans and older people. A B12 deficiency does not manifest itself immediately (it can take up to a year). Fatigue is the first sign of a deficiency in this vitamin. Chronic fatigue, memory problems, tingling in the limbs or depression can be subtle warning signs. As vitamin B12 is essential for the production of myelin, the protective sheath around nerve fibres, a deficiency can lead to neurological problems such as numbness and balance issues. If this deficiency is left untreated, it can lead to serious neurological disorders and anaemia; the deficiency also manifests itself through various haematological and psychiatric symptoms (including confusion and disorientation, atrophy, mood and behavioural changes, psychosis and cognitive problems, loss of concentration, insomnia and incontinence). In the past, pernicious anaemia was incurable. In 1926, two doctors discovered that eating raw liver could alleviate these symptoms – fatigue, memory loss and nerve damage. Two decades later, they succeeded in isolating the substance responsible for this effect, which turned out to be vitamin B12.

B-complex

B1 - thiamine

B2 - riboflavin

B3 - niacin

B4 - adenine

B5 - pantothenic acid

B6 - pyridoxine

B7 - biotin

B8 - inositol

B9 - folic acid

B10

B11 - choline

B12 - cobalamin