Let Yourself Shine with B2

The “yellow spark” that powers our body is vitamin B2 - riboflavin, (from Latin flavus “yellow”) was first isolated from milk and initially named lactoflavin. Its uniqueness was noticed by scientists due to its natural fluorescence under UV light, which helped them better understand its distribution in nature. But it wasn't just its mysterious light that attracted scientists' attention. It holds the power to transform food into life force. Riboflavin, aka vitamin B2, is not just a pretty fluorescent molecule, but it is important in cellular metabolism. 

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. 

Do we need the 'sunshine' vitamin D3 only in winter?

When you feel the sun's rays on your skin, know that your body is creating one of the most important vitamins - D3, which was discovered thanks to centuries of research. The discovery of vitamin D3 became one of the most significant medical achievements of the 20th century, saving millions of lives: It was the year 1650 and in the streets of London, doctors noticed that more and more children were suffering from a strange disease called rickets (their bones were weak and brittle, legs deformed, growth slowed). It wasn't until 1919 that Dr. Huldschinsky exposed children with rickets to ultraviolet light and their bones began to heal! Three years later, biochemist McCollum discovered a substance that prevented rickets and called it vitamin D. Gradually, the existence of the most important form of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) was discovered.

Vitamin B3 Niacinamide

Vitamin B3 - niacin, perhaps also known to the elderly as P. It belongs to the group of B vitamins found in the multiform B-complex. It is a very important group that you need for the proper function of eyesight, mucous membranes, skin, heart... You need it for the proper functioning of heart, muscle and nerve activity.

Vitamin B2 Riboflavin

In addition to the well-known B-Komplex mix of B vitamins, individual vitamins can also be purchased as salt. What is it good for? The well-known set of B vitamins is a good nutritional supplement, you have an overall vitamin deficiency in the body. However, if you are not addressing a specific problem, sometimes the specific type of vitamin you need to supplement is more appropriate. So why is vitamin B2 needed?

Vitamin B1 Thiamine

Vitamin B1 belongs to the B1 to B12 groups, which we refer to collectively as the B complex. All vitamins in this group should be supplemented under this name. But do I only need one of them? You need the whole group – the most important vitamins from the B group can be obtained separately.