Vitamin B Complex
B complex supplements provide all eight essential B vitamins — B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folate), and B12 (cobalamin) — in a single formula. While these water-soluble vitamins are widely available in foods like meat, eggs, legumes, and whole grains, supplementation is common due to dietary gaps, genetic polymorphisms affecting metabolism (such as MTHFR variants), and increased demands from stress, aging, or certain medications. They are collectively essential for converting food into cellular energy, maintaining nervous system integrity, and supporting DNA synthesis and repair.
Expert Evidence
3 references from 1 expert
“If you want DHA to sit in the synapse, it needs to be attached to some kind of phospholipid, and you need methylation to work. That's where the B vitamins become important. So some of these things are directly structural as well as being functional thinking about energy and mitochondria.”
Dr. Tommy Wood: Enhancing Brain Performance & Preventing Dementia
23:363 references in 1 episode
Galpin views B vitamins as critical for brain structure and function, emphasizing their role in methylation (needed for DHA incorporation into synapses) and mitochondrial energy production. However, he notes that a significant percentage of people experience nausea or GI distress from B vitamins and suggests creatine as a potential alternative for those individuals. No personal use is mentioned, no specific dosing is provided, and no particular B complex formulation is recommended.
Side Effects
- Nausea or GI distress, especially on an empty stomach
- Bright yellow urine from excess riboflavin (harmless)
- Flushing from high-dose niacin
- Tingling or numbness from excessive long-term B6 intake