If you asked me “What is your favorite supplement?” I would pick the one that I feel delivers the most value to people taking it. I do a lot of nutrient testing in my practice and one thing that continually show up low in people are the B vitamins. I know that’s technically not “one” vitamin, but a complex of several different B vitamins, but these show up low in almost everyone I test.
Why is that a big deal? In short, the B vitamins are very important for the production of energy. This means that a deficiency will lead to a situation where the body doesn’t generate energy the way it should. This makes us feel tired. Almost everyone I see tells me that they are tired, or fatigued. They don’t have the energy to make it through the day. That’s not the only issue with low B vitamins. B6, specifically has an impact on the production of neurotransmitters, or brain chemicals, so this can be an issue with people who are feeling anxious, depressed or irritated and agitated. B12 levels affect not only our energy, but if depleted can lead to neurological symptoms like tingling in the feet. B12 can be especially tricky because it takes a proper stomach pH and digestive environment to break it down in a way our bodies can use it. Unfortunately, this isn’t happening in everyone’s body, so they may be eating and/or supplementing properly, but at the cellular level, they don’t have enough. That is where looking into digestive issues may become necessary to really get to the root of the issue.
B vitamins also help with metabolism, which is an issue for a lot of people who feel tired and fatigued. A sluggish metabolism not only makes us feel tired, but is an issue with trying when trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. B vitamins are also important to the synthesis of Red Blood Cells. This affects our energy levels as well. So, as you can see, without proper levels of B vitamins, it can be hard to produce the energy we need to feel well and maintain a healthy metabolism.
So, should everyone run out and buy a B complex? Sounds simple, right? Well… Not all supplements are created equal and not everyone can use the form that is most widely sold. There is a genetic condition that effects up to 40% of the population, it is an MTHFR variant. (You can check out my other blog articles on this for more info.) If you are one of those effected (I have this issue), then folic acid does not break down properly in your body. Folic acid is the most common form of B9, or folate added to most B complexes and Multi vitamins. Not only will you not break this form down, you can end up feeling bad because the incomplete breakdown can cause other things to become imbalanced. You will want to make sure you always take an activated, or methylated form of B vitamins as these will be absorbed easiest.
This is such a big deal that I have included methylated B vitamins in all of the supplement paks that I create. You can check out quiz.drjeni.com if you want to look at the paks I have created and get a recommendation on which one would work best for you.
The definitive way to test your nutrient levels and look at whether your energy production process and mitochondrial health is where it needs to be is to have a micronutrient and organic acid test performed and analyzed by someone who is familiar with this type of testing. I run this type of analysis on a lot of people in my practice and it gives us great information we can use to tailor a solution to them specifically. If you want to check out the test I run, you can look at a sample report here. When I run this test, I also include the genetic test to see if MTHFR is an issue for you so we can address it appropriately.
If you have questions about that or want to get started examining these issues on yourself, I would be happy to speak with you. You can use this link to schedule a short free consult to have your questions answered and get a plan together to start feeling better.
To your health,
Dr. Jeni
