1. The B Complex
Vitamins

2. Vitamin Defined
• An organic substance that occurs in foods in small
amounts and is necessary for normal metabolic
functioning of the body
• May be water soluble or fat soluble
• Do not contribute directly to the structure of the body,
nor do they supply energy
• They regulate metabolism by releasing energy from
fats and carbohydrates
• They are involved in amino acid metabolism and also
assist in forming blood, bones and tissues

3. Division of Vitamin B
• Those vitamins that primarily release energy
from carbohydrates and fats namely thiamin,
niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and biotin
• Those that catalyze formation of red blood
cells namely folic acid and vitamin B12
• The vitamin that is important in protein and
amino acid metabolism like Vitamin B6
• The vitaminlike compounds

4. Thiamine (Vit. B1)
• A member of the B-complex family
• Water Soluble
• Relatively unstable
– Destroyed with heat
– Destroyed in alkaline environment
– Active as thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP)
– Or as thiamine tri-phosphate (TT

5. Absorption and Metabolism
• Easily absorbed from the small intestine
• It is combine with phosphate within
mucosal cells of the intestine and
transported via the portal vein into the
general circulation
• Maybe found in liver, heart, brain and
muscle tissue

6. Function
• Important coenzyme in energy
metabolism
• It acts as coenzyme in the production of
ribose
• Needed for the metabolism of
carbohydrates, proteins and fats

7. Deficiency
• Beri-Beri – affects principally the
cardiovascular, muscular, and nervous
system
– Wet
– Dry
– Infantile
• Wernicke’s Syndrome
• Increased sensitivity of the oral
mucosa, burning tongue, and loss or
diminution of taste

8. Wet Beriberi
• Edema (accumulation of fluid in tissues
spaces) of the legs, cardiac
disturbances such as enlarged heart,
systolic murmurs and dyspnea (difficulty
of breathing) may develop
• The pulse is rapid and irregular, and the
neck veins are distented

9. Dry Beriberi
• Edema does not occur
• A condition consisting of paresthesia
(prickling or burning) and numbness of
the feet and cramps in the legs is
present

10. Infantile Beriberi
• Caused by inadequate thiamin in the
breast milk
• Characterized by dyspnea, cyanosis
and cardiac failure

12. Wernicke’s Syndrome
• Severe deficiency of thiamin in the
alcoholic individual
• Characterized by confusion, paralysis of
eye muscles, and loss of memory
• Peculiar gait and foot and wrist drop are
seen in advanced cases

13. Food Sources
• Cereals, meats, and legumes
• The richest sources are brewer’s yeast,
lean pork, liver, beef, dried peas and
beans, nuts and whole wheat and
enriched cereals and breads

14. Riboflavin (Vit. B2)
• One of the B-complex vitamins
• Water Soluble
• Relatively stable
• Functions as coenzyme
• Active as flavin mononucleotide (FMN)
• Or flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)

15. Absorption and Metabolism
• It must be phosphorylated (combined
with phosphate) in the intestinal tract
before it can be absorbed
• Excess riboflavin is excreted in the
urine

16. Function
• Acts as hydrogen carriers
• Assist in the metabolism carbohydrates,
protein and fats
• Oxidation of most drugs (called the drug
vitamin)

17. Deficiency
• Gastrointestinal disease that causes
vomiting and hypermotility of the
gastrointestinal tract
• Angular stomatis
• Glossitis

19. Sources
• Milk, liver, heart, and kidney
• Lean meat
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Leafy green vegetables

20. Niacin (Vit. B3)
• One of the B-complex nutrients
• Water Soluble
• Very Stable
• Active as nicotinamide adenine
dinucleotide (NAD)
• And NAD-phosphate (NADP)
• A peculiar vitamin since it can be
synthesized in body (via tryptophane)

21. Absorption and Metabolism
• Absorbed in the upper part of the small
intestine
• It is stored only sparingly in the kidney,
heart, brain, and liver and is exreted in
the urine

22. Function
• Forms the active portion of the
coenzymes that play an essential role in
supplying organ tissues, making its
presence necessary for the health of
cells
• Acts as catalyst in accepting and
releasing hydrogen in cellular
respiration, carbohydrate metabolism
and fat synthesis

23. Deficiency
• Pellagra – characterized as the disease
causing 4D’s
– Dermatitis
– Diarrhea
– Depression
– Death

24. Symptoms
• Weakness
• Persistent fatigability
• Irritability
• Headache
• Depression
• Soreness and inflammation of the
tongue (glossitis) and mouth (stomatitis)

26. Sources
• Found in appreciable amounts in liver,
yeast, meat, legumes, peanuts and
whole cereals
• Foods that are good sources of
tryptophan, such as animal protein and
vegetable protein

27. Pantothenic Acid (Vit. B5)
• Sometimes, erroneously called –
Vitamin B5
• So plentiful in grains and vegetables, a
deficiency unlikely – except in complete
starvation

28. Function
• Involved in the release of energy from
the catabolism of carbohydrates,
proteins, and fats
• It initiates the Krebs cycle and releases
ATP
• It is the starting substance for the
biosynthesis of cholesterol and other
sterols, a component of hemoglobin

29. Deficiency
• Fatigue
• Sleep disturbances
• Headaches
• Malaise
• Nausea
• Abdominal stress
• Burning, prickling sensations
(paresthesia) of the hands and feet,
cramping of the leg muscles and
impaired coordination

31. Sources
• Widely distributed, occuring abundantly
in yeast and in animal tissue such as
liver and eggs, whole-grain cereals and
legumes
• Other fair sources are milk, fruits, and
vegetables such as brocolli,cauliflower,
and potatoes

32. Pyridoxine (Vit. B6)
• Water-soluble
• White crystalline compound that is
stable to heat and strong acids

33. Function
• Helps make red blood cells
• Helps in amino acid and fatty bacid
metabolism
• Aids in normal functioning of nervous
tissue

34. Deficiency
• Early deficiency signs
– Weakness
– Irritability
– Nervousness
– Insomnia
• Later deficiency signs
– Convulsions
– Anemia
– Lesions around lips and eyes (red, crusty)

36. Sources
• Liver
• Muscle meats
• Yeast
• Legumes
• Whole grain cereals
• Wheat germ
• Wheat bran

37. Biotin (Vit. B7)
• Very uneventful.
• Unlikely to have deficiency
• Is blocked by raw egg whites
• Active biological substance

38. Function
• Stimulates the growth of yeast and
bacteria
• Functions as a coenzyme for reactions
involving the addition of carbon dioxide
in the formation of purines

39. Deficiency
• Dermatitis
• Glossitis
• Loss of appetite and sleep
• Nausea
• Muscular pains
• Hyperesthesia (increased skin sensitivity
• Paresthesia (burning and prickling sensation)
• Alopecia

41. Sources
• The richest sources are liver, kidney,
milk, egg yolk and yeast

42. Folic Acid (Vit. B9)
• Yellow crystalline substance
• Sparingly soluble in water

43. Function
• Essential for the manufacture and
maturation of blood cells
• Necessary for the normal functioning of
the hematopoietic system
• Prevent anemia, some birth defects and
heart disease

44. Deficiency
• Disorders of malabsorption associated
with infectious disease (tropical
diseases) or certain metabolic and
endocrine disorders
• Megaloblastic anemia of pregnancy
• Paresthesia
• Angular cheilosis and gingivitis

46. Sources
• Liver
• Kidney
• Yeast
• Dark green leafy vegetables
• Asparagus
• Brocolli
• Soybeans and nuts
• Orange juice

47. Cyanocobalamin (Vit. B12)
• Consist of a cyanide ion and a cobalt
ion
• Not a single substance but consist of
several closely related compounds
having similar activity
• By product of streptomycin

48. Function
• Plays a biomechanical role in the
maintenance of myelin
• Involved in the synthesis of
nucleoproteins

49. Deficiency
• Pernicious anemia
– Usual complaints are weakness,
numbness and tingling in the extremities
– Patients may have difficulty in walking and
coordination of movements
– Vibratory sense may be absent
– Patient may have a lemon-yellow
complexion as a result of jaundice caused
by red cell destruction, early graying of
hair, fast heartbeat, ankle swelling and
peripheral neuritis

51. Sources
• Occurs primarily in animal foods, and
liver is the richest source
• Meat
• Eggs
• Milk
• Cheese
• Fish