Vitamin B Complex Benefits and Side Effects

The B vitamins play a role in health because they offer many important benefits. The B complex includes niacin, B6, B12, thiamine, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, choline, and biotin. These B vitamins all play an important part of keeping the body healthy and keeping your energy levels in check. By taking a good quality B complex, you can literally help to improve your health.

Niacin in the complex helps with cholesterol levels in the body, but are typically only given in small doses when in a complex formula because niacin has the flushing component that is very difficult for many people. Thiamine can help in times of stress by keeping the nervous system in check and helps to keep you on an even level. Pantothenic acid helps with energy levels and clarity of thoughts, which can help those that need a boost in mental clarity and are plagued by fatigue.

Biotin is useful for strong hair and nails, so if you have thinning hair, biotin can actually help it to stop falling out and helps it to grow. It is often included in many beauty products because of its beautifying effects on the skin. B6 helps with the metabolic functions in your body as does B12, and both are essential vitamins that are needed for optimal health. Riboflavin helps to regulate the red blood cells in the body. Choline is a beneficial B vitamin for keeping the liver functioning properly.

Taking a B complex is a great way to get benefits for your mood, skin, nails, hair, mind, and liver. Many people take a B complex every day as a way to stay healthy, but make sure when you are taking the B vitamins that you are aware of the side effects if you take too much. For instance, many people assume that if one pill works good than three will work better, but this always isn't the case with a B complex, because taking too much can have side effects.

Some of the side effects from taking large amounts of a B complex include, flushing, edema, gastrointestinal upsets, depression, sweating, high blood sugar, insomnia, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. Be sure when you begin a B complex you take only the recommended amount on the bottle, and no more. By increasing your dose of B complex, you also increase your risk of getting too much of a good thing, and this can end up with unpleasant side effects. Therefore, never assume if one helps you that two or more will be better, stick to the dose on the bottle because B vitamins when taken in excess can produce very unwelcome side effects.

Finally, taking a B complex  is one of the best ways to get many benefits for both the inside of your body, such as you blood, to the outside of your body such as with hair, skin, and nails. Remember to follow the directions on the bottle and buy your supplements from a well-respected company so that you are getting the best vitamins.