What Vitamin is Good for Energy and Metabolism?
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When your metabolism is a little slower than it should be, it goes without saying that your energy levels will inevitably slump. You should always consult with your doctor first, in order to rule out any thyroid problems such as hypothyroidism – which can also be the reason your energy levels are low and your metabolism is under par, but if that has been ruled out, then it’s time to consider which vitamins you should be adding to your diet in order to up the ante.
So What Vitamin is Good for Energy and Metabolism?
Essentially, it all comes down to the big B. Vitamin B is a major role player in the energy levels that your body has and also how fast your metabolism runs. Taking a good old multi-vitamin is great, but if you’re constantly battling fatigue, then a lack of vitamin B could be the problem.
What does vitamin B do for your body?
- It boosts your metabolism
- It promotes healthy skin
- It promotes healthy muscle tone
- It helps your body to build a stronger immune system
- It promotes cell growth and function
- Decreases the risk of stress, depression and heart disease
What foods have Vitamin B in them?
You can get Vitamin B in foods such as
- Bananas
- Potatoes
- Chili Peppers
- Lentils
You should know that Vitamin B, isn’t exactly a single vitamin such as Vitamin E or Vitamin C, but rather a complex vitamin, consisting of different vitamins. Taking a Vitamin B complex, means you’ll be getting all of those vitamins jammed into one power packed capsule, but if you are interested to know what exactly the B complex consists of, then here is the breakdown:
- B1 – Thiamine
Helps to metabolize carbohydrates into glucose, and you can find t in whole-grain cereals, bread and brown rice.
- B2 – Riboflavin
This breaks down cards, fats and protein and can be found in milk, eggs and cheese.
- B3 – Niacin
Niacin helps to lower cholesterol and keep the skin healthy, it can be found in fish, eggs, meat and potatoes.
- B5 – Pantothenic Acid
B5 helps keeps your Central Nervous System healthy and fights fatigue, it can be found in meat, legumes and whole-grain cereals.
- B6 – Pyridoxine
B6 breaks down carbs, fats and protein and helps produce red blood cells. Sources of B6 include avocados, bananas, soybeans and fish.
- B7 – Biotin
Biotin keeps hair and nails healthy, and can be found in cauliflower, mushrooms, oatmeal and rice.
- B9 – Folic Acid
Folic Acid is especially recommended in pre-natal care as it helps to prevent birth defects in babies. It can be found in sources such as leafy green veg, orange juice, whole grains and beans.
- B12 – Cobalamin
B12 helps prevent anemia and other blood disorders. It can be found in sources such as meat, poultry, egg yolks and milk.
So HOW much Vitamin B should you be getting a day?
The recommended daily intake for children is 50-100mg of folic acid (B9) and about 1mg of all the rest of the B group vitamins, for adults the dose is around 100-150mg per day of B9 and 2mg of all the rest.
Before you head off to go and buy a Vitamin B supplement, be sure that your diet consists of lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, enough calcium and enough protein. There are also several other ways in which you can naturally boost your metabolism and energy levels, such as:
- Eat your breakfast! This meal is very important as it is the starter engine for your metabolism each and every day.
- Have a good lunch and then a light dinner. Eating heavy meals 3 hours before bed time won’t give your body enough time to use up all that energy, and effectively, it just gets stored as fat. Aim at eating your big meals during the daytime and making sure they are well balanced.
- Eat three solid meals a day
- Drink plenty of water, opt for ice cold water as this forces your body to burn more calories and effectively helps to rev up your metabolism.
- Exercise at least 20 minutes a day, three times a week. Even if it’s just brisk walking it will still do you a world of good and keep your metabolism at optimal functioning levels.
With that being said, if you feel that you still need the help of a supplement, then take a look at our recommended Vitamin B supplements:
1. NOW Foods Vitamin B1 For Energy
B1 (Thiamine) helps to metabolize carbohydrates into glucose so essentially it helps your body to turn the bread and other starches that you consume into energy that can help make you feel more energized throughout the day. It helps to up the ante in the energy department and helps maintain healthy nerve tissue.
2. Nature’s Way Vitamin B2 For Energy
Riboflavin is a precursor to coenzymes involved in the growth and repair of skin and tissues lining the gastrointestinal tract and helps to synthesize amino acids. It’s a great vitamin to take if you want to promote your eyesight as well as B2 is necessary for the formation of pigments essential to vision.
3. NOW Foods Vitamin B3 For Energy
This form of Vitamin B3 is not Niacin, but rather Niaciamide, which does not cause niacin flush. Niaciamide helps to lower cholesterol and helps keep your skin healthy. The 500mg dosage of this supplement is perfect and you really get your money’s worth with the 100 capsule container.
4. NOW Foods Vitamin B5 For Energy
Pantothenic Acid is a great supplement to take to help keep your Central Nervous System healthy and also if you need something to help you fight allergies as well as fatigue.
5. NOW Foods Vitamin B6 For Energy
Pyridoxine helps to regulate homocysteine levels within the body and also helps to maximize the production of red blood cells. It furthermore helps to break down carbohydrates, fats and proteins and is a potent part of the B-complex group of vitamins.
Now that we have mentioned the best individual Vitamin B products out there, we would like to add that the best way to make sure that you are getting all the Vitamin B that your body needs, is by taking a all in one Vitamin B supplement, which should essentially include all the different Vitamin B groups in one tablet.
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Sources:
http://vitamins.lovetoknow.com/Vitamins_that_Boost_Your_Metabolism
http://www.doctoroz.com/article/end-your-energy-crisis-vitamin-b12
