Vitamin B

[Sage]

I've been taking a B Complex vitamin to help with stress. A friend of mine says that her doctor told her that you should just take individual B vitamins because you can get too much B vitamin if you take the Complex one. I read just the opposite in a nutrition magazine, so now I'm not sure who is right. Has anyone else heard of this?

 

[Sugarhill]

Well, not every doctor is a good doctor, so that's that. I've never heard of taking a succession of B vitamins over a B12 complex. I would advise you to talk to your own doctor about that. However, in the meantime, you can look at what you know that you eat on a regular basis and see how much of the Vitamin B family is actually in that and then calculate how much you are or are not getting.

 

[AnonaMoss]

I purchased a stress complex B-vitamin about two years ago and I saw NO decrease in my stress levels. I liked having it because at the time I was a raw vegan, and I didn't think that I was getting enough B vitamins. I don't think I was getting too much. Those capsules are measures, and when used as directed I'm sure it's fine. I was also under the impression that if we have any excess vitamin(s) in our system our bodies get rid of it the same way it gets rid of all wastes.

 

[AppleMay]

I've read in several places that you can get to much B and it doesn't always go out with the other 'waste. It really is confusing sometimes when so many have different opinions.

 

[gina121]

Individual B vitamins come in various concentrations. Where does that doctor want us laymen to start?
On the contrary, a Complex is made by a manufacturer (with an expert team) who chooses the concentration of each B vitamin that goes into it. What we might have to look out for are the Recommended Daily Allowances (or RDA, in short, on the label of the Complex. As long as each B vitamin in the Complex is fulfilling the RDA, you should be alright with it. It is much easier consuming a single tablet/capsule than taking individual B vitamins, unless of course, you are treating a specific ailment.

 

[srj]

Take them seperately. That way you can take much of one specific vitamin instead of taking many complexes which will give you too much of those vitamins you don't even need.

 

[Victor Leigh]

I don't take vitamin B supplements because I get what I need from my food. My main source of natural vitamin B is unpolished rice.