Vitamin B-complex deficiency, supplementation and management

© 2019 Medpharm. Vitamins are either fat-soluble or water-soluble micronutrients that are derived from a healthy, well-balanced diet. The B-complex vitamins are well-known examples of such water-soluble nutrients that are readily absorbed from a healthy gut, and easily eliminated via renal excretion. They are required for their vital physiological functions and are significant contributors towards maintaining optimal health. Multiple B-vitamin deficiencies are quite commonly seen and therefore a balanced diet, including a full spectrum of B-vitamins, is usually needed when any of them is found to be deficient. Conversely, their therapeutic value will be limited to supplementation during states of deficiency, since they have no additional benefits in the presence of an adequate dietary intake. In general, their active supplementation should only be used to correct deficiencies. This article provides an overview of such B-complex vitamin deficiencies and their supplementation.