We all know that taking the right amount of vitamins and minerals is essential for maintaining good health. B vitamins, in particular, are one of the few essential vitamins each person should include in his or her daily regimen to keep the body working at its best.

Vitamin B complex refers to the eight B vitamins – B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. Many of these B vitamins play an individual ? yet essential ??role, while others work in collaboration with one another to keep us healthy. B Vitamins can be found in leafy greens, meat, and various fortified grains, but it’s often difficult to consume the required daily amount from diet alone.

It’s estimated that a whopping 40 percent of American adults are vitamin B deficient. Symptoms of deficiency include lethargy, depression, memory problems, and even nerve and muscle dysfunction. Read on to find out about the many important roles of vitamin B, from boosting your mood to keeping mosquitoes at bay.

It Fires Up Your Fuel Tank

You should think of B vitamins as the oil that keeps your machine running smoothly. They’re absolutely essential for keeping a whole host of bodily functions working as they should. For example, Vitamin B-1, known as Thiamine, provides us with energy by helping to convert the food e eat into glucose. It also boosts our immune systems and helps protect the body from stressful conditions.

B Vitamins are also responsible for stimulating the production of certain hormones within the body, such as Vitamin B-6, which is known for guarding against progesterone deficiency. Our bodies require B-12 and B-6 to produce dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. In other words, B vitamins are directly responsible (in part) for your happiness.

It Helps Maintain Muscle

B vitamins can play a crucial role in how strong you are and how well you respond to exercise. Vitamin B-6 enables your body to maintain muscle mass and to make use of the energy in your muscles when needed, by allowing the release of glycogen stores during strenuous exercise. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to pull anything from your main energy stores.

Vitamin B doesn’t just help with gaining muscle for aesthetic or athletic reasons. It can also be incredibly beneficial for children that are affected by slow development. Vitamin B deficiency has been linked to developmental issues in infants and children, so taking a B-vitamin supplement can help ensure that children grow strong and healthy.

It Can Rapidly Heal Wounds

Vitamin B1 and B5 have been shown to play a strong role in wound healing. A study on diabetic mice showed that those given a high-potency vitamin B supplement displayed accelerated wound closure when compared to the mice who went without. Many healthcare providers now recommend a high dosage of B vitamins to promote accelerated healing of different wounds.

It Can Keep Pesky Mosquitoes at Bay

Many tout Vitamin B12 as a simple, healthy repellent for mosquitoes. Anecdotal evidence suggests that taking a Vitamin B12 supplement could ward off mosquitoes by making you smell less attractive to them.

This exciting possibility still needs further conclusive studies, although many people already swear by the practice. If you’re particularly prone to mosquito bites, it’s best to back up this method with a mosquito spray or patch, just to be safe.

It Supports the Nervous System

Each of the B-vitamins serves a specific function in the nervous system, and among the most important is B-12. Vitamin B-12 essential for protecting your nerve cells and creating the fatty acids that allow your nerves to function well. B-12 also regulates the cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerves. An individual deficient in these vitamins could experience numbness, muscle weakness, poor reflexes, or even seizures. In old age, an individual with a deficiency is more likely to develop dementia.

It Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

Taking Vitamin B-3 is a highly successful way of lowering “bad” cholesterol, and increasing the good kind. Niacin (B3) has been shown to increase the high-density lipoproteins, known as HDL, which move throughout the bloodstream and remove the bad, low-density proteins (LDL). LDLs are what cause arteries to harden and increase your risk of heart disease.

It Aids in Cell Growth and Division

Your cells depend on Vitamin B for healthy growth. Vitamins B-5 and B-7, in particular, are essential for cell division and for copying DNA information, while Vitamin B-9 is needed to make the DNA that’s contained in all of our bodies’ cells. B-6 is needed for the formation of our red blood cells, which are responsible for transporting oxygen throughout all of our organs and tissues.

In other words, some of the most important cells in our body depend on consuming the right amount of B vitamins.

Whether you’re a busy mom or growing teenager, it’s vitally important that you take enough vitamin B to support your body’s needs. It’s hard to ensure we get enough from diet alone, especially in today’s fast-paced environment. If you’re experiencing lethargy, cardiovascular symptoms, short-term memory loss, or weight loss, you could be one of the 40% of adults suffering from Vitamin B deficiency, and it’s best to ask your health provider to run a blood test.

If your doctor confirms that the culprit is, indeed, a deficiency of this super vitamin, a good Vitamin B supplement may be all you need to start feeling like yourself again. Remember that if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or have any health conditions, it’s important to always consult with a medical professional before embarking on a new health regime.