Should I take B-complex vitamins?

Our read is that B vitamins are crucial for numerous bodily functions, including DNA methylation, cognitive health, and preventing predispositions to chronic diseases.

Deficiencies can lead to serious health issues, and supplementation, especially with riboflavin, appears beneficial for many, particularly those with MTHFR polymorphisms or elevated homocysteine levels.

However, some experts note that obtaining sufficient amounts from diet can be challenging, and certain forms or excessive intake may not always be optimal.

Paul Saladino suggests that two or more milligrams of riboflavin per day is adequate for most people and can be obtained from heart and liver or a direct riboflavin supplement. He also notes that sufficient thyroid function is necessary to utilize supplemental riboflavin. Rhonda Patrick suggests taking B vitamins, including B12, in the morning to aid recovery and promote wakefulness by suppressing melatonin.

• 01Rhonda Patrick stated that feeding female mice with the Agouti gene a diet high in B vitamins before pregnancy resulted in offspring with silenced Agouti gene expression, preventing obesity, cancer, and type 2 diabetes predispositions.
• 02Andrew Huberman claimed that nutritional deficiencies, specifically in B vitamins, can cause mental illness, and supplementation can lead to remission of depression.
• 03Andrew Huberman takes thiamine (vitamin B1) for potential cognitive benefits, especially in MCI patients, due to its low downside.
• 04Paul Saladino noted that elevated homocysteine levels (above 13) combined with inadequate B vitamin (B12, folate, B2) or omega-3 status are associated with increased brain atrophy and cognitive decline.