2 Essential Vitamins That Can Boost Your Energy

Vitamins are vital nutrients and organic compounds that an organism need in limited quantities. You can generally get all the vitamins from the foods you eat. Every vitamin has very specific jobs. You may get certain health problems if you have low levels of certain vitamins. For instance, if you don’t get enough vitamin C, you can become anemic. A vitamin can help prevent medical problems. For example, Vitamin A can prevent night blindness. But, have you ever wonder – which vitamin is an energy booster?

Vitamin for Energy Support 

Today, busy and tired have become the default states for too many of our lives, we plan, we work, we go, we organize, fueling ourselves on pure determination and coffee. Until that is, we fall onto the couch in a torpor. Every day, more and more people are struggling with energy issues, scientists say.

Therefore, we need an appropriate balance of all minerals and vitamins for great energy, good health, and well-being. However, some nutrient deficiencies are linked to decreased energy and chronic tiredness.

Both iron and B vitamins are great nutrients and best energy boosters ¹ !  Here are the reasons why:

1. B-VITAMINS

These vitamins play a crucial role in the formation of red blood cells and the cell metabolism. B vitamins help the process our bodies use to get or make energy from the foods we eat. You can get B vitamins from proteins such as eggs, meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products. Peas, beans, and leafy green vegetables, also have B vitamins. Some bread and cereals have added B vitamins ² .

Not getting enough of some B vitamins could cause diseases. Symptoms of B vitamin deficiency include weakness, anemia, fatigue, digestive problems, and memory loss ³ . Find the best foods that can help to improve your memory naturally: http://yourhealthtube.com/brain-food-improve-memory-concentration/

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Vitamin B1 is also known as thiamin. It has several vital functions, including:

• Keeping the nervous system healthy
• Working with other B-group vitamins in order to aid break down and release energy from food

Good sources of Vitamin B1

Vitamin B1 is found in many types of food. Some of the best sources include:

• Eggs
• Vegetables (as peas)
• Fresh and dried fruit
• Liver
• Some fortified breakfast cereals
• Whole grain bread

How much Vitamin B1 do I need?

The amount of Vitamin B1 you need is:

• 8 mg per day for women,
• 1 mg per day for men

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

Vitamin B2 is also known as riboflavin. Its functions include:

• helping our bodies release energy from the food we consume,
• keeping eyes, skin, and the nervous system healthy

Good sources of Vitamin B2

Good sources of vitamin B2 include:

• Eggs
• milk
• rice
• fortified breakfast cereals

UV light could destroy riboflavin, so preferably these foods should be kept out of direct sunlight.

How much Vitamin B2 do I need?

The amount of Vitamin B2 you need is about:

• 1mg per day for women
• 3mg per day for men

Vitamin B3 (niacin)

Vitamin B3 is also known as niacin. It has several significant functions, including:

• helping to keep the skin and nervous systems healthy,
• helping to release energy from the food we consume

Good sources of Vitamin B3

There are 2 forms of niacin – nicotinamide and nicotinic acid– both of which are found in foods.

Good sources of niacin are:

• fish
• meat
• milk
• eggs
• wheat flour

How much Vitamin B3 do I need?

The amount of Vitamin B3 you need is around:

• 13mg per day for women,
• 17mg per day for men

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)

Pantothenic acid has some important functions, as helping to release energy from the foods we consume.

Good sources of Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5 is found in virtually all vegetable foods and meat, including:

• Beef
• Chicken
• porridge
• potatoes
• kidney
• broccoli
• tomatoes
• whole grains– such as wholemeal bread and brown rice
• eggs
• certain breakfast cereals

How much Vitamin B5 do I need?

You should be able to get all the Vitamin B5 you need from your daily diet.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)

Vitamin B6 (or pyridoxine) has several vital functions, including:

• helping to form hemoglobin (the substance in red blood cells which carries oxygen throughout the body)
• allowing our bodies to use and store energy from carbohydrates and protein in food

Good sources of vitamin B6 

Vitamin B6 is found in various foods, such as:

• fish
• pork
• bread
• poultry (as turkey or chicken)
• milk
• whole cereals – as brown rice, oatmeal, and wheat germ
• some fortified breakfast cereals
• eggs
• soya beans
• vegetables
• peanuts
• potatoes

How much vitamin B6 do I need?

The amount of pyridoxine you need is about:

• 2mg per day for women,
• 4mg per day for men

You should be able to get the recommended daily dose of vitamin B6 from your daily diet.

Vitamin B7 (biotin)

Biotin is crucial for the metabolism of fat. Just some very small amounts are required.

The bacteria that live naturally in the bowel are able to create biotin, so it is not clear if you need any extra biotin from your diet.

Vitamin B7 is found naturally in numerous foods, but at very low levels compared with the rest of the water-soluble vitamins.

Folic acid (folate)

One of the B-group vitamins is folic acid (or folate) in its natural form. For example, it:

• helps to decrease the risk of central nervous system defects, as spina bifida (in unborn infants),
• works along with vitamin B12 in order to form red blood cells

A lack of folic acid can lead to folate deficiency anemia.

Good sources of folate

Folic acid is found in very small amounts in many foods. Good sources are:

• liver
• broccoli
• spinach
• brussels sprouts
• chickpeas
• peas
• asparagus
• fortified breakfast cereals

How much folate do I need?

Adults need 0.2mg of folate per day.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 has numerous important functions and is involved in:

• processing folic acid;
• releasing energy from the foods we consume,
• making red blood cells

A lack of vitamin B12 can lead to Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia.

Good sources of Vitamin B12

Good sources are:

• salmon
• meat
• milk
• cod
• eggs
• cheese
• some fortified breakfast cereals

How much Vitamin B12 do I need?

Adults need around 0.0015mg per day of vitamin B12.

If you eat fish, meat, or dairy foods, you should be able to get enough of this vitamin from your diet.

But, because Vitamin B12 isn’t found naturally in foods such as grains, vegetables, and fruit, vegans may not get enough of Vitamin B12. 

2. IRON

Iron is an essential mineral that our bodies need for numerous functions. For instance, iron is a great part of hemoglobin, a significant protein that carries oxygen from the lungs through the bodies. It helps the muscles use and store oxygen. Iron is a part of many other enzymes and proteins as well. It is also an important energy-boosting mineral. ⁴ 

Our bodies need the right amounts of iron in order to function properly. In case you have poor levels of iron – you might develop iron deficiency anemia. Blood loss, poor diet, or inabilities to absorb enough iron from food – are some of the most common causes of iron deficiency.

People who are at higher risk of having very little iron include pregnant women, young children, and women who have periods. Furthermore, too much iron could damage the body. Plus – taking too many iron supplements could cause iron poisoning. There are people who have an inherited disease, known as hemochromatosis, which causes too much iron to build up in their bodies.

The most common symptoms of an iron deficiency include dizziness, fatigue, paleness, headaches, and moodiness, along with some other symptoms.

Low iron is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in the U.S. – around 10% of women have iron deficiency.

Good sources of iron

Good sources of iron are:

• Meat
• liver
• nuts
• beans
• most dark-green leafy vegetables – such as curly kale and watercress
• whole grains (as brown rice)
• dried fruit – such as dried apricots
• soybean flour
• fortified breakfast cereals

Even though the liver is a great source of iron, do not eat it if you are pregnant. This is because it’s also rich in Vitamin A that in large amounts could harm the unborn baby.

How much iron do I need?

The recommended daily amount of iron is:

• 8mg per day for women,
• 7mg per day for men

Females who lose a lot of blood during their heavy, monthly period, are at higher risk of iron deficiency anemia and might need to take some iron supplements. Consult a registered dietitian or your GP for more advice.

See also: Iron Deficiency Anemia: Best Iron-Rich Foods, Quick Treatment

Conclusion:

You should be able to get all the above-mentioned vitamins you need from your daily diet. These vitamins can’t be stored in your body, so you need them in your diet every day.

The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins and minerals is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods. Choosing iron and B vitamins rich foods is one of the easiest ways to make sure you’re getting the daily energy you actually need and prevent various diseases.