What the heck is an 'Active' B Vitamin? Why is it important?

 How's the ole' brain today?

As we age most things we need in the body slow down.  We have found one that goes UP instead - Homocysteine.  And that's not good. It has been common knowledge for many years that high levels of Folic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 are needed to reduce the level of homocysteine.

I can hear you saying -  my multi has these B Vitamins.  Isn't that enough?  NO!

An elevated level of Homocysteine (EH) is a clear sign that your body has a problem converting the B Vitamins to their active form.

There are a number of very-hard-to-deal-with consequences of EH - ranging from poor bone health to cardiovascular disease to brain structure & function.   Brain, Homocysteine and B Vitamins web site cites information that it might take 30 or 40 years for the brain to decline and exhibit the brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer's.  They recommend homocysteine screening for those over 50 - and for anyone at risk for cardiovascular disease, those with BiPolar disease, Schizophrenia, and anyone exhibiting early signs of dementia, Alzheimer's or memory loss.

 Getting More Forgetful?

A Simple Solution

Our newly reformulated Ultra Vites is made with active B Vitamins.  So, what are these mysterious 'forms', and what are they good for?

'Active' is short for 'BioActive.  This means that the body does not have to transform  whatever the intake was into something it can use in its daily work.   There are genetic reasons (affecting a large percentage of the population) that the body cannot make or has trouble making the conversions.  And, as we age everything slows down.  Skewed diets and skewed nutritional supplementation can exaggerate the problems.  Supplying the active form skirts these problems.

Ultra Vites has been formulated to provide more than adequate levels of the active B vitamins and bio available minerals.  In fact, it provides high levels of all the critical nutrients.

• 800 mcg Folic Acid as l-methylFolate
• 1000 mcg Vitamin B12 as methylCobalamin
• 25 mg Vitamin B2 as Riboflavin 5' Phosphate
• 25 mg Vitamin B6 as Pyridoxal 5' Phosphate 
• 25 mg Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
• 40 mg Vitamin B3 (niacinamide)
• 75 mg Vitamin B5 (d-calcium pantothenate)
• 500 mcg Biotin

DID YOU KNOW that in order for a single B Vitamin to do its work all B Vitamins must be present? That means that if you have trouble converting B12, for instance, all the other B Vitamins are not working at peak efficiency.

It is fascinating that there are ongoing scientific studies using methylcobalamin, active B12, for the pain of diabetic neuropathy, low back pain, general pain management, chronic pain management and much more.  PubMed also lists a number of studies where active b vitamins are being used to treat pain and pain related conditions.

One interesting observation: some study subjects were not classified as being deficient in a vitamin, yet they had high homocystieine levels.  Obviously the problems occur because of an inability to convert to the active forms.. 

Our previous BLOG asks the Question: Is your multi doing its job?
Dr Jones has updated his Nutritional Protocol: High Homocysteine

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.