Types of vitamin B.
- thiamin (vitamin B1)
- riboflavin (vitamin B2)
- niacin (vitamin B3)
- pantothenic acid
- vitamin B6
- biotin (vitamin B7)
- folate and folic acid
- vitamin B12
Thiamin (vitamin B1)
Thiamin, also known as vitamin B1, helps break down and release energy from food and keep the nervous system healthy
Good sources of Thiamin include:
- peas
- fresh and dried fruit
- eggs
- wholegrain breads
- some fortified breakfast cereals
- liver
How much thiamin do you need?
The amount of thiamin adults (aged 19 to 64) need is:
- 1mg a day for men
- 0.8mg a day for women
Thiamin can't be stored in the body, so you need it in your diet every day.
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, helps keep skin, eyes and the nervous system healthy and aids the body release energy from food
Good sources of riboflavin
- milk
- eggs
- fortified breakfast cereals
- rice
(UV light can destroy riboflavin, so ideally these foods should be kept out of direct sunlight.)
How much riboflavin do I need?
The amount of riboflavin adults (aged 19 to 64) need is about:
- 1.3mg a day for men
- 1.1mg a day for women
Riboflavin can't be stored in the body, so you need it in your diet every day.
Niacin (vitamin B3)
Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, helps release energy from the foods we eat and keep the nervous system and skin healthy.
Good sources of niacin
- meat
- fish
- wheat flour
- eggs
- milk
How much niacin do I need?
The amount of niacin you need is about:
- 16.5mg a day for men
- 13.2mg a day for women
Niacin can't be stored in the body, so you need it in your diet every day.
Pantothenic acid
Pantothenic acid has several functions, such as helping to release energy from food.
Good sources of pantothenic acid
Pantothenic acid is found in most meats and vegetables, including:
- chicken
- beef
- potatoes
- porridge
- tomatoes
- kidney
- eggs
- broccoli
- wholegrains such as brown rice and wholemeal bread
Breakfast cereals are also a good source if they have been fortified with pantothenic acid.
How much pantothenic acid do I need?
Pantothenic acid can't be stored in the body, so you need it in your diet every day.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, helps the body to use and store energy from protein and carbohydrates in food and to form haemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body
Good sources of vitamin B6
- pork
- poultry such as chicken or turkey
- fish
- bread
- wholegrain cereals such as oatmeal, wheatgerm and brown rice
- eggs
- vegetables
- soya beans
- peanuts
- milk
- potatoes
- some fortified breakfast cereals
How much vitamin B6 do I need?
The amount of vitamin B6 adults (aged 19 to 64) need is about:
- 1.4mg a day for men
- 1.2mg a day for women
Biotin (vitamin B7)
Biotin is needed in very small amounts to help the body break down fat. The bacteria that live naturally in your bowel are able to make biotin, so it's not clear if you need any additional biotin from the diet.
Biotin is also found in a wide range of foods, but only at very low levels.
Folate and folic acid
Folate is a B vitamin found in many foods. The manmade form of folate is called folic acid. Folate is also known as folacin and vitamin B9.
Folate helps the body form healthy red blood cells and reduce the risk of central neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, in unborn babies. A lack of folate could lead to folate deficiency anaemia.
Good sources of folate
- broccoli
- brussels sprouts
- liver (but avoid this during pregnancy)
- leafy green vegetables such as cabbage and spinach
- peas
- chickpeas
- breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid
How much folate do I need?
Adults need 200 micrograms of folate a day. A microgram is 1,000 times smaller than a milligram (mg). The word microgram is sometimes written with the Greek symbol μ followed by the letter g (μg).
There are no long-term stores in the body, so you need to eat folate-containing foods frequently.
If you're pregnant or trying for a baby, it's recommended that you take a 400 microgram folic acid supplement daily from the time you stop using contraception until you're 12 weeks pregnant.
This is to help prevent birth defects, such as spina bifida, in your baby.
Make sure you speak to your doctor if you have a family history of conditions like spina bifida (known as neural tube defects) as you may need to take a higher dose of 5mg of folic acid each day until you're 12 weeks pregnant.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is involved in making red blood cells and keeping the nervous system healthy, releasing energy from food using folic acid
A lack of vitamin B12 could lead to vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia.
Good sources of vitamin B12
- meat
- salmon
- cod
- milk
- cheese
- eggs
- some fortified breakfast cereals
How much vitamin B12 do I need?
Adults (aged 19 to 64) need about 1.5 microgram a day of vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 isn't found naturally in foods such as fruit, vegetables and grains, vegans may not get enough of it.
