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B vitamins are a class of water-soluble that play important roles in cell and synthesis of red blood cells. They are a diverse class of compounds.

Dietary supplements containing all eight are referred to as a vitamin B complex. Individual B vitamins are referred to by B-number or by chemical name, such as B1 for , B2 for , and B3 for , while some are more commonly recognized by name than by number, such as (B5), (B7), and (B9). B vitamins are present in protein-rich foods, such as fish, , , , and eggs; they are also found in , , and . Fortified foods, such as , baked products, and , may contain B vitamins.

Each B vitamin is either a cofactor (generally a coenzyme) for key processes or is a precursor needed to make one.

List of B vitamins
+ List of B vitamins ! scope="col" data-sort-type="number"Vitamin ! scope="col"Name ! scope="col"Description
Nicotinamide riboside

Note: Other substances once thought to be vitamins were given B-numbers, but were disqualified once discovered to be either manufactured by the body or not essential for life. See #Related compounds for numbers , , 10, 11, and others.

Sources
B vitamins are found in abundance in meat, eggs, and . Processed carbohydrates such as sugar and white flour tend to have lower B vitamin content than their unprocessed counterparts. For this reason, it is common in many countries (including the United States) that the B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid are added back to white flour after processing. This is referred to as "" on food labels. B vitamins are particularly concentrated in meat such as turkey, tuna and liver.
(2025). 9781416002093, Saunders Elsevier. .

Sources for B vitamins also include , (pulses or beans), whole grains, , potatoes, bananas, chili peppers, . The B12 vitamin is not abundantly available from plant products (although it has been found in moderate abundance in fermented vegetable products, certain seaweeds, and in certain mushrooms, with the of the vitamin in these cases remaining uncertain), making B12 deficiency a legitimate concern for those maintaining a diet. Manufacturers of plant-based foods will sometimes report B12 content, leading to confusion about what sources yield B12. The confusion arises because the standard (USP) method for measuring the B12 content does not measure the B12 directly. Instead, it measures a bacterial response to the food. Chemical variants of the B12 vitamin found in plant sources are active for bacteria, but cannot be used by the human body. This same phenomenon can cause significant over-reporting of B12 content in other types of foods as well.

A common way to increase vitamin B intake is by using dietary supplements. B vitamins are commonly added to , many of which have been marketed with large amounts of B vitamins.

Because they are soluble in water, excess B vitamins are generally readily excreted, although individual absorption, use and metabolism may vary. The elderly and athletes may need to supplement their intake of B12 and other B vitamins due to problems in absorption and increased needs for energy production. In cases of severe deficiency, B vitamins, especially B12, may also be delivered by injection to reverse deficiencies. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetics may also be advised to supplement thiamine based on high prevalence of low plasma thiamine concentration and increased thiamine clearance associated with diabetes. Also, folate deficiency in early embryo development has been linked to neural tube defects. Thus, women planning to become pregnant are usually encouraged to increase daily dietary folate intake or take a supplement.

Molecular functions

To the right, a diagram of some of the major B vitamins (2, 3, 5, 9, and 12) are shown as precursors for certain essential biochemical reactants (FAD, NAD+, coenzyme A, and heme B respectively). The structural similarities between them are highlighted, which illustrates the precursor nature of many B vitamins while also showing the functionality of the end product used by essential reactions to support human, animal, or cellular life.

FAD, NAD+, and coenzyme A are all essential for the catabolic release of free energy (dG) to power the activity of the cell and more complex life forms. See the article on for more details on how these three essential biochemical reactants help support life.

Tetrahydrofolate is a necessary co-reactant for synthesizing some amino acids, such as . is the porphyrin derivative macrocycle molecule that holds the iron atom in place in , allowing for the transportation of oxygen through blood.

Deficiencies
Several named vitamin deficiency diseases may result from the lack of sufficient B vitamins. Deficiencies of other B vitamins result in symptoms that are not part of a named deficiency disease.

! Vitamin B1 | | Thiamine deficiency causes beriberi. Symptoms of this disease of the include weight loss, emotional disturbances, Wernicke encephalopathy (impaired sensory perception), weakness and pain in the limbs, periods of , and (swelling of bodily tissues). and may occur in advanced cases. Chronic thiamine deficiency can also cause alcoholic Korsakoff syndrome, an irreversible characterized by and compensatory . 
! Vitamin B2
     |  | Riboflavin deficiency can cause , which may result in cheilosis (cracks in the lips), high sensitivity to sunlight, angular cheilitis,  (inflammation of the tongue), seborrheic dermatitis or pseudo- (particularly affecting the  or  and the ),  (sore throat), , and edema of the  and  .
     
! Vitamin B3
     | Niacin | Niacin deficiency, along with a deficiency of , causes . Symptoms include aggression, , , , mental confusion, and . In advanced cases, pellagra may lead to  and death (the 3(+1) D's: dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death).
     
! Vitamin B5
     |  | Pantothenic acid deficiency can result in  and , although it is uncommon.
     
! Vitamin B6
     | , ,  | Vitamin B6 deficiency causes seborrhoeic dermatitis-like eruptions, pink eye and neurological symptoms (e.g. ).
     
! Vitamin B7
     |  | Biotin deficiency does not typically cause symptoms in adults, other than cosmetic issues such as decreased hair and nail growth, but may lead to impaired growth and neurological disorders in infants. Multiple carboxylase deficiency, an inborn error of metabolism, can lead to biotin deficiency even when dietary biotin intake is normal.
     
! Folate
     |  | Folic acid deficiency results in a macrocytic anemia, and elevated levels of . Deficiency in pregnant women can lead to birth defects, particularly neural tube defects such as  and .
     
!Vitamin B12
     |  | Vitamin B12 deficiency results in a macrocytic anemia, elevated methylmalonic acid and , peripheral neuropathy, sense loss, change in mobility, memory loss and other cognitive deficits. It is most likely to occur among elderly people, as absorption through the gut declines with age; the autoimmune disease pernicious anemia is another common cause. It can also cause symptoms of  and . Untreated, it is possible to cause irreversible damage to the brain and nerve system — In rare extreme cases, paralysis can result.
     

     

 

 

 
  

  Side effects
 
 

 

 
 
 
Because water-soluble B vitamins are eliminated in the urine, taking large doses of certain B vitamins usually only produces transient side effects (with the only exception being pyridoxine). General side effects may include restlessness, nausea and insomnia. These side effects are almost always caused by dietary supplements and not foodstuffs.
     

     
! Vitamin B1
     | None
 (1998). 9780309064118, National Academy Press. . 
 | No known toxicity from oral intake. There are some reports of  caused by high-dose thiamin injections into the vein or muscle. However, the doses were greater than the quantity humans can physically absorb from oral intake.
     
! Vitamin B2
     | None
 (1998). 9780309064118, National Academy Press. . 
 | No evidence of toxicity based on limited human and animal studies. The only evidence of adverse effects associated with riboflavin comes from   studies showing the production of reactive oxygen species () when riboflavin was exposed to intense visible and UV light.
     
!Vitamin B3
     | US UL = 35 mg as a dietary supplement
 (1998). 9780309064118, National Academy Press. . 
 | Intake of 3000 mg/day of nicotinamide and 1500 mg/day of nicotinic acid are associated with nausea, vomiting, and signs and symptoms of liver toxicity. Other effects may include glucose intolerance, and (reversible) ocular effects. Additionally, the nicotinic acid form may cause vasodilatory effects, also known as flushing, including redness of the skin, often accompanied by an itching, tingling, or mild burning sensation, which is also often accompanied by , headaches, and increased intracranial blood flow, and occasionally accompanied by pain. Medical practitioners prescribe recommended doses up to 2000 mg per day of niacin in either immediate-release or slow-release formats, to lower plasma triglycerides and low-density lipiprotein cholesterol.
     
! Vitamin B5
     | None | No toxicity known.
     
! Vitamin B6
     | US UL = 100 mg/day; EU UL = 25 mg/day | See Megavitamin-B6 syndrome for more information.
     
! Vitamin B7
     | None | No toxicity known.
     
! Folate
     | 1 mg/day
 (1998). 9780309064118, National Academy Press. . 
 | Masks B12 deficiency, which can lead to permanent  damage.
     
! Vitamin B12
     | None established
 (1998). 9780309064118, National Academy Press. . 
 | Skin and spinal lesions. Acne-like rash (causality is not conclusively established).
     

     
     

 

 

 
  

  Discovery
 
 

 

 
     
 

     

 

 

 
  

  Related compounds
 
 

 

 
Many of the following substances have been referred to as vitamins as they were once believed to be vitamins. They are no longer considered as such, and the numbers that were assigned to them now form the "gaps" in the true series of B-complex vitamins described above (for example, there is no vitamin B4). Some of them, though not essential to humans, are essential in the diets of other organisms; others have no known nutritional value and may even be toxic under certain conditions.
 
    
  
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  Vitamin B4: can refer to the distinct chemicals , , or .
     (2004). 9781438121031, Infobase Publishing. . 
     (2010). 9781420008692, CRC Press. . 
    
  
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Choline is  by the human body, but not sufficiently to maintain good health, and is now considered an essential dietary nutrient.
   
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Adenine is a  synthesized by the human body.
   
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Carnitine is an essential dietary nutrient for certain worms, but not for humans.
   
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  Vitamin B8: adenosine monophosphate (AMP), also known as adenylic acid.
     (2007). 9781420008890, CRC Press. . 
     Vitamin B8 may also refer to .
  
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  Vitamin B10:   para-aminobenzoic acid (pABA or PABA), a chemical component of the folate molecule produced by plants and bacteria, and found in many foods. It is best known as a UV-blocking  applied to the skin, and is sometimes taken orally for certain medical conditions.
  
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  Vitamin B11: pteroylheptaglutamic acid (PHGA; chick growth factor). Vitamin Bc-conjugate was also found to be identical to PHGA. Derivative of  ("pteroylmonoglutamic acid" in this nomenclature).
  
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  Vitamin B13: .
  
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  Vitamin B14: cell proliferant, anti-, rat growth factor, and antitumor  phosphate, named by Earl R. Norris. Isolated from human urine at 0.33ppm (later in blood), but later abandoned by him as further evidence did not confirm this. He also claimed this was not .
  
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  Vitamin B15: ,
     (1995). 9780312113865, St. Martin's Press. . 
     also known as pangamate. Promoted in various forms as a dietary supplement and drug; considered unsafe and subject to seizure by the US Food and Drug Administration.
  
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  Vitamin B16:  (DMG) is synthesized by the human body from choline.
  
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  Vitamin B17: pseudoscientific name for the poisonous compound , also known as the equally pseudoscientific name "nitrilosides" despite the fact that it is a single compound. Amygdalin can be found in various plants, but is most commonly extracted from apricot pits and other similar fruit kernels. Amygdalin is hydrolyzed by various intestinal enzymes to form, among other things, hydrogen cyanide, which is toxic to human beings when exposed to a high enough dosage. Some proponents claim that amygdalin is effective in cancer treatment and prevention, despite its toxicity and a lack of scientific evidence.
  
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  Vitamin B20: L-carnitine.
     (2013). 9781118383834, Wiley. . 
    
  
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  Vitamin Bf: carnitine.
  
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  Vitamin Bm: , also called "mouse antialopaecia factor".
     (2013). 9781118383834, Wiley. . 
    
  
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  Vitamin Bp: "antiperosis factor", which prevents , a leg disorder, in ; can be replaced by choline and manganese salts.
     (2009). 9780191579752, Oxford University Press. . 
     (2003). 9781139437738, Cambridge University Press. . 
    
  
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  Vitamin BT: carnitine.
  
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  Vitamin Bv: a type of B6 other than pyridoxine.
  
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  Vitamin BW: a type of biotin other than d-biotin.
  
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  Vitamin Bx: an alternative name for both pABA (see vitamin B10) and .
  
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