Source | Pharmacy people
We all know that B vitamins are a general term for a large class of vitamins, common B vitamins include B1/B2/B6/B12/folic acid/biotin/niacin/pantothenic acid, etc., do you know what they do?
01
Vitamin B1
Synonyms: thiamine, thiamine
OVERVIEW: Vitamin B1 is involved in the formation of coenzymes in the body, which can maintain normal glucose metabolism and nervous and digestive system functions. When vitamin B1 is deficient, it can cause diseases such as beriberi, neuritis, decreased appetite, and indigestion.
Notes:
(1) Vitamin B1 can deteriorate when encountering alkaline drugs such as sodium bicarbonate and sodium citrate.
(2) Vitamin B1 should not be taken with traditional Chinese medicine or food containing tannins.
Additional Content:
(1) Beriberi is the same disease as tinea pedis, the cause of beriberi is vitamin B1 deficiency, not fungal infection, which is mainly manifested as neurological or cardiovascular system symptoms.
(2) It should be noted that furaziamine is not another name for vitamin B1, they are two different drugs, fulotiamine is a derivative of vitamin B1, although the effect is basically the same as vitamin B1, but it is a prescription drug, 25mg per tablet, can be quickly converted into active thiamine in the body, not decomposed by thiaminase in the body, strong affinity for tissues, high concentration in organs and blood, and long maintenance time.
02
Vitamin B2
Synonyms: riboflavin
OVERVIEW: Vitamin B2 is a component of the body's flavonase prosthetic groups, which are involved in the metabolism of sugar, protein and fat, maintain normal visual function and promote growth. When vitamin B2 is deficient, it can cause inflammation of the mouth, eyes, external genitalia and other parts, such as angular cheilitis, chapped lip, glossitis, scrotumitis, conjunctivitis, seborrheic dermatitis, etc.
Notes:
(1) It is normal for the urine to be yellow after taking it.
(2) Vitamin B2 should be taken after meals.
(3) Drinking alcohol can affect the intestinal absorption of vitamin B2.
(4) Combined with metoclopramide can reduce the efficacy.
(5) With phenothiazine, tricyclic antidepressants, probenecid and other drugs, the dosage of vitamin B2 is increased.
03
Vitamin B6
Synonyms: pyridoxine, including pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine, the three can be converted into each other.
Overview: Vitamin B6 is an important component of coenzymes, which is involved in the metabolism of sugar, protein, fat and other parts of the body, and is related to the production of white blood cells and hemoglobin. Vitamin B6 deficiency can cause chapped lip, seborrheic dermatitis, etc., and is also used to prevent and treat isoniazid poisoning, pregnancy, radiation sickness, vomiting caused by anticancer drugs, leukopenia, etc.
Notes:
The combination of vitamin B1 and levodopa can reduce the efficacy of levodopa, but the formulation has no effect on levodopa if the decarboxylase inhibitor such as carbidopa is used.
04
Vitamin B12
Synonyms: cobalamin
Overview: Vitamin B12 is an important coenzyme for the synthesis of nucleotides in cells, participates in methyl conversion and folic acid metabolism in the body, promotes the conversion of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate into tetrahydrofolate, and also plays an important role in maintaining normal nerve function. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause pernicious anemia, megaloblastic anemia, and neurological disorders (such as neuritis, nerve atrophy, etc.).
Notes:
(1) The use of vitamin B12 in gout patients can increase blood uric acid and induce gout.
(2) The use of vitamin B12 in Lieber's disease can rapidly exacerbate optic nerve atrophy.
(3) Patients with nervous system impairment should not use vitamin B12 before the diagnosis is clear, so as not to mask the manifestations of subacute combined degeneration.
(4) Note that chloramphenicol, cholestyramine, colchicine, aminoglycosides, phenobarbital, phenytoin and other drugs can reduce the absorption of vitamin B12 in the intestine.
Additional Content:
Methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin is the active ingredient of vitamin B12 in the body.
05
folic acid
Synonyms: vitamin B9, vitamin M
Overview: The folic acid preparations used now, although the word vitamin can not be seen in the name of the drug, but in fact it is also a kind of water-soluble vitamin B, which is necessary for the growth and reproduction of human cells, which is converted into tetrahydrofolate in the body, and combined with a variety of one-carbon units to form tetrahydrofolate coenzymes, which transmit one-carbon units, participate in the synthesis of nucleic acids and amino acids in the body, and promote the proliferation and maturation of red blood cells together with vitamin B12. Folic acid deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia, and lack during pregnancy may also cause fetal neural tube development defects, cleft lip and palate, etc., in addition, folic acid deficiency may also cause hyperhomocysteinemia, leading to the occurrence of H hypertension.
Notes:
(1) There are two specifications of oral monofolic acid preparation on the market, which are divided into 0.4mg/tablet and 5mg/tablet, and the purpose of the two is not exactly the same, so pay attention to the distinction.
(2) For the treatment of pernicious anemia, vitamin B12 is the main thing, folic acid is supplemented, and folic acid cannot be used alone.
(3) Oral administration of large doses of vitamin B12 can affect the absorption of zinc.
(4) High-dose folic acid can antagonize the antiepileptic effect of phenobarbital, phenytoin and primidone, which can significantly reduce the critical value of seizures and increase the number of seizures in sensitive patients.
(5) For hypertension with elevated homocysteine, the recommended dose of folic acid is 0.8 mg per day.
06
biotin
Synonyms: Vitamin H, Vitamin B7, Coenzyme R
Overview: Biotin is also a kind of vitamin B, widely distributed in food, and human intestinal bacteria can also be synthesized in large quantities, so the general human body is rarely deficient, but patients who use parenteral nutrition for a long time, some children who lack biotin metabolism genes, and people who use antibiotics in large doses for a long time will also have biotin deficiency. Biotin is an indispensable substance for maintaining the normal growth and development of the human body, maintaining the health of bones and skin, and its deficiency can cause seborrheic dermatitis, anorexia, muscle pain and hair loss.
Note: At present, there is no separate biotin drug preparation on the market in China, which generally occurs mainly in compound vitamin mineral drugs or health foods, such as multivitamin element tablets (29) containing 30 micrograms of biotin per tablet.
07
nicotinic acid
Synonyms: Vitamin B3
Overview: Niacin is converted into nicotinamide in the body and then forms coenzyme I and coenzyme II with other substances, and then participates in various metabolic processes such as lipids, amino acids, proteins, purines and so on in the body. Insufficient niacin intake can cause pellagerma.
Notes:
(1) Niacin can be converted into nicotinamide in the body.
(2) Co-administration of niacin with statins can lead to an increased risk of muscle toxicity.
(3) Niacin is used for hyperlipidemia, and sustained-release preparations are mostly used.
(4) For the treatment of pellagra, if there is stomach discomfort, it is advisable to take it with milk or with meals, and generally take 5mg of vitamin B1, B2 and B6 at the same time.
08
pantothenic acid
Synonyms: Vitamin B5
Overview: Pantothenic acid generally appears in the form of calcium pantothenate, which is a component of coenzyme A, which is involved in the metabolism of proteins, fats, and sugars, and maintains normal epithelial function. Pantothenic acid is widely found in food, so pantothenic acid deficiency is rare. In the case of pantothenic acid deficiency, it can manifest as loss of appetite, indigestion, irritability, headache, numbness of hands and feet, and burning pain in the feet.
Precautions: Pantothenic acid prolongs bleeding time, so caution should be exercised in patients with hemophilia.
The above is a brief introduction to 8 common vitamin B, and finally add a knowledge point, vitamin B4 is not one of the "B vitamins", it is just the old name of adenine, which is mainly used to raise white blood cells.
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