Always tired? Can’t seem to crawl out of bed if you’ve had less than 9 hours of sleep? If constantly snoozing the alarm is a problem you want to overcome, this energy-boosting supplement could really help you out.
Vitamin B does not give you extra energy, nor will any other vitamin or mineral. To get energy you need to eat protein, carbohydrates, and/or fat (the three nutrient groups that contain calories). However, B vitamins are essential for the complex chemical reactions involved in converting food energy into the form of energy your cells use. Meaning, if you don’t have sufficient levels of any of the 8 B vitamins, the food you eat won’t be efficiently converted into energy.
How much B vitamins should you be consuming? B vitamins are water soluble, meaning any excess that you take in will simply be flushed out of your body with urine. This is why looking for a supplement that contains just the recommended daily allowance (see RDA levels below) is the most efficient way of supplementing your diet with B vitamins.
| Type | RDA Men | RDA Women |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) | 1.5 mg/day | 1.1 mg/day |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1.3 mg/day | 1.1 mg/day |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 16 mg/day | 14 mg/day |
| Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) | 5 mg/day | 5 mg/day |
| Vitamin B6 (Pyrodixine) | 1.3 mg/day | 1.3 mg/day |
| Vitamin B7 (Biotin) | 30 mcg/day | 30 mcg/day |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 400 mcg/day | 400 mcg/day |
| Vitamin B12 (Cobalmin) | 2.4 mcg/day | 2.4 mcg/day |
Essentially, B vitamin supplements are effective at boosting energy only if you are not getting enough B vitamins from your present diet. Do you prefer to get your B vitamins from food rather than supplements? Check out our cheat sheet on B vitamins here.
