Vitamin B Complex in Children

Author - Dr. Ning

Vitamins are a group of compounds that are essential for normal biological functions and should be taken in small quantities. Some vitamins are soluble in water, and others in fat. While all vitamins and minerals are important for growth and development, some are especially critical for children.

What is Vitamin B Complex?

Vitamin B complex includes a number of water-nutrients, which means they dissolve in water and are not stored on a long-term basis within the body. Thus excess B vitamins in body does not use are washed out through urination. The B vitamins are a group of eight nutrients, each with unique roles in keeping the body healthy. There are eight kinds of vitamins in the vitamin B complex:

1. Vitamin B1 or thiamine
2. Vitamin B2 or riboflavin
3. Vitamin B3 or niacin/niacinamide
4. Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid
5. Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine
6. Vitamin B7 or biotin
7. Vitamin B9 or folic acid
8. Vitamin B12 or cyanocobalamin/methylcobalamin

What are the roles of Vitamin B Complex?

They’re especially important for maintaining cell health and keeping you energized. The symptoms of a vitamin B deficiency vary depending on which B vitamin you’re deficient in.

Thiamine (Vitamin B1)

Thiamine plays an important role in breaking down carbohydrate molecules from food, creating certain neurotransmitters (brain chemicals), producing fatty acids, synthesizing certain hormones.

The requirement of thiamine is increased when carbohydrates are taken in large amounts and during periods of increased metabolism. Thiamine deficiency classically known as beriberi has a wide range of clinical presentation in infants. There are of 2 types: (a) Wet beriberi affects the heart and patients present with breathlessness and swelling around the body. (b) Dry beriberi which leads to partial paralysis. Deficiency of thiamine is associated with severely malnourished states, and is classically associated with a diet consisting largely of polished rice. Thiamine is water soluble and heat labile; most of the vitamin is lost when the rice is repeatedly washed and the cooking water is discarded.

Dietary sources : Pork (especially lean), fish, and poultry are good nonvegetarian dietary sources of thiamine. Main sources of thiamine for vegetarians are rice, oat, wheat, and legumes. Most ready-to-eat breakfast cereals are enriched with thiamine.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Riboflavin is part of the structure of the coenzymes which participate in oxidation-reduction reactions in numerous metabolic pathways and in energy production. It is important for helping the body break down fats, drugs, and steroid hormones, converting tryptophan into niacin (vitamin B-3)

Deficiency of vitamin B2 can lead to skin disorders, sores at the corners of the mouth, swelling of the mouth and throat, swollen, cracked lips, hair loss, red, itchy eyes.

Milk, eggs, organ meats, legumes, and mushrooms are rich dietary sources of riboflavin.

Niacin (Vitamin B3)

Niacin forms part of two cofactors, which are important in several biologic reactions, including the respiratory chain, fatty acid and steroid synthesis, cell differentiation, and DNA processing.

Niacin deficiency can cause Pellagra manifesting as diarrhea, symmetric scaly dermatitis in sunexposed areas, and neurologic symptoms of disorientation and delirium.

Major dietary sources of niacin are meat, fish, and poultry for nonvegetarians and cereals, legumes, and green leafy vegetables for vegetarians.

Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5)

Pantothenic acid acts as component of coenzyme A and acyl carrier protein which involved in fatty acid metabolism. Red blood cells carry pantothenic acid throughout the body so it can use the nutrient in a variety of processes for energy and metabolism.

Experimentally produced deficiency in humans: irritability, fatigue, numbness, paresthesias (burning feet syndrome), muscle cramps

Dietary sources of vitamin B5 are beef, organ meats, poultry, seafood, egg yolk, yeast, soybeans and mushrooms.

Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)

Pyridoxine functions as constituent of coenzymes for amino acid and glycogen metabolism, heme synthesis, steroid action, neurotransmitter synthesis.

Deficiency of vitamin B6 can lead to Irritability, convulsions, hypochromic anemia, failure to thrive, excess excretion of oxalates in urine.

Good food sources of the vitamin include fortified ready-to-eat cereals, meat, fish, poultry, liver, bananas, rice, and certain vegetables.

Biotin (Vitamin B7)

Biotin acts as cofactor for carboxylases, important in gluconeogenesis, fatty acid and amino acid metabolism, and in the utilization of other B-complex vitamins.

Biotin deficiency can cause scaly rash around eyes, nose, and mouth, conjunctivitis, thinning of the hair, lethargy, brittle nails, fatigue and withdrawn behavior.

There is limited information on the biotin content of foods; biotin is believed to be widely distributed, making a deficiency unlikely. Organ meats, eggs, salmon, pork, beef, sunflower seeds are said to be rich in biotin.

Folic acid (Vitamin B9)

Coenzymes in amino acid and nucleotide metabolism as an acceptor and donor of 1-carbon units. Deficiency can cause mgaloblastic anemia, Growth retardation, sores on the tongue or in the mouth, neural tube defects in progeny.

Rice and cereals are rich dietary sources of folate, especially if enriched. Beans, leafy vegetables, and fruits such as oranges and papaya are good sources as well.

Cobalamin (Vitamin B12)

Methylcobalamin is important for the growth and protection of the nervous system, conversion of homocysteine to methionine and folic acid metabolism. As deoxyadenosylcobalamin, it acts as cofactor for lipid and carbohydrate metabolismn. Deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia, irritability, developmental delay, developmental regression, involuntary movements, hyperpigmentation. Dietary sources of vitamin B12 are almost exclusively from animal foods. Organ meats, muscle meats, seafood (mollusks, oysters, fish), poultry, and egg yolk are rich sources.

Conclusion

In conclusion, B vitamins play an essential role in releasing energy from the food we eat, as well as in the formation of healthy red blood cells and nerve function. B vitamins each have their own unique functions, but they depend upon one another for proper absorption and the best health benefits. Because diets deficient in any one of the B-complex vitamins are often poor sources of other B vitamins, manifestations of several vitamin B deficiencies usually can be seen in the same person.

Are Vitamin Supplements Recommended?

While a vitamin B supplement may be beneficial in certain cases, it’s always best to seek dietary sources and discuss with your healthcare professional first. When your child is not getting the requisite vitamins from his food, only then should he be given supplements to meet that deficiency of vitamins.

The diet of every child should provide all the essential vitamins to cover all his growth needs. A healthy diet throughout childhood can offer positive benefits, like stimulating the immune system and enhancing digestion, metabolism, and growth. You should understand that nothing can replace a balanced diet and too much reliance on supplements is not good for health.

We hope you have understood the importance of these vitamins for the healthy growth of your kids. Vitamins are vital but should be better absorbed from natural sources than medicinal supplements. After all, eating a balanced diet is key to getting all nutrients your body needs.