What do B vitamins do?

The B vitamins are a group of eight essential nutrients that work as a team to support the proper functioning of your body. This team consists of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 and folate.

B vitamins support your body in three main ways.

They help turn food into energy. The oatmeal, eggs, or yogurt you had this morning doesn't automatically become energy your cells can use. Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B5 help your body process that food into energy you can carry through your day, whether you're at the gym, at your desk, or out walking the dog.

They support your nervous system. From remembering where you left your keys to picking up your coffee cup, your nervous system is always at work. Vitamin B6 helps make neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. Vitamin B12 supports normal neurological function. 

They help your body build and renew. Your body is always rebuilding itself, even when you don't notice. Folate is essential for DNA synthesis and normal cell division, and it matters for everyone, not only during pregnancy. 

Why does the form of a B vitamin matter?

Your body can't always use a B vitamin exactly as it arrives. Some forms need to be converted first. Biologically active B vitamins found in certain supplements are already in, or closer to, the forms your body uses. On a label, look for P5P (B6), L-5-MTHF (folate), and methylcobalamin (B12). All of these are ready for your body to utilize.

B12 is a good example. Cyanocobalamin, a common form, has to be converted before your body can use it. Methylcobalamin is already an active form. Pure Lab's BioActive B12 Sublingual uses methylcobalamin. The tablet is designed to be placed under the tongue, where it dissolves. With no pill to swallow, you don’t even need water to take it. It also offers the potential for more rapid absorption. That makes it a smart choice as we get older, when absorbing B12 from food can become less efficient.

Genetics can play a part, too. Common variations in the MTHFR gene can affect how the body processes folate, which is one reason Pure Lab uses the active form, L-5-MTHF in its Slow Release BioActive B Complex and Slow Release BioActive Folic Acid.

Is Higher Potency Always Better?

A standard B-50 complex typically provides most of the B vitamins in the same 50 mg potency across the board. But equal ratios between B vitamins are not based on science. That’s why Pure Lab’s Slow Release BioActive B Complex takes a more targeted approach, providing each B vitamin in an evidence-informed amount designed to work as part of the complete formula. Formulated with precision rather than simply higher potency, it provides a thoughtfully balanced spectrum of B vitamins in a slow-release format.

Why choose a slow-release form of B Vitamins?

B vitamins are water-soluble, and your body removes what it doesn’t need in urine. Choosing a slow release gives your body more time to use what’s being absorbed. 

If you water a plant, and pour a whole bucket onto the soil at once, the plant can only absorb so much; the rest drains away. A slow-release formula works more like a sprinkler, releasing B vitamins gradually to allow your body access to the B vitamins over a longer period of time.

Pure Lab's Slow Release BioActive B Complex, Slow Release BioActive B6, and Slow Release BioActive Folic Acid are all made this way for this reason.

How to choose a B complex

Look for:

• The full range of B vitamins, in evidence-supported ratios
• A slow-release formula to give your body prolonged access to B vitamins

• Biologically active forms like L-5MTHF, methylcobalamin, P5P, which are readily useable, with no conversions required

To get the most from your B complex, take it with your first solid meal of the day.

Common questions

Do B vitamins give you energy?

They do, but indirectly. Think of food as the fuel and B vitamins as part of the engine. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins provide calories—the actual energy. B vitamins help the metabolic machinery that converts that fuel into a form your cells can use. 

Why does a B complex turn my urine bright yellow?

That's riboflavin, or vitamin B2, which is responsible for much of the colour. B vitamins are water-soluble, and through urination, your body eliminates what it can’t use right away. 

What's the difference between methylcobalamin and cyanocobalamin?

Both are forms of vitamin B12. Cyanocobalamin needs to be converted by your body before it can be used. Methylcobalamin is already one of the biologically active forms, and requires no conversions before it can perform its work.

When should I take my B vitamins?

To get the most from your B complex, take it with your first solid meal of the day.

Do I need a B vitamin supplement if I eat a balanced diet?

Sometimes, the way we eat, or the way our bodies absorb and use nutrients, can make it harder to get enough. Restrictive diets, low food intake, certain medications, digestive conditions and regular alcohol consumption are just some of the circumstances that can affect B vitamin intake or status. A B complex supplement can provide a convenient way to complement the diet with a range of B vitamins, particularly when your diet may not be ideal.

Choose your B vitamins with care

Your body relies on a steady supply of B vitamins, around the clock. When you choose a supplement, it's worth looking beyond how much of each vitamin it contains to the form each one comes in and how it's delivered.