Vitamins with a complex a simple rundown on the Bs. (wellness).

Run your finger down the side of a cereal box or across a bottle of multivitamins, and you'll find them--familiar words such as riboflavin, folic acid and niacin. But while we've all heard of them and were convinced--somehow and long ago--that they're very important, what are they really? And who, in particular, needs to pay attention to them?

Folio and pantothenic acids, biotin, vitamins [B.sub.6] and [B.sub.12]--each belongs to the team of eight distinct vitamins called the "B complex," so named because they are usually taken as a group. Common sources of B-complex vitamins include liver, rice, nuts, milk, eggs, meats, fish, fruits and leafy green vegetables.

"Keep in mind, though, that these are all individual nutrients," says Barbara Lohse Knous, professor of Human Nutrition at Kansas State University. "We do know that they work together and are involved in helping the body and metabolism function, but each works and interacts with other nutrients and proteins very differently."

Within the Bs, the most common deficiency is [B.sub.12] (cyanocobalamin). "That's something you'll see with strict vegetarians," says Cynthia Frozena, a medical researcher and writer at Enzymatic Therapy, a manufacturer of B supplements. [B.sub.12] isn't found in any plant foods, so supplements are a good idea for vegetarians."

Problems with the absorption of [B.sub.12] can also occur as we age, so the elderly can be at risk for this deficiency. Symptoms include weakness and numbness in the extremities. "There's also a lot of evidence and research to suggest that [B.sub.12] plays a role in general cognitive functioning," says Knous.

"And you can often tie problems with lack of energy and fatigue to low levels of [B.sub.12]," says Allan Spreen, MD, a nutrition counselor and author of Folio Acid: The Essential B Vitamin and Nutritionally Incorrect. "It's a pretty common complaint, and about one out of three times, a boost of [B.sub.12] helps."

[B.sub.12] interacts closely with folic acid ([B.sub.9]), a particularly important vitamin during pregnancy. "Folio acid is an especially vital nutrient for fetal neurological development, so women should ...