If you want to improve your ability to handle the stress in your life you need to improve your intake of B vitamins. If you desire to thrive and improve your ability to take on new challenges then prioritizing optimal B vitamin levels should be paramount. In addition, ideal B vitamin levels are crucial for supporting physical training goals as well as comprehensive hormone optimization. If you want to improve sex drive, lose body fat, and look and feel your best, hormone optimization is essential. Something you should already know if you have followed my work for even a week as I have been discussing the benefits of hormone optimization for over a decade. Anyway, back to B vitamins, there are eight b-vitamins that are essential and provide profound benefits for your overall health.
B-1: We need an adequate intake of B-1 in order to create the molecule ATP for optimal energy production. Whether you want to improve physical training, take on new challenges with your business, or simply have the energy to enjoy life fully instead of being so tired that your idea of an exciting evening is watching five hours of Netflix while you kill a bag of Cheetos then you require vitamin B-1. As the famous football coach Vince Lombardi once said, fatigue makes cowards of us all. The more real energy you have the more likely you are to succeed in whatever endeavor you engage in. Poor energy levels are one of the main reasons why people fail to achieve goals. Stack the deck in your favor by making sure you have the optimal intake of B-1.
B-2: Increases red blood cells. The primary role of red blood cells is to transport oxygen all over the body. When you have depleted red blood cells you have a difficult time getting oxygen to the cells and will experience serious fatigue. When you experience serious fatigue everything becomes much more difficult. How many people avoid physical training or taking on new challenges due to fatigue? How many rely on caffeine for the illusion of energy to get through the day? Far too many and this needs to change. You need b-vitamins to experience real energy and you need real energy to thrive. The more stress you have in your life the more you need to prioritize increasing real energy to compensate.
B-3: Also known as niacin, B-3 is crucial for healthy joints, heart health, ideal cholesterol levels, optimal triglyceride levels, and brain health. In a previous newsletter, I noted anti-aging expert Dr. Jeffrey Wright believes osteoarthritis is due to inadequate intake of niacinamide which helps with energy production for improving cartilage and heart health. We need energy not just for achieving goals but also for internal health. When energy production is poor so will be your ability to produce essential hormones and achieve restoration.
B-5: An essential vitamin for transforming food into energy. It also supports healthy hair, skin, and digestion. The better your digestion the more energy you will derive from the food you eat and the less overall food you will require to perform at your best. One of the reasons why hair, nails, and skin deteriorate as we get older is due to poor digestion. The more compromised your digestion the less real energy you acquire from food and once this deterioration reaches a tipping point there is no telling how messed up you can get. B-5 also plays a critical role in the production of stress hormones in the adrenal glands. Prolonged exposure to stress can result in poor adrenal function and in turn poor creation of essential stress hormones such as DHEA, adrenaline, cortisol.
B-6: Very important for the central nervous system (CNS). Central nervous system facilitation is crucial for developing physical strength and is one of the main reasons why high-frequency training is so effective for building strength rapidly. B-6 also helps create the all-important neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine. Low levels of both neurotransmitters are associated with depression. We need norepinephrine in order to respond to stress and we need serotonin for balanced brain chemistry and a positive mood. B-6 also plays a prominent role in protein and glucose metabolism which not only supports muscle growth but insulin sensitivity as well. B-6 may even offer protection against air pollution and with all the pollution we’re exposed to on a daily basis the more protection the better!
B-7: Similar to B-1 and B-5, B-7 helps convert food into energy. Is also supports a healthy liver, hair, skin, eyes, and the nervous system. The liver is our most important organ for detoxification. Once the liver becomes overwhelmed you’re no longer able to handle your toxic burden and serious health consequences are likely to follow. The liver also helps with hormone balance and clearing out harmful estrogen metabolites such as 4 and 16 hydroxy estrone. if you’re concerned about thinning hair, hair loss, poor skin quality, and healthy eyes you need to be concerned about b-7 intake as well.
B-9: Essential for white and red blood cell production as well as keeping homocysteine in the ideal range. Trying to avoid catching a cold or the flu? White blood cells assist in fighting infections and protect the body from harmful bacteria, viruses, and germs. Low levels of B-9 may also be connected to increased cancer risk. Folate (5-methyltetrahydrofolate) is a better option than the more commonly used folic acid as folic acid often fails to be metabolized which can lead to excessive storage and in turn, may lead to several health issues.
B-12: Paramount for nerve tissue health, brain function, overall energy, and red blood cells. Low B-12 levels can lead to anemia, depression, memory issues, constipation, and poor appetite. If you want an increase in real energy, an improved mood, and a powerful drive to take charge of your life and thrive you need optimal B-12 levels. While many proclaim meat is naturally high in B-12, the reality is B-12 is added to livestock feed. Thus, when you eat meat, you are consuming B-12 supplements indirectly (And not a high-quality one such as Methyl B-12). It makes more sense to consume high-quality B-12 directly.
You can get a good amount of B vitamins from healthy foods such as legumes, nuts, seeds, spinach, kale, green vegetables, wheat germ, sprouted whole grains and mushrooms. However, a high-quality B-complex supplement is a good idea to cover all the bases.
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