the watch of time

Did you know there are eight versions of Vitamin B?

A mouth-opening article in the current issue of Psychology Today reveals the connection of these vitamins to the health of our brain. They all “influence brain function because they each contribute to energy operations in the brain”.

Vitamin B1, Thiamine, is perhaps the most important: it enables the body to produce a molecule vital to powering every cell in the body – including the brain, which uses a ‘disproportionate amount of energy’. (From the behaviour of many, the proverbial jury would seem to be out on its universal evidence.)

Other enlightening observations about this vitamin group:

• B2, Riboflavin, is the only one which leaves a clear trail, i.e. it turns urine yellow (so, if one sees yellow snow, one can expect B2 has been ingested)
• B3, Niacin, is actually a group of compounds which help in the storage of food and its conversion to fuel’
• B5, Pantothenic acid, is vital to the body’s handling of fatty acids
• B6, Pyridoxine, helps produce fuel by breaking down carbohydrates; it’s also involved with regulating mood; evidence of its absence has been linked to depression and A.D.D.
• B7, Biotin, in important for producing fats and for making insulin – the hormone regulating glucose levels in blood
• B9, Folic acid, is significant for synthesizing DNA and forming new cells; it’s “‘especially needed for development of the brain and spinal cord”; deficiency is connected to early onset of mental disorders, including autism and schizophrenia; its name comes from its common source, i.e. leafy vegetables
• B12, Cobalamin, is the largest of the B group, and like other members ‘primarily an energy synthesizer’; it produces red blood cells, critical for transporting oxygen; it also maintains hemoglobin and helps keep the brain healthy; it’s the only one to contain a metal, i.e. cobalt
• None of these vitamins are stored long-term in the body
• These vitamins are additionally involved in maintaining healthy skin

It should be noted there are other vitamins, further down the alphabet route to being deemed official:

• LvU2, is often found in chocolates (taken orally) and stemmed flowers (scents inhaled), especially on special occasions like Valentine’s Day
• No1, comes in two variations: as an additive for A-type personalities; and, as mood-lifting agent for loneliness and isolation
• P2, tends to be found in endearing settings where the use of French expressions is prevalent
• Q8, derives almost exclusively from smaller landscapes in the Middle East
• S6, was originally found in rural England, but now occurs in other strategic western locations
• T42, is available in an array of formulas, with various strengths and flavours for a range of constitutions
• U8, serves as a digestive assist primarily to be taken after multicourse dinners
• W5, is a supplement especially formulated to build stamina of those in news gathering or reporting occupations