B-Vitamin Overview
The B-vitamins work together. All of them act as part of coenzymes and they play a direct or indirect role in energy metabolism. But, vitamins don’t provide energy. They are NOT energy yielding nutrients. Coenzymes assist enzymes in reactions. B-vitamins work in every cell, in every organ of the body. Deficiency of one B-vitamin rarely shows up alone, but we will learn which individual B-vitamins do cause deficiencies.
An enzyme is a protein, a specific type of protein that will speed up a reaction, often called a catalyst. Look at the image below. Compound A and compound B join together to form compound AB, which has a separate and unique function in the body. The enzyme speeds up this reaction, to make it happen more quickly. It cannot work without the coenzyme. B-vitamins are necessary for these coenzymes to work, or they function as the coenzyme. B-vitamins work together as a group, as coenzymes, facilitating necessary reactions in the body.
An enzyme is a protein, a specific type of protein that will speed up a reaction, often called a catalyst. Look at the image below. Compound A and compound B join together to form compound AB, which has a separate and unique function in the body. The enzyme speeds up this reaction, to make it happen more quickly. It cannot work without the coenzyme. B-vitamins are necessary for these coenzymes to work, or they function as the coenzyme. B-vitamins work together as a group, as coenzymes, facilitating necessary reactions in the body.
B-Vitamins in Energy Metabolism
B-vitamins are involved in energy metabolism. Energy metabolism is the process of deriving energy from the food we eat. We take in food and break down fat, protein and carbohydrates and absorb these nutrients into the bloodstream. Once in the body, these are broken down to release energy to provide all basic functions, such as moving your hand, your mouth, blinking your eyes or contracting your heart muscle. There are numerous functions in our body that need continuous energy, and B-vitamins assist in those reactions. B-vitamins do not provide energy, fat, carbohydrates and protein provide energy. B-vitamins play a supporting role in the liberation of energy from food nutrients.
B-Vitamin Video
References
- Coenzyme illustration by Christine Dobrowolski derived from Coenzyme Action by Cengage Learning from Sizer, F. Whitney E. The Vitamins. In: Nutrition Concepts and Controversies. 13 ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. 2014.
