ABSTRACT
B vitamins are organic molecules that must be supplied in foods because they cannot be produced in the body. They are best known for their co-enzymatic roles in energy and protein metabolism as well as immune functions. The B vitamins are all water soluble and include vitamins B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinic acid), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folic acid, folacin, pteroyl glutamic acid), and B12 (cyanocobalamin). Each vitamin will be referred to by its most common name throughout this chapter.
