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I’m gonna be totally honest: most B vitamins are not very good, but that’s not a reason to try to find a high-quality vitamin B supplement. This pursuit of a high-quality B vitamin complex can be a very important tool for improving energy, mood, metabolism, skin health, nervous system health, and so much more.
But it’s no surprise that the public is confused by the mixed messages on the internet and from their doctors about vitamins. That’s why I wanted to give you a comprehensive breakdown of what to look for when trying to find the best B vitamin complex supplement. This is so important because getting an optimized and natural B vitamin supplement can be literally life-changing for people for the better. And that’s why I want to share that information with you.
In this post, learn about the B vitamins required to make these supplements complete, when they are most likely to help you, the synthetic B vitamins to avoid, the best vitamin B complex supplements on the market today, and how to take a natural B complex vitamin.
Also, be sure to check with your healthcare provider before starting a B complex supplement.
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Table of Contents
What Should A Good B Vitamin Complex Contain?
Many popular B-complex vitamin supplements on the market today are missing several critical B vitamins. This is inadequate and frankly, deceptive, because most people who purchase a B complex are under the impression that they are getting all of the B vitamins.
Most major health websites also get it wrong by promoting synthetic B vitamins. These artificial compounds can be more harmful to health than helpful, especially if you have MTHFR gene variants. It’s clear that the public needs better guidance about what makes a good B vitamin complex supplement.
Here is a summary of what you should look for and what you should avoid when finding a vitamin B complex supplement:
| Optimal Forms of B vitamins | Avoid These Forms of B Vitamins |
| Vitamin B1 as Thiamine | Supplements that don’t contain vitamin B1 |
| Vitamin B2 as Riboflavin or riboflavin-5-phosphate | Supplements that don’t contain vitamin B2 |
| Vitamin B3 as niacin, nicotinamide, nicotinic acid, NAD, Inositol hexanicotinate | Supplements that don’t contain vitamin B3 |
| Vitamin B5 as pantothenic acid | Supplements that don’t contain vitamin B5 |
| Vitamin B6 as pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P5P), the natural and active form, or d-calcium pantothenate | Vitamin B6 as pyridoxine, the synthetic version of vitamin B6 has the potential to be toxic in the body. It also may deplete your natural vitamin B6 body stores. |
| Vitamin B7 as biotin | Vitamins that don’t contain Biotin |
| Vitamin B8 is commonly referred to as inositol | Vitamins that don’t contain inositol |
| Vitamin B9 as natural folate, methylfolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolate and Quatrefolic, 5-MTHF | Vitamins that contain the synthetic form of vitamin B9 called folic acid |
| Vitamin B10 as Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) | N/A |
| Vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin | Vitamin B12, as cyanocobalamin, is common in vitamin B12 supplements |
Who Needs B Complex Vitamins?
Many people need more B vitamins than their diets can provide. The reasons this can be true are:
- Life stress
- Prescription medications that cause losses of vitamins
- Stomach acid medications
- Diuretics
- Blood pressure pills
- Birth control pills
- Hormone replacement therapy
- Some types of chemotherapy
- Diabetes medications
- GLP1 drugs
- Poor diet quality
- Sugar or grains in your diet
- Diets high in antinutrients and low in B vitamins (vegan diets)
- B vitamin deficiencies due to diarrhea or inflammatory bowel diseases
- Diabetes increases B vitamin needs
- Inflammatory conditions
- Neurological conditions
- Digestive disorders
- Genetic conditions
- Anyone who drinks alcohol
What Do B Complex Vitamins Do?
All of the B vitamins act as coenzymes in our body’s metabolism in every cell of the body each day.
More specifically, B vitamins function to:
- Turn carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into usable energy
- Keep the nervous system healthy and helps make neurotransmitters
- Make your hair, skin, and nails healthy
- Produce red blood cells
- Improve mood, memory, and brain health
- Help optimize hormonal health
These nutrients are grouped together because they have overlapping functions in the body and by taking them together, they are much more likely to optimize your health while reducing the chances of any B vitamin side effects.
Symptoms of B Vitamin Deficiencies
Because of the vast roles of all of the B vitamins in the body, the symptoms of deficiency can also be vast. While some B vitamin deficiencies are more uncommon, some are quite common. Their overlapping symptoms of deficiency can be staggering!
For example:
Folate deficiency can cause anemia, fatigue, depressed mood, digestive concerns, poor immunity, pregnancy complications, and infertility.
Thiamine deficiency can cause fatigue, weakness, or irritability, poor appetite or weight loss, digestive issues, nerve damage-related problems, and chronic diseases.
Riboflavin deficiency: can cause mood changes, migraines, depression, skin cracks and itching, fatigue, swollen throat, blurred vision (deficiency can be causal for cataracts), liver damage, reproductive issues, and hair loss.
Vitamin B6 deficiency: can cause weakness, mental confusion, fatigue, depression, insomnia, PMS symptoms, nerve pain and damage, and seizures.
Niacin deficiency: can cause diarrhea, dementia, dermatitis, sensitivity to sunlight, hair loss, swelling, smooth, beefy red tongue, trouble sleeping, weakness, mental confusion or aggression, lack of coordination, nerve damage, and an enlarged, weakened heart.
Vitamin B5 deficiency: can cause fatigue, headaches, general lack of well-being, personality changes, numbness, muscle cramps, tingling, numbness, muscle/abdominal cramps, nausea, and impaired muscle coordination.
Biotin deficiency: can cause hair loss (alopecia) dermatitis around the mouth, eyes, nose, conjunctivitis and skin infections, fatigue, seizures, neurological symptoms, numbness and tingling of the extremities, and memory issues.
Inositol deficiency: can cause hair loss (alopecia), skin problems such as eczema, mental health symptoms like trouble with sleep, mood, and anxiety, constipation, elevated cholesterol or triglycerides, muscle weakness, lethargy, and lack of appetite.
PABA “deficiency”: can cause fatigue, irritability, depression, nervousness, graying of hair, headache, constipation, digestive symptoms, weeping eczema, patchy skin, vitiligo symptoms, premature graying of hair and hair loss, acne, and decreased immunity. However, you should know that it is not established as an essential nutrient despite its health benefits. This is because gut bacteria can make it. I have to wonder if modern lifestyles make this suboptimal, however.
Vitamin B12 deficiency: can cause anemia, fatigue, nerve damage, tingling in the fingers and toes, depression, mood changes, shortness of breath, a smooth tongue, vision changes, and digestive issues.
Unfortunately, laboratory testing for these B vitamin nutrients rarely gets performed. For example, around 35% of “healthy” young adults have vitamin B12 deficiency, yet its deficiency most often goes undiagnosed. Further, the median value for vitamin B12 levels for people with diabetes is low enough to cause nerve damage. Even rarer are people screened for other B vitamin deficiencies through lab micronutrient testing.
Did you notice that most of the vitamin deficiencies have fatigue, weakness, mood, and nerve issues as symptoms of their deficiency? This can make it very challenging to figure out which one is the culprit for your symptoms. In truth, most people are not deficient in singular nutrients-the happen together, so it makes sense to take B complex vitamins together.
In summary, many vitamin B deficiencies are rampant, debilitating, yet rarely discovered by most healthcare practitioners.
Important Factors in Choosing a Vitamin B Complex
Cost: some natural B complex supplements are very reasonably priced while others are expensive. Luckily for us, the prices of the best B complex supplements have recently become more affordable than in the past.
Contains all the B vitamins as described above: After all, there are a lot of metabolic functions that rely on getting enough of each of these: vitamin B6, thiamine, riboflavin, and more. Taking an isolated B vitamin such as vitamin B6 or vitamin B12 is often much less effective for overall health than a B complex supplement. Most people who are low in vitamin B12 are also low in vitamin B6 and niacin, as well as others. This is because these nutrients are broadly spread throughout whole foods.
Dose: some people need much higher doses of B vitamins than the RDI due to losses from the body. This is why you will find that a high quality B complex will have 100 mg of thiamine or more. B vitamins luckily don’t have much potential to have toxicity because they aren’t stored for long in the body and are lost in the urine.
Purity: choosing a reputable vitamin company that uses third-party testing and has certified Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) is key. NSF certification is another beneficial certification and is a globally recognized mark of quality and safety, indicating that a product, service, or facility has met rigorous public health and safety standards and is an independent, not-for-profit organization headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Form: avoid tablet forms of vitamins because they are more poorly absorbed than capsule forms. Capsules are also less likely to have as many fillers and additives than tablet forms of vitamins. You should avoid gummy forms of B vitamins as well as liquid forms if possible because they almost never have the complete lineup of B vitamins.
When to Take Vitamin B Complex Supplements
The best time to take B complex vitamins is in the morning or early afternoon and with a meal. Timing is important because these supplements can be energizing. Taking B vitamins with food also enhances the absorption of these critical nutrients and makes them easy on the stomach. Some people can intermittently take B complex vitamin supplements while other people are best off taking their B complex vitamin supplement daily. To be sure, check with your healthcare provider before starting a vitamin B complex.
Factors to Consider When Taking B Complex Vitamins
Taking biotin supplements can interfere with some laboratory tests, resulting in false-positive and false-negative results. For best absorption, make sure to take B complex vitamins with food.
The Best Vitamin B Complex Supplements
Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex is the best vitamin B complex out there since it contains activated, or methylated B vitamins with the bonus of PABA. It’s also the most reasonably priced at only $9 for 1-month supply on Amazon. This B vitamin formula helps promote energy production, and supports cell activity and healthy skin—it’s the perfect companion to a well-balanced diet. It is also made from raw ingredients with a high level of purity and potency.
Life Extension, as a company, makes every effort to make their products non-GMO, gluten-free and manufactured in the USA. They also provide a Certificate of Analysis that is available for every product on their website. A trusted brand for over 40 years, this product is cGMP certified. Depending on your nutritional needs, you can take 1 or 2 capsules of this B complex daily. Due to the higher amount of niacin, some people experience a bit of temporary skin flushing.
Here is a list of the ingredients of Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex: Thiamine (vitamin B1) (as thiamine HCl) 100mg, Riboflavin (vitamin B2) (as riboflavin and riboflavin 5’-phosphate) 75mg, Niacin (as niacinamide and niacin) 100mg, Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl and pyridoxal 5’-phosphate) 100mg, Folate (as L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate calcium salt) 400mcg, Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin) 300mcg, Biotin 1000mcg, Pantothenic acid (as D-calcium pantothenate) 500mg, Calcium (as D-calcium pantothenate, calcium sulfate, dicalcium phosphate) 500mg, Inositol 100mg, PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) 50mg, Other ingredients: vegetable cellulose (capsule), rice bran, stearic acid, and silica.
Thorne Basic B Complex: This B complex brand is one of the most reputable out there because it tests each product 4 times-in the raw material phase through the quality and potency of their products on the shelves. Another feature that makes this brand great is that they use zero fillers. While slightly more expensive, this formula also gets very high ratings for its effectiveness. It’s a brand that I always trust to use for myself.
The benefits of Thorne’s Basic B Complex is that it naturally supports cellular energy, helps optimize nerve health, helps with carbohydrate metabolism and fat metabolism, and red blood cell production. It is a supplement not made from yeast, so this is a better choice for people who are struggling with yeast overgrowth. A great supplement for people who have MTHFR gene variants because it contains all methylated B vitamins. Other people who benefit from methylated vitamins like these are people with liver issues, poor digestion, and elderly.
It’s full list of ingredients are: Thiamin (as Thiamin HCl) 110 mg, Riboflavin (as Riboflavin 5′-Phosphate Sodium) 10 mg, Niacin (130 mg as Niacinamide and 10 mg as Niacin) 140 mg, Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxal 5′-Phosphate) 10 mg, Folate (400 mcg as L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate from L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolic Acid, Glucosamine Salt) 667 mcg DFE, Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin) 400 mcg, Biotin 400 mcg, Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium Pantothenate) 110 mg, Choline (as Choline Citrate) 28 mg. Other Ingredients: Hypromellose (derived from cellulose) capsule, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Calcium Laurate, Leucine, Magnesium Citrate, Silicon Dioxide.
($20 on Fullscript, $26 on Amazon)
Seeking Health B Complex Plus: Personally, I’ve long been a fan of Seeking Health’s products and their B Complex Plus is no exception. This supplement is made with activated, methylated folate and this company proudly never uses folic acid, which I love. As you may know, folic acid causes more harm than good in some people. Some research shows that folic acid detrimentally affects our natural folate levels. Best case scenario it requires many steps of conversion to make folic acid into activated folate in the body: seven functioning genes, nutritional cofactors, low levels of toxins, including heavy metals.
This product contains Thiamin (as thiamine hydrochloride) – 25mg , Riboflavin (as riboflavin 5′-phosphate sodium) – 20mg, Niacin (as inositol hexanicotinate and nicotinic acid)- 95mg NE, Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxal 5′-phosphate) – 20mg, Folate (as Quatrefolic® (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, glucosamine salt, and calcium folinate) – 680mcg DFE (400mcg), Vitamin B12 (as MECOBALACTIVE® methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin) – 50mcg, Biotin – 750 mcg, Pantothenic Acid (as d-calcium pantothenate) – 125mg, Choline (as choline bitartrate) – 50mg, vegetarian capsule (hypromellose and water), microcrystalline cellulose, ascorbyl palmitate, and silica.
Many reviewers, including myself, find that this B complex by seeking health is far superior to other comparable products on the market today. Great for energy and people who have normal MTHFR variants, which make up about half of the population. It is important to note that this is the only company that I know that carries a B complex supplement called B Minus which is designed specifically for people who don’t tolerate methylated vitamins. This tends to be true for people who are over methylators genetically.
$10 for a 30 day supply on Amazon and on their website here.
Integrative Therapeutics Active B Complex
Like the other best-rated supplements here, Integrative Therapeutics has over 5,000 5 star reviews and is touted for its energy and mood benefits. Another brand that I always trust, Integrative Therapeutics, has rigorous quality testing, including careful review of suppliers, testing of every raw material lot to ensure purity and potency, and further testing on finished goods to make sure they meet our label and shelf-life standards.
They also have ISO 17025 accreditation established in 2021 , which is a third-party accreditation body verifying both the laboratory’s documented quality system and its technical competence within a specific scope. The Emerson Quality Program (EQP) is a quality assurance initiative launched by Emerson Ecologics, LLC in February 2010, designed to establish rigorous standards for the nutritional supplements industry, and they are also NSF certified.
The Integrative Therapeutics Active B-Complex contains all eight B-vitamins, including Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) and vitamin B2 (Riboflavin as riboflavin-5′-phosphate) both needed for coenzymes in energy production, Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxal-5-phosphate and pyridoxine HCl) for production of neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).* Its folate promotes normal nervous system and immune system function, and its Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin) is in its most active form.
Very reasonably priced at $14 for 1-month supply on Fullscript, $18 on Amazon.
Garden of Life Vitamin B Complex– doesn’t contain inositol but contains digestive enzymes and whole foods. Each bottle contains a 2-month supply for $28. This is a great B complex vitamin for people who want an entirely natural supplement. You should know that this means that the B vitamins are derived from yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae which is derived from brewer’s yeast. Some people may have temporary and mild excess gas, bloating, flatulence, stomach discomfort, and headaches from this. Also, some people with autoimmune conditions or immune compromise may react to this form of yeast. That said, it’s perfect for people who are healthy and want natural forms of B vitamins. Compared to the other B vitamin complex supplements, this is slightly lower in total vitamin content overall, but still would help people meet their B vitamin needs for various purposes.
Its ingredients are Raw Organic Fruit & Vegetable Blend: Organic Apple (fruit), Organic Beet (root), Organic Broccoli (stalk & flower), Organic Carrot (root), Organic Spinach (leaf), Organic Tomato (fruit), Organic Strawberry (fruit), Organic Tart Cherry (fruit), Organic Blackberry (fruit), Organic Green Bell Pepper (fruit), Organic Brussels Sprout (leaf), Organic Blueberry (fruit), Organic Ginger (root), Organic Garlic (bulb), Organic Green Onion (bulb), Organic Raspberry (fruit), Organic Parsley (leaf), Organic Cauliflower (flower & stem), Organic Red Cabbage (leaf), Organic Kale (leaf), Organic Cucumber (gourd), Organic Celery (stalk), Organic Asparagus (flower & stem); Raw Probiotic & Enzyme Blend: Lipase, Protease, Aspergillopepsin, beta-Glucanase, Cellulase, Bromelain, Phytase, Lactase, Papain, Peptidase, Pectinase, Hemicellulase, Xylanase, [Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus plantarum] (500 Million CFU). Culture of S. cerevisiae. Other Ingredients: Vegetable cellulose (capsule), organic potato starch. Made without dairy or soy ingredients, peanut, tree nuts or shellfish but is manufactured in a facility that also processes soy, dairy, peanut, tree nuts and shellfish. Contains no artificial colors or preservatives.
Vitamin B Complex Supplements to Avoid
Most retail pharmacies carry synthetic B vitamin brands, which are not ideal. However, this is slowly changing. For example, Costco now carries a natural multivitamin and mineral supplement combination. Natural Grocers also has their own store brand of Coenzyme B complex vitamins.
Brands of B vitamins that people think are best but are not ideal include Centrum, One-A-Day, Nature Made, Nature’s Bounty, store brand vitamins, Solaray, Now Brand, and Nutricost.
Myths About B Vitamins
Myth 1: Taking vitamins just gives you expensive urine. This is false. While it’s true that your urine will turn yellow from taking a B complex vitamin, this happens because riboflavin has a natural yellow pigment. Peeing a yellow color doesn’t mean you are having expensive urine, contrary to popular belief. This yellow urine color is a sign that you absorbed these necessary nutrients.
Myth 2: B vitamins, especially B12, are a universal energy booster. While B vitamins are essential for converting food into energy, supplementing with B vitamins only improves energy levels in individuals who are deficient. There is no clinical evidence that it boosts energy in people with adequate vitamin stores.
Myth 3: B vitamins make you lose weight. While taking B vitamins can correct deficiencies and potentially reduce swelling conditions, due to elevated cortisol, related to deficiency, there is no direct evidence that they help with weight loss.
Myth 4: Only vegans and vegetarians are at risk for B vitamin deficiencies. While plant-based diets lack B12 and bioavailable vitamin B6, anyone can develop B vitamin deficiencies due to factors like aging, which reduces stomach acid production needed to absorb B12 from food, or the use of medications such as heartburn drugs, metformin, or anti-seizure medications. Gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn’s disease or a history of gastric bypass surgery also increase the risk of risk deficiencies.
Myth 5: B vitamins make kidney disease worse. This is only potentially true if people are taking large doses of synthetic B vitamins like folic acid. But most research shows that even synthetic folic acid is safe and possibly beneficial for reducing kidney disease progression. Natural B vitamins such as vitamin B6 as P5P and natural thiamine may actually reduce the risk of kidney issues. While more large studies are needed to confirm this, it appears that it is best to avoid synthetic folate as folic acid and synthetic vitamin B6 as pyridoxine, and synthetic vitamin B12 as cyanocobalamin. Certain B vitamins like natural vitamin B6 also reduce the risk of kidney stones.
Myth 6: high doses of Vitamin B6 causes peripheral neuropathy. Again, this appears to only be a possibility if high amounts of synthetic vitamin B6 on its own without other B vitamins is used. Natural vitamin B6 as P5P has never been linked to an increased risk of neuropathy. When combined with thiamine, vitamin B6 at 50 mg per day reduced painful diabetic neuropathy. It seems like the only cases of neuropathy from vitamin B6 occur when using synthetic vitamin B6 without the other B vitamins.
