Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is a water soluble vitamin.  It is one of the eight B vitamins that are essential for human health and is found in a variety of foods, both plant based and animal based, and is not lost in cooking like many of the other vitamins.  Vitamin B2 is critical to the breakdown of dietary carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy that you can use.  Without adequate riboflavin in the diet the enzymes involved in energy production do not function optimally which can lead to tiredness and stress. 

Working in tandem with other B vitamins, vitamin B2 helps to protect the nervous system and plays an important role in saving your body from oxidative stress caused by free radicals, serving as a component of the enzyme glutathione reductase which helps to neutralize free radicals.  Essential for the formation of fresh red blood cells, vitamin B2 also interacts with iron which is used to synthesize haemoglobin, allowing your body to get the oxygen rich blood needed to perform the daily functions of life.   Along with vitamin A, riboflavin also helps to maintain the mucous membranes in the digestive system.  Playing a major role in ensuring healthy corneas, perfect vision and radiant skin, vitamin B2 is best consumed as nature intended!  Dietary sources rich in this important vitamin include; dark leafy green vegetables, barleygrass, mushrooms, avocados, dairy products and wild rice.

Vitamin B2 contributes to:

·         normal energy yielding metabolism

·         the normal functioning of the nervous system

·         the maintenance of normal mucous membranes

·         the maintenance of normal red blood cells

·         the maintenance of normal skin

Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, plays an essential role in human life and is the most versatile of all the B vitamins!  Working closely with the other B vitamins, vitamin B6 contributes to numerous functions in the body.  It plays an important role in refurbishing the immune system to the required functional level, this potential health benefit appears to be associated with its role in the metabolism of the amino acid tryptophan.  Also referred to as the “mood vitamin”, B6 is needed for proper brain development and function, preventing mental fatigue and helping the body make the feel good hormones serotonin and [censored] that relax and lift your spirits, along with melatonin, the hormone which regulates the body clock. 

Vitamin B6 is functional in working with a number of enzymatic systems to make these enzymes work in the desired manner, this association contributes to the proper functioning of the nervous system.  It is also involved at several steps in the metabolism of carbohydrates, in particular the enzyme that pulls carbohydrates out of storage in the cell - in the form of a molecule called glycogen – which requires vitamin B6 for its activity and it metabolises a number of other nutrients to extract energy.  Vitamin B6 is a key factor in the manufacture of haemoglobin – the oxygen carrying component of red blood cells – and has a role in preventing heart disease.  Without enough B6 a compound called homocysteine builds up in the body which can damage blood vessel linings, setting the stage for plaque build-up when the body tries to heal the damage.  Vitamin B6 prevents this build-up thereby reducing the risk of heart attack.  The availability of this important vitamin is highest in foods like spirulina, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, green beans, walnuts and wheat germ.

Vitamin B6 contributes to:

·         the normal functioning of the nervous system

·         normal homocysteine metabolism

·         normal protein and glycogen metabolism

·         normal psychological function

·         normal red blood cell formation

·         the normal function of the immune system

·         the reduction of tiredness and fatigue

·         the regulation of hormonal activity

·         normal cysteine synthesis

·         normal energy-yielding metabolism