! Use of antacids.
! Pregnant (current or recent).
! Over age 50.
! Increased need for antioxidants (reduced immune
function).
! Frequently short of breath or low hemoglobin.The more items that apply to you, the more your levels of B1 or
B2 may be too low.
High doses of the B vitamins are not well absorbed or utilized. So
if a supplement is needed, it’s best to take lower doses two or three
times daily than one larger dose. For B1 and B2, doses above 5 mg are
considered high.
Foods high in B vitamins vary considerably and are not difficult
to obtain in a healthy diet. Good sources include eggs and meats; nuts
and seeds, legumes, whole grains and some vegetables such as broc-
coli, spinach and mushrooms have moderate amounts. Significant
losses occur in cooking and freezing, so raw vegetables are important
sources. However, avoid the following foods in their raw state: red
chicory, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, clams, oysters, squid and other
mollusks — these all contain thiaminase which destroys thiamine.
Some antibiotics can also destroy thiamine. Light (especially the sun)
can destroy B2, and sunlight on the skin can reduce some of the
body’s folic acid.
Folic Acid Folly?
Two of the many naturally occurring forms of folic acid include
folinic acid and 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), the most
common forms found in the foods we eat. Unfortunately, the
most common form of folic acid in our food supply is synthet-
ic folic acid. Because it is much cheaper, it is used in food for-
tification and virtually all dietary supplements on store shelves.
This synthetic form of folic acid is inactive and must first be
converted to an active form to be useful in the body.
A significant number of people are unable to absorb or other-144 • IN FITNESS AND IN HEALTH