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A deficiency in vitamin B 6 can cause anemia, but it is of a different type than that
caused by insufficient folate, cobalamin, or iron. Lower hemoglobin content results
in less capacity for carrying oxygen and hence weak muscles, fatigue, and shortness
of breath occurs. Other deficiency symptoms include dermatitis, mouth sores, and
confusion (Gibney et al. 2009; Mahan and Raymond 2016; Titchenal et al. 2018).
The body needs B 6 in order to absorb vitamin B 12 and to make RBCs and cells of the
immune system. It helps the body to make several neurotransmitters like serotonin
(Aslam et al. 2017; Shabbir et al. 2013) which helps improve immune response to
increase production of antibodies and increase communicative interactions between
cytokines and chemokines (Kunisawa and Kiyono 2013). Its deficiency reduces the
lymphocyte growth and proliferation, antibody formation and T–cell activity (Rail
and Meydani 1993). Vitamin B 6 is found in a variety of foods and the richest sources
include fish, beef liver and other organ meats, eggs, potatoes, green beans, cereals,
whole grains, wheat germ, walnuts, and vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, and fruits like banana.
Vitamin B 7 (Biotin) Vitamin B 7 also formerly known as vitamin H or coenzyme R
is a water–soluble vitamin (NIH 2017). It is involved in a wide range of metabolic
processes of fats, carbohydrates, and amino acids in both human and other organisms. Biotin is required as a coenzyme in the citric acid cycle and in lipid metabolism, and as an enzyme in the synthesis of glucose and some nonessential amino
acids. A biotinidase enzyme is required to release biotin from protein so that it can
be absorbed in the gut. Biotin deficiency is rare, but can be caused by eating large
amounts of egg whites over an extended period of time. This is due to the fact that
a protein in egg whites tightly binds to biotin making it unavailable for absorption.
A rare genetic disease–causing malfunction of the biotinidase enzyme also results
in biotin deficiency. Symptoms of biotin deficiency are similar to those of other B
vitamins, but may also include hair loss when severe. Biotin can be found in small
amounts in foods such as dairy products, eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and certain
vegetables like cauliflower and fruits like banana (Gibney et al. 2009; Mahan and
Raymond 2016; Titchenal et al. 2018).
Vitamin B 9 (Folic Acid or Folate) Vitamin B 9 is crucial for proper brain function
and plays an important role in mental and emotional health. Vitamin B 9 deficiency
can cause poor growth, gingivitis, tongue inflammation, shortness of breath, forgetfulness, and loss of appetite. Its deficiency in central nervous tissue may lead to
depression, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety etc. (Huskisson et al. 2007). It can be taken
orally or by injection in the form of folic acid and is used to treat anemia caused by
folic acid deficiency. It plays a vital role in immunity enhancement as well as in the
biosynthesis of nucleic acids, proteins (Stover 2004) in blood cells and nervous tissues (Huskisson et al. 2007). Vitamin B 9 deficiency also lowers production of CNS
cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the bone marrow from
dividing stem cells. Children whose mothers were folate–deficient during pregnancy have a higher risk of neural–tube birth defects. Folate is found naturally in a
K. Sharma et al.
A deficiency in vitamin B 6 can cause anemia, but it is of a different type than that
caused by insufficient folate, cobalamin, or iron. Lower hemoglobin content results
in less capacity for carrying oxygen and hence weak muscles, fatigue, and shortness
of breath occurs. Other deficiency symptoms include dermatitis, mouth sores, and
confusion (Gibney et al. 2009; Mahan and Raymond 2016; Titchenal et al. 2018).
The body needs B 6 in order to absorb vitamin B 12 and to make RBCs and cells of the
immune system. It helps the body to make several neurotransmitters like serotonin
(Aslam et al. 2017; Shabbir et al. 2013) which helps improve immune response to
increase production of antibodies and increase communicative interactions between
cytokines and chemokines (Kunisawa and Kiyono 2013). Its deficiency reduces the
lymphocyte growth and proliferation, antibody formation and T–cell activity (Rail
and Meydani 1993). Vitamin B 6 is found in a variety of foods and the richest sources
include fish, beef liver and other organ meats, eggs, potatoes, green beans, cereals,
whole grains, wheat germ, walnuts, and vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, and fruits like banana.
Vitamin B 7 (Biotin) Vitamin B 7 also formerly known as vitamin H or coenzyme R
is a water–soluble vitamin (NIH 2017). It is involved in a wide range of metabolic
processes of fats, carbohydrates, and amino acids in both human and other organisms. Biotin is required as a coenzyme in the citric acid cycle and in lipid metabolism, and as an enzyme in the synthesis of glucose and some nonessential amino
acids. A biotinidase enzyme is required to release biotin from protein so that it can
be absorbed in the gut. Biotin deficiency is rare, but can be caused by eating large
amounts of egg whites over an extended period of time. This is due to the fact that
a protein in egg whites tightly binds to biotin making it unavailable for absorption.
A rare genetic disease–causing malfunction of the biotinidase enzyme also results
in biotin deficiency. Symptoms of biotin deficiency are similar to those of other B
vitamins, but may also include hair loss when severe. Biotin can be found in small
amounts in foods such as dairy products, eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and certain
vegetables like cauliflower and fruits like banana (Gibney et al. 2009; Mahan and
Raymond 2016; Titchenal et al. 2018).
Vitamin B 9 (Folic Acid or Folate) Vitamin B 9 is crucial for proper brain function
and plays an important role in mental and emotional health. Vitamin B 9 deficiency
can cause poor growth, gingivitis, tongue inflammation, shortness of breath, forgetfulness, and loss of appetite. Its deficiency in central nervous tissue may lead to
depression, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety etc. (Huskisson et al. 2007). It can be taken
orally or by injection in the form of folic acid and is used to treat anemia caused by
folic acid deficiency. It plays a vital role in immunity enhancement as well as in the
biosynthesis of nucleic acids, proteins (Stover 2004) in blood cells and nervous tissues (Huskisson et al. 2007). Vitamin B 9 deficiency also lowers production of CNS
cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the bone marrow from
dividing stem cells. Children whose mothers were folate–deficient during pregnancy have a higher risk of neural–tube birth defects. Folate is found naturally in a
K. Sharma et al.