Comparing Vitamin B Supplements – Which One is Best for You? 

B vitamins play a vital role in the body, helping to support the function of the nervous system, convert food into energy, and maintain healthy skin, immune function, blood vessels, and more. [1] However, with so many different types of vitamin B supplements available on the market, it can be challenging to know which vitamin B is best, or which potency is right for you.

Each vitamin B has its own unique role in energy production and health. Depending on your specific nutritional needs, you may prefer to take vitamin B supplements individually or as combination formulas.

Whether you have a higher need for specific B vitamins because of your dietary choices, age, or health condition, or are looking to cover all your vitamin B bases, understanding the key differences between B vitamins and their overlapping functions is your first step in choosing the right one.

Table of Contents

• B Vitamin Basics
• Who Should Take Vitamin B?
• Popular Vitamin B Supplements
• Can Other Nutrients be Taken with B Vitamins?
• A Quick Comparison of Vitamin B Supplements

B Vitamin Basics

We often refer to vitamin B as a single nutrient, but did you know that there are eight different B vitamins? In other words, “vitamins B” include:

• B1 (thiamine)
• B2 (riboflavin)
• B3 (niacin)
• B5 (pantothenic acid)
• B6 (pyridoxine)
• B7 (biotin)
• B9 (folate/folic acid)
• B12 (cobalamin)

B vitamins are essential coenzymes, meaning that they are needed for the body’s enzymes to do their jobs properly. Vitamin B benefits are wide-ranging, with many crucial roles in maintaining overall health, such as releasing energy from the food we eat, breaking down proteins, forming red blood cells, and synthesizing DNA. They also help support a healthy immune system, nervous system, and skin. [1][2] Some B vitamins, such as folic acid/folate, are particularly important for women who are pregnant or trying to conceive. [3]

B vitamins are water-soluble and not stored in the body. They must be obtained from the diet or supplements regularly to maintain adequate levels. [1]

Who Should Take Vitamin B?

Getting enough vitamin B is usually achievable through a healthy and balanced diet that includes leafy green vegetables, whole grains, and some meat and dairy products. [2] People who may need additional vitamin B beyond what a healthy diet provides include:

• Vegetarians and vegans [1]
• Older adults [1][2]
• Pregnant women [3]
• Anyone with a condition that affects B vitamin absorption or use [1][4]
• People who feel stressed [2]
• Athletes [5]

Although many people find supplementation with a vitamin B complex a helpful choice to maintain adequate levels, supplementing with B vitamins individually provides a more targeted approach to fulfilling specific nutritional needs. The best vitamin B supplement to take depends on your own personal health and diet.

Popular Vitamin B Supplements

Webber Naturals offers a range of individual and combination vitamin B supplements – so you can choose a product that is tailored to your specific needs. We recognize that choosing the best vitamin B supplement can feel overwhelming. Here is the breakdown of what you need to know about popular vitamin B supplements and how to make the best vitamin B choice for your health.

Vitamin B12

The body depends on an adequate daily intake of vitamin B12 for energy, immune function, nutrient metabolism, and red blood cell formation. [2][4] It also works together with vitamin B6 and folic acid to lower plasma levels of homocysteine, a risk factor of heart disease. [6]

Getting enough vitamin B12 can be challenging if you are vegan or vegetarian, have low stomach acid, are pregnant or elderly, or are unable to metabolize standard B vitamins. [4] Webber Naturals offers individual Vitamin B12 supplements in potencies ranging from 250 mcg to 10,000 mcg, including both the standard cyanocobalamin form and the bioactive methylcobalamin form.

Many people are unable to metabolize B vitamins into their active forms, leaving them at risk of deficiency. [1] Therefore, vitamin B12 in the most active methylcobalamin form is ideal to supplement with. It is absorbed quickly and stays in the body longer than standard B12 supplements.

If you find swallowing a pill difficult, Vitamin B12 Gummies are not only delicious and easy to take, but are gelatin-free and suitable for vegetarians/vegans. For extra convenience, Vitamin B12 Timed-Release tablets release vitamin B12 gradually over several hours. They help maintain optimal B12 levels with just one tablet per day.

B Complex

B vitamins frequently rely on each other for optimal function in the body. Because they work in harmony and deficiency symptoms often overlap, some health experts recommend taking B vitamins together. Supplementing with a B complex helps ensure that you’re getting an optimal ratio of all the essential B vitamins. [7]

B100 Complex and B50 Complex from Webber Naturals provide all eight B vitamins in an ideal ratio, alongside choline and inositol for additional support. Both are great choices for anyone who is highly physically active or stressed and wants a natural way to maintain healthy energy levels.

B100 Complex is our highest potency B vitamin formula. It provides 100 mg of B complex vitamins, 100 mcg of B12, 100 mcg of biotin, and 1 mg of folic acid in each daily tablet.

B50 Complex provides 50 mg of B complex vitamins, 50 mcg of B12, 60 mcg of biotin, and 1 mg of folic acid in each daily capsule.

Both B100 Complex and B50 Complex are available in regular and timed-release forms.

Vitamins B6

Vitamin B6 plays a major role in the body’s amino acid metabolism and is often recommended for women who experience nausea during pregnancy. [6] Vitamin B6 works together with vitamin B12 and folic acid to lower plasma levels of homocysteine, a risk factor for heart disease. [6] This trio of nutrients is also essential for the synthesis of neurotransmitters involved in mood and sleep, which is extra important when you’re under stress. [8]

People with reduced kidney function, autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, and alcohol dependence are at an increased risk of vitamin B6 inadequacy. [6] Because a low intake of vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid often go together, it is more effective to supplement with these three nutrients in combination than with B6 alone. [6] Vitamin B6+B12 with Folic Acid from Webber Naturals provides the optimal balance of these three B vitamins in convenient daily capsules.

Biotin

Biotin (vitamin B7) is well known as a nutrient for healthy hair, skin, and nails and for maintaining healthy mucous membranes through its contribution to keratin production and fatty acid synthesis. [9]

People at the greatest risk of not getting enough biotin in their diet include pregnant and breastfeeding women and anyone with heavy alcohol consumption. Biotin supplements are a great way for people who are concerned about brittle nails, thinning hair, and dry skin to ensure they are meeting their body’s biotin needs. [9]

Webber Naturals offers a range of biotin supplements, providing 2500 mcg, 5000 mcg, and 10,000 mcg per vegetarian capsule. Biotin Gummies, available in 2500 mcg and 10,000 mcg potencies, are also a fun and delicious option for replenishing daily biotin levels.

Niacin

Niacin (vitamin B3) plays an important role in helping to metabolize nutrients into cellular energy as ATP, and it also helps with tissue formation. [10] It is a precursor to two coenzymes, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP), which have many metabolic roles in the body. [10]

Although most people get enough niacin through their diet, people who rely heavily on processed foods, consume alcohol heavily, or have a digestive disorder may struggle with meeting their body’s needs through food alone. [10] No Flush Niacin provides vitamin B3 (niacin) in the form of inositol hexanicotinate. It does not cause skin flushing, heat, or itching linked with some standard forms of niacin.

Can Other Nutrients be Taken with B Vitamins?

Several other nutrients can be taken along with vitamin B to support overall health and well-being, including iron and collagen.

Iron

Iron works alongside B vitamins to support healthy red blood cell production, while vitamin C is essential for the absorption of iron. [11] Gentle Iron with Vitamin C, B12, and Folic Acid is an easy-to-absorb iron supplement used to address iron-deficiency anemia.

Collagen

Collagen and biotin may be combined in beauty supplements for maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails. Collagen30® with Biotin Bioactive Collagen Peptides is used to support the body’s natural production of collagen and elastin while also promoting healthy skin, hair, and nails through biotin supplementation. [12]

To learn about B vitamins and other vitamins that are recommended specifically for women, be sure to read the article 10 Vitamins Women Should Be Taking Daily.

A Quick Comparison of Vitamin B Supplements