Search Results for 'B vitamins'

As the population in Ireland ages, according to the latest Census figures, as a nation there is a need to prioritise our health and wellbeing.

Vitamin D is frequently referred to as the sunshine vitamin, as it is manufactured by human skin exposed to the sun. For this to take place we need sufficient levels of cholesterol in the body. Vitamin D3 is the form our bodies produce naturally.

Anaemia is a term used when a person doesn’t have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen all through the body, leaving your body starved of oxygen. You could lack haemoglobin, a protein which gives the blood it’s colour.

Vitamin B Complex is a food supplement containing vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B7 and B12.

A vitamin B complex is often recommended for symptoms of stress, anxiety, memory, and concentration as it is absorbed quickly into the system, and being water soluble it doesn’t need time to ‘build-up’.

Revive Active, the Galway based health supplement company, has launched a new product known as Mastermind for cognitive function and memory health.

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) is found in varying amounts in most foods. Hence, the vitamin’s name is derived from ‘panthos,’ the Greek word for everywhere.

Vitamin B3, or niacin, is an essential vitamin that the body uses to convert carbohydrates into energy. Niacin also processes fat in the body, lowers cholesterol levels, and regulates blood sugar levels. Pharmacist Eamonn Brady from Whelehans Pharmacy explains that good food sources of niacin include brown rice, wholemeal bread, and bran. Other sources include lean chicken, veal, bacon, fish, liver, yeast extract (such as Marmite), peanuts, and sundried tomatoes.

A recent study by Irish doctors based in UCD and the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital has found an increasing number of babies born with neural tube defects (NTD) such as spina bifida, anencephaly, and encephalocoele. Although NTDs are very rare, folic acid intake reduces the risk by promoting the development of a healthy spinal cord. It is a worry that almost 15 per cent of new mums had never taken folic acid. The study also found that only 14 per cent of women had taken folic acid pre-conception and nearly a half of women had only started to take folic acid after conception. It seems timely to get the message back out there.

Do you get confused when it comes to your A, B, and Cs? At Whelan’s Pharmacy the friendly and professional staff are trained to advise on a whole range of topics including vitamins and essential minerals.