Vitamin B and your health
Key facts
- The B-group of vitamins includes 8 essential vitamins, such as folate and thiamin.
- The B vitamins have many important functions in your body, including converting food to energy.
- These vitamins are found in whole foods such as meat, fish, dairy, whole wheat bread, leafy vegetables and nuts.
- Most people can get enough vitamin B by eating a balanced diet.
What is vitamin B?
Vitamin B is a group of vitamins that help your body's metabolism. The 'B-group' or 'B-complex' of vitamins makes up 8 out of 13 essential vitamins.
B-group vitamins are all water-soluble (dissolve in water), which means that they can't be stored in your body. So, foods containing vitamin B must be eaten regularly as part of a healthy diet.
Unlike other B vitamins, vitamin B12 is stored in the liver for many years. This means that you may not notice signs of deficiency until you haven't eaten enough foods rich in vitamin B12 for a long time.
The B-group of vitamins includes:
- thiamin (vitamin B1)
- riboflavin (vitamin B2)
- niacin (vitamin B3)
- pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)
- pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
- biotin (vitamin B7)
- folate (vitamin B9)
- cobalamin (vitamin B12)
Why is vitamin B important for my health?
Each of the B-group vitamins plays a critical role in keeping you healthy.
| Vitamin | Role in your body |
|---|---|
| B1 (Thiamin) |
Helps your body break down and release energy from food. Keeps your nervous system healthy. |
| B2 (Riboflavin) |
Keeps your skin, eyes and nervous system healthy. Helps your body release energy from food. |
| B3 (Niacin) |
Helps your body release energy from food. Keeps your nervous system and skin healthy. |
| B5 (Pantothenic acid) |
Helps your body release energy from food. |
| B6 (Pyridoxine) |
Helps your body to use and store energy from protein and carbohydrates in food. Helps your body make haemoglobin (which carries oxygen around your body in red blood cells). |
| B7 (Biotin) |
Helps your body make fatty acids. Help your nervous system function. |
| B9 (Folate) |
Helps your body form DNA, RNA and healthy red blood cells. When pregnant, lowers the risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, in your baby by supporting rapid cell growth. |
| B12 (Cobalamin) |
Helps make red blood cells and keeps your nervous system healthy. Helps release energy from food. Helps your body to use folate. |
What foods are high in vitamin B?
Vitamin B is naturally found in many foods.
In Australia, manufacturers must also add thiamin and folic acid (laboratory-made folate) to wheat flour that is used to make bread. Some manufacturers may also choose to add vitamin B to their product — such as breakfast cereals. You can find this information on the food label.
To get a diet high in B vitamins, try to eat a wide variety of fresh, unprocessed foods. Try to eat a mixture of:
- vegetables
- grains and cereals
- lean meats and other proteins
- dairy
- fruits
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
| Food | Thiamin content in milligrams (mg) per 100 grams (g) |
|---|---|
| Pork |
1.5 |
| Sourdough bread |
0.676 |
| Tuna |
0.56 |
| Cashew nut |
0.42 |
| Peas (green, fresh, raw) |
0.33 |
| Orange |
0.07 |
| Banana |
0.05 |
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
| Food | Riboflavin content in milligrams (mg) per 100 grams (g) |
|---|---|
| Chicken liver |
1.778 |
| Maple syrup |
1.689 |
| Parmesan cheese |
0.54 |
| Egg |
0.43 |
| Plain yoghurt |
0.229 |
| Silverbeet (Swiss chard) |
0.115 |
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
| Food | Niacin content in milligrams (mg) per 100 grams (g) |
|---|---|
| Peanut (roasted) |
18 |
| Chicken breast |
11 |
| Sunflower seed |
10.75 |
| Mushroom (fresh) |
3.55 |
| Potato (peeled) |
1.73 |
| Eggplant |
0.61 |
| Egg |
0.04 |
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
| Food | Pantothenic acid content in milligrams (mg) per 100 grams (g) |
|---|---|
| Lamb liver |
7 |
| Brie cheese |
3 |
| Salmon |
2.38 |
| Egg |
1.5 |
| Avocado |
0.93 |
| Broccoli |
0.66 |
| Beef steak |
0.5 |
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
| Food | Pyridoxine content in milligrams (mg) per 100 grams (g) |
|---|---|
| Garlic (fresh, raw) |
1.24 |
| Veal stir fry |
1 |
| Basa (fish) |
0.54 |
| Banana |
0.3 |
| Tofu (firm) |
0.06 |
| Milk |
0.02 |
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
| Food | Biotin content in milligrams (mg) per 100 grams (g) |
|---|---|
| Peanut (roasted) |
100 |
| Cocoa powder |
26 |
| Muesli |
19 |
| Egg |
17 |
| Whole wheat pasta |
13 |
| Broccoli |
5.6 |
| Mushroom |
5.3 |
| Raspberry |
4.5 |
| Whiting (fish) |
3.7 |
Biotin is also made by bacteria in your bowel.
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
| Food | Dietary folate equivalent content in micrograms (µg) per 100 grams (g) |
|---|---|
| Chicken liver |
1450 |
| Seaweed (dried) |
1400 |
| Kidney beans (dried) |
394 |
| Avocado |
219 |
| Quinoa (uncooked) |
184 |
| Chickpea (dried) |
178 |
| Spinach (raw, fresh) |
158 |
| Silverbeet |
133 |
| Mint (raw, fresh) |
114 |
| Asparagus |
99 |
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
| Food | Cobalamin content in micrograms (µg) per 100 grams (g) |
|---|---|
| Octopus |
20 |
| Oyster |
15 |
| Beef mince |
3.6 |
| Lamb |
3 |
| Egg |
1.4 |
| Mozzarella cheese |
1 |
| Milk |
0.7 |
| Oat milk |
0.6 |
How much vitamin B do I need?
The recommended amount of each B vitamin may depend on your age, sex and life stage. For example, pregnant people, breastfeeding people and children all need different doses of each individual B vitamin.
Most people should be able to get all the vitamin B they need by eating a varied diet.
Recommended dietary intake
| Vitamin | Adult males | Adult females |
|---|---|---|
| B1 (Thiamin) |
1.2mg/day |
1.1mg/day |
| B2 (Riboflavin) |
19 to 70 years = 1.3mg/day Over 70 years = 1.6mg/day |
19 to 70 years = 1.1mg/day Over 70yrs = 1.3mg/day |
| B3 (Niacin) |
16mg/day |
14mg/day |
| B5 (Pantothenic acid) |
6mg/day |
4mg/day |
| B6 (Pyridoxine) |
19 to 50 years = 1.3mg/day Over 50years = 1.7mg/day |
19 to 50 years = 1.3mg/day Over 50years = 1.5mg/day |
| B7 (Biotin) |
30µg/day |
25µg/day |
| B9 (Folate) |
400µg/day |
400µg/day |
| B12 (Cobalamin) |
2.4µg/day |
2.4µg/day |
Can I have too little vitamin B?
It's possible not to get enough vitamin B in your diet. This usually happens if you're on a restrictive diet (such as a vegan diet) or have a chronic (ongoing) health condition.
If you don't get enough vitamin B, you may be at risk of a vitamin B deficiency.
If you are worried that you don't get enough vitamin B, talk with your doctor or an accredited dietitian.
Should I take B vitamin supplements?
Always speak with your doctor or an accredited dietitian before taking a vitamin supplement. While supplements can support your diet, you should still eat healthily.
If you use over-the-counter supplements, always read the doses on the bottle. Choose the supplement that suits your life stage and circumstances.
Many over-the-counter multivitamins contain B vitamins. Each type of vitamin B has its own dosage. Do not double up on supplements. For example, if you take a multivitamin, check before you take a specific vitamin B supplement.
Alcohol and thiamin supplements
High alcohol consumption reduces the body's ability to absorb and store thiamin and often leads to poor nutrition, increasing the risk of deficiency. Severe thiamin deficiency can cause serious brain, nerve and heart problems, including Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and beriberi.
If you drink heavily, you may be advised to take thiamin supplements under medical supervision, alongside reducing alcohol intake and improving diet.
Vegan diet and vitamin B12 supplements
The Australian Dietary Guidelines advise that people following a vegan diet take a B12 supplement.
Pregnancy and folate supplements
Folate and folic acid are important in pregnancy because they can help prevent neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.
You should start taking a pregnancy-specific folic acid supplement at least one month before you start trying to get pregnant. If you haven't been taking folic acid before pregnancy, start taking it now.
You should keep taking the supplement for at least the first trimester of your pregnancy (until the end of week 13 of pregnancy).
Do vitamin B supplements cause side effects?
Some vitamin B supplements cause toxicity when taken in excess.
If you take high levels of vitamin B6, you can develop symptoms of peripheral neuropathy — this is called vitamin B6 toxicity. If you are taking products that contain vitamin B6 and you have symptoms, such as tingling, burning, or numbness, you should stop taking the product and seek medical advice.
You should check the labels of supplements you are taking, so you know what is in them. Vitamin B6 can sometimes be labelled as pyridoxine, pyridoxal or pyridoxamine.
Vitamin B6 can also be found in other products, such as:
- magnesium supplements
- migraine medicines
- protein powders
- diet powders
- energy drinks
If you're unsure if the product you are taking contains B6, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Vitamin B supplements can also interact with other medicines that you may take. It's important to speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking supplements or starting a new medicine.
What happens if I have too much vitamin B?
Generally, the B vitamins aren't harmful when found naturally in food.
However, you should be careful when taking supplements. Never take more than the recommended upper limit unless told to do so by a doctor or dietitian.
Some vitamin B supplements can cause toxicity when taken in excess.
The best way for healthy people to get vitamin B is by eating a balanced diet.
| Vitamin | Upper limit | Health risk |
|---|---|---|
| B1 (Thiamin) |
Not known |
None from food. |
| B2 (Riboflavin) |
Not known |
None |
| B3 (Niacin) |
35mg/day in the form of nicotinic acid |
Too many supplements can cause skin flushing, burning, tingling, and itching. It can also cause headaches, rashes, and dizziness. |
| B5 (Pantothenic acid)> |
Not known |
None |
| B6 (Pyridoxine) |
50mg/day |
Nerve damage when taken at high doses for more than a year. Skin damage, sensitivity to sunlight, nausea, and heartburn. |
| B7 (Biotin) |
Not known |
Too much through supplements may cause false hormone measurements. |
| B9 (Folate) |
1,000µg/day |
High levels can cause or exacerbate a vitamin B12 deficienc. |
| B12 (Cobalamin) |
Not known |
None |
Resources and support
See the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.
The Dietitians Australia website allows you to search for an Accredited Practising Dietitian.
You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Languages other than English
NSW Health has a fact sheet on eating healthy available in several community languages.
Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples
Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet has many resources about healthy eating for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: February 2026
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