What was formerly thought to be a single vitamin and called Water Soluble B is now called the "vitamin B complex." It is not one vitamin but many that occur together and are so complementary in their physiological effects that they are classed together. The more the substance is investigated the more complex it becomes. There are now at least thirteen B vitamins with other possible ones to be discovered. The thirteen B vitamins at the last authentic count do not include all of the suspected B factors. Biotin, inosital, P-aminobenzoic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothentic acid, pyroxine, choline, folic acid the "extrinsic factor" and two other chemically unknown factors said to be needed by the chick for growth and feather production and one or more factors of significance in guinea-pig nutrition complete the tally of known B vitamins.

If this vitamin business becomes any more complex the minds of our researchers and nutritionists are going to crack. It is lucky for them that the other vitamins--A, C, D, K, etc.--are not as complex as the B vitamin. No human mind could ever hope to unravel such complexity.

The vitamins of the B complex are fundamental to life, being found in all living things. It is difficult to differentiate between the disturbances caused by a deficiency of the individual members of the complex and it has more than once been the case that a deficiency attributed to a lack of one of the group was later found to be due to multiple lack. Beriberi is the most outstanding example of this; (A few years ago vitamin B was thought to be made up of only two factors. One of these was called vitamin F and the other vitamin G.) Only three of the B complex group have been shown to be of importance to man. We will here consider more than these three.

B1; or Thiamin; the antineuritic vitamin: This vitamin is said to prevent and cure beriberi. It is an organic compound of two parts, one of which contains sulphur and the other nitrogen. It is not destroyed by absorbing oxygen, but is destroyed by heating, especially above the boiling point, if the heating is continued for some time, as in roasting, baking and frying. Thiamine is not destroyed by cooking at 100° for an hour, but it is soluble in water so that much of it is found in the water in which the food is cooked. Soda added to the food in cooking adds to the destruction of B1.

As an enzyme it instigates the transformation of glucose into carbon-dioxide and water. If there is a deficiency of this vitamin this change is incomplete and an accumulation of pyruvic acid results. It promotes and is essential to growth, is essential to normal nerve function, is essential to the utilization of carbohydrates, is said to "stimulate" the appetite and normal intestinal functions and is essential to reproduction and lactation. It is said to prevent and "cure" beriberi and certain other forms of neuritis and the "diseases" of the heart and circulation associated with this.

Beriberi, or multiple neuritis, characterized by inflammation and degeneration of the peripheral nerves, intense pain, resulting, finally, in paralysis and wasting of the muscles, is said to result from B1 deficiency. It should be noted, however, that the diets that result in beriberi are deficient in more than B1.

One of the first symptoms of B1 deficiency is loss of appetite, but the reader should not think that this is the sole cause of loss of appetite. The amount of B1 needed varies with activities. Any increase of the metabolic rate increases the need for this vitamin. Muscular work as well as growth increase the need for it. No doubt cold, also, does the same. More is required during pregnancy and lactation than at other times. The liver can store this vitamin to some extent. A few other organs do the same. We require a daily supply because of this limited storage.

B1 is said not to be widely distributed and green vegetables and fruits are said to be poor sources. Emphasis is placed upon yeast, soybeans and wholewheat as sources of this vitamin. This will be found to be a mistake as there are many vegetarian animals that never eat neither of these products. Milk is said to be a poor source, yet the amount necessary for normal growth is from three to five times as much as required by the adult to prevent beriberi. This milk is the sole diet of the calf during its period of most rapid growth. Yeast and wheat germ are emphasized as sources. Always the "authorities" place the emphasis on some commercial product of the food factories.

Synthetic B1 or thiamine chlorine is not to be used, nor does one have to eat liver or liver extract to obtain this vitamin. Yeast preparations should be avoided. All of the B1 required for all of the purposes of life is obtainable from green vegetables, fresh fruits and nuts. Wheat germ and rice polishings are also rich in it as are most beans and peas.

B2 or riboflavin (also flavin and vitamin G) is composed of a single type of sugar (ribose) and a yellow pigment (flavin), hence the name. It is slightly soluble in water, does not withstand exposure to direct light, but is largely unaffected by heat. It is made up of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. It is decomposed by both visible and ultraviolet light. It was first discovered in milk in 1879 before anything was known about vitamins and has also been called lactoflavin.

In conjunction with thiamin and niacin, riboflavin plays an important role in the oxidation of carbohydrates. It promotes and is essential to health. Its lack in the diet of rats is said to result in the loss of hair and atrophy of the oil-secreting glands. A deficiency of riboflavin is said to result in skin lesions, especially cheliosis, or fissures in the corners of the mouth, and cheilitis. Bloodshot eyes and increased susceptibility to infections, especially to pneumonia, are also said to result from its deficiency. In adequate quantity it is claimed to prevent abnormal changes in the eyes, thus preventing cataract and failing vision. In lower animals severe disturbances, including great loss of weight and blindness, are said to result from a deficiency of B2.

The "authorities" emphasize milk, eggs, kidneys and soybeans as sources of riboflavin. Milk is said to be the best source of all. It is said also to be formed in the intestines by bacterial action. Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, nuts and seeds of all kinds will supply all the riboflavin neded. There is no need to purchase commercial products or laboratory products to secure this vitamin.

Vitamin B3 has not been isolated and its nature is not known. It is thought to be identical with pantothentic acid.

Pantothenic acid is said to be distributed in all living cells, hence its name, which is derived from a Greek word meaning "from everywhere." It is an organic compound containing calcium, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. Its office in human nutrition is not established, but it is thought to be necessary to nutrition in all the higher animals, man included, and is "probably associated with the distribution of riboflavin." It is also said to one of the two factors that prevent graying of the hair. Nothing has yet prevented graying of the hair.

Pantothenic acid is so widely distributed in foods that no person who eats plenty of natural, unprocessed foods, need ever worry about not securing enough.

Vitamin B4 is a heat-destructible, water soluble factor different from B1, B2 and B3, which is said to prevent a type of paralysis in rats. Human need for it has not been demonstrated.

Vitamin B5 is a heat-stable factor that prevents loss of weight in pigeons. This is about all that is known about it.

Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine is an organic compound composed of hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. In the tissues it is thought to exist in combination with a protein. It is claimed to enable the animal to utilize the amino acid tryphtophan. In its absence tryphtophan is said not to be utilized. Little is known about its office in nutrition and it has been used chiefly along with riboflavin and niacin in the treatment of pellagra. It is also supposed to "correct" muscular fatigue, in which case it is a substitute for rest. It melts at 205° C and is not decomposed by acids, alkalies or heat. Fresh fruits, green vegetables, nuts and seeds contain ample supplies of this vitamin.

Vitamin B7 (I) is a factor Centanni claimed in 1935 to have isolated from alcohol extract of rice polishings and which prevents digestive disturbances in birds. It has no effect on beriberi.

Vitamin P-P or Niacin (nicotinic acid) was discovered about the time of the Civil War, but nothing was known of its function. The term niacin was adopted to avoid confusing it with nicotine. It is an organic acid composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen and is also called carboxylic acid. It is soluble in water, but does not oxydize and is not affected by heat.

A deficiency of niacin is credited with causing pellagra, but it will be noted that the diets of pellagra sufferers are deficient in many other food factors. We see in the diets of these people multiple deficiencies. Its use is credited with curing the sores of pellagra in man and the analogous disease of dogs called black-tongue.

The "authorities" emphasize yeast, liver, veal, pork, peanuts, milk, eggs and wholewheat as sources of this vitamin. A diet of fresh fruits, green vegetables, nuts and seeds supplies all the niacin required. Yeast, capsules, tablets and concentrates are not needed.

Folic Acid, the newest member of the B-complex is thought to be important in the production and maintenance of normal blood, Sulfa drugs administered to rats, also to man, cause granulocytosis, or a destruction of the granulocytes of the blood. They also cause a depletion of the bone marrow cells which leads to the production of anemia. It is asserted that the administration of folic acid prevents and cures this condition. This assertion must be received with the proverbial, "grain of salt." Medical claims of "cures" are never trustworthy.

The "authorities" emphasize liver, kidneys, yeast and immature grass as sources of folic acid. Folic is from folium meaning leaf and should indicate the proper sources of this vitamin.

Cholin, another member of the B-complex, is thought to be necessary to the storage and mobilization of fats. It is said that in its absence the liver becomes loaded with fat.

Vitamin H or Biotin is described as the most powerful of all the vitamins. Discovered by three different investigators, one of whom called it vitamin H, a second called it biotin and a third called it "coenzyme R," this vitamin is regarded as essential to the respiration of certain lower organisms. It is said to "cure" a type of skin inflammation produced in rats by eating raw egg whites.

Only about three or four of the B vitamins have been shown to be essential to human nutrition. Others are said to be necessary to some of the lower animals. An assumed anti-alopecia factor is supposed to be essential to the growth of hair in animals. Why call it anti-alopcia; why not call is pro-hair? An assumed anti-graying vitamin (why not call it pigment-promoting) is supposed to maintain the color of animals' hair.