What are they?
B-vitamins are commonly used in sports supplements due to their role in supporting energy metabolism and other beneficial physiological effects such as the reduction of tiredness and fatigue or supporting the immune system. Some are more common in the diet, but others such as B12 can be deficient in certain diets for and warrant supplementation.
There are several approved European health claims (EFSA) for B vitamins. This means that the evidence has been very thoroughly reviewed and is of the most robust level. It takes many years of research to achieve an approved health claim, and typically the evidence has to have been demonstrated in a wide population group, and isn’t limited to sports performance per se which are typically much smaller study samples.
What are the benefits?
The table below lists the different benefits of the B vitamins included. In order to make the claim a product must have 15% of the recommeded daily allowance included. Here 100% of the RDA is included, but as these are all water soluble vitamins overdosing is not a risk.
| Vitamin | Benefit |
| B3 (niacin) | Contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism Contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system Contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue |
| B5 (pantothenic acid) | Contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism Contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue |
| B6 | Contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism Contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system Contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolism Contributes to normal red blood cell formation Contributes to the normal function of the immune system |
| B12 | Contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism Contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue Contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system Contributes to normal red blood cell formation Contributes to the normal function of the immune system |
