B-Complex

B-vitamins are very important and many people get less than the recommended daily amount of these nutrients. Frequent alcohol consumption can deplete B-vitamins, particularly Vitamin B1 (thiamin), Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 and Folate. If alcohol is consumed, it may be beneficial to supplement with b-vitamins.

Note, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults of legal drinking age can choose not to drink, or to drink in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men or 1 drink or less in a day for women, on days when alcohol is consumed.

B vitamins are essential for the nervous system. They are important for proper and normal neurological function, chemical signaling,red blood cell formation and synthesis of DNA and RNA.

B vitamins support healthy homocysteine levels and are necessary for proper cellular functioning as they are a coenzyme for enzymatic reactions. Homocysteine plays a role in stress, with its accumulation being associated with oxidative stress, DNA strand breakage and mitochondrial membrane damage.

Many of the B vitamins are used to regulate the stress response and synthesize hormones necessary for increased physical activity, such as adrenaline and cortisol. One of the mechanisms of action by which B-vitamins support stress is through the regulation of the hormone, cortisol. Cortisol, often referred to as the ‘stress hormone’, is produced by the adrenal glands when stress is experienced as a mechanism to counteract the stress.