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B vitamins are essential for the body to function. Without them, cells would be unable to divide, grow, communicate or metabolize food into energy (see Types and differences). Supplementing certain or all B vitamins may also be a part of established treatments for a variety of conditions, including:

• Pregnancy. Pregnant women require additional nutrients for themselves and their developing babies. B vitamins are particularly important to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. The fetal neural tube develops into the brain and spinal cord and is sensitive to vitamin deficiency in the earliest stages of pregnancy. Folate is highly recommended to women who could become pregnant as a preventative method for spina bifida and other neural tube-related birth defects. B vitamins are included in most prenatal supplements.
  
  
• High cholesterol. The plaque build up associated with high cholesterol can be deadly. Among the treatments available, is B3 (niacin) supplementation. In prescribed doses, the vitamin causes a significant increase in the high-density lipoproteins (HDL, the “good cholesterol”) and a lesser decrease in low-density lipoproteins (LDL, the “bad cholesterol”). For some patients, B3 is prescribed in conjunction with other cholesterol medications.
  
  
• Atherosclerosis. In addition to its known benefits in treating cholesterol, vitamin B3 is being studied as part of a treatment aimed at slowing the hardening and narrowing of the arteries.
  
  
• Vitamin deficiency. The body may not get enough B vitamins to meet its needs due to a poor diet or a condition that keeps the body from properly absorbing or using nutrients. Supplementation of B vitamins may be temporary or life-long depending on the cause of the deficiency (see Overdose and deficiency).
  
  
• Metabolic disorders (e.g., Leigh disease, maple syrup urine disease, lactic acidosis). With such conditions, the body is unable to make the thiamin pyrophosphate needed for energy metabolism. The body needs vitamin B1 to make thiamin pyrophosphate and, therefore, B1 supplements may increase its production.
  
  
• Neonatal jaundice (yellowing of the infant’s skin, eyes and body fluids). It results from a variety of causes and the treatment often depends on diagnosis of the cause. When phototherapy is used for treatment, it is often in conjunction with vitamin B2 supplements.
  
  
• Hereditary sideroblastic anemia. Patients with this disease are unable to make normal red blood cells. Treatment often involves B6 supplements which assist in the production of red blood cells.

Research continues to investigate the link between B vitamins and a number of other conditions. The effectiveness of B vitamin supplementation is being studied in the treatment and prevention of these conditions, including:

• Dementia and cardiovascular disease. Homocysteine is an amino acid found in high levels in patients suffering from heart disease, blood clots, strokes and Alzheimer disease. Reducing homocysteine levels is possible with B6, folate and B12, but it has not been shown to improve cognitive ability or reduce the risk of heart disease.
  
  
• Cancer. Several studies are focused on a possible link between taking folate supplements and a lower risk of developing some types of cancer. This may relate to folate’s role in the synthesis and maintenance of DNA, the genetic material that directs cell functions. A direct link between the vitamin and disease has yet to be understood, and use of folate supplements without the guidance of a physician may be dangerous.