B Complex Vitamin Gummies

Five B vitamins sit in the Daily Greens+ gummy, part of the daily GUUDIES pouch: B3, B5, B6, B7 and B12.

Why the numbering is strange

The gaps in the sequence are historical. B vitamins were numbered as they were discovered, and several later turned out not to be vitamins at all, or to be duplicates of ones already named. B4, B8, B10 and B11 were all struck off. What remains is eight compounds that share little beyond being water soluble and having been found in the same places.

So a B complex is not one nutrient in different forms. It is a group of unrelated compounds that happen to be grouped by history.

Water soluble, so not stored

All B vitamins are water soluble. The body does not build reserves of them in the way it does with the fat soluble vitamins, and any surplus is passed out. That is the reason a daily intake matters, and also why very high dose B supplements turn urine bright yellow, which is riboflavin doing exactly what it should.

B12 is the partial exception, since the liver can hold a store that lasts a long time.

B12 and plant based diets

B12 is the one B vitamin that is essentially absent from plant foods. It is produced by bacteria and reaches us through animal products or fortification. That makes it the nutrient most commonly discussed for anyone eating vegan or largely plant based, and it is worth knowing where yours comes from.

Biotin appears twice

There is 30µg of biotin here in Daily Greens+, and a further 100µg in the Marine Collagen gummy. Both are declared separately on the label rather than combined, so the totals are transparent.

Which gummy carries them

The B complex sits in Daily Greens+, tropical flavour, alongside vitamin D3, vitamin K2, vitamins A, C and E, zinc, copper, iodine and chromium and the superfood greens blend.

Common questions

Which B vitamins are in GUUDIES?

Five: niacin (B3) at 14mg, pantothenic acid (B5) at 5mg, B6 at 1.7mg, biotin (B7) at 30µg and B12 at 24µg.

Why are B1, B2 and B9 not included?

The formula covers five of the eight B vitamins. Thiamine, riboflavin and folate are not in this gummy, and the label states exactly what is.

Is the B12 suitable for vegans?

The Daily Greens+ gummy is vegan. B12 in supplements is produced by bacterial fermentation rather than taken from animal sources.

Why do the numbers skip?

B vitamins were numbered as they were discovered, and several later turned out not to be vitamins, or to duplicate ones already named. B4, B8, B10 and B11 were struck off.

Do I need them every day?

B vitamins are water soluble and largely not stored, which is why a regular daily intake is the usual approach. B12 is the exception, since the liver can hold a store.

Related reading

• Best vitamins for women in the UK
• Supplements for beginners: where to start