Why vitamin B's are your perimenopausal best friend!
- Andrea Marsh
- Jun 2
- 9 min read
I remember looking at exotic-sounding 'fortified with...' on the back of cereal packets as a kid and wondering what Thiamin and Niacin were. Vitamin B's have been boosting our wheat/cereal-based products since the 1950s at least, and there's a good reason for this: we're often deficient in the array of these vital vitamins. As a nation, it's been recognized that we need supplementation to support us daily, but as you transition through peri and menopause, you tend to cut down on the products that have fortified wheat in them. A good source of the B vitamins is also animal products, including dairy, meat, and eggs, so if you don't have these, then you are more likely to be deficient too. Vitamin B's are critical to your health, and never more so than as you transition through the peri/menopause, so this month my blog is: Why vitamin B's are your perimenopausal best friend!
Why vitamin B's are your perimenopausal best friend!
As we advance through our 40s towards menopause, a significant symptom is a noticeable loss of energy—a profound fatigue that sleep doesn't alleviate for many. Anxiety becomes prevalent, brain fog sets in, and memory declines. This occurs even before we consider the wide range of additional symptoms linked to a deficiency in B vitamins. This phase is known as perimenopause. You still have periods, which might even become heavier and more frequent, yet you feel exhausted and can attribute it to any major change.
I was lucky enough to interview Dr Charles Rouse an American Doctor turned Naturopathic Dr who creates supplements that are right for your body. When I hadn't gotten over the energy effects of Covid back in 2020, he explained that I really needed a B complex of vitamins.
He excelled at explaining the importance of the B vitamin group, known as the B Complex, highlighting that B12 often requires supplementation. Many individuals, both women and men, may experience a deficiency that necessitates an injection if their body doesn't produce or process it correctly. However, I've encountered women who receive a B12 injection from the NHS yet still suffer from low energy. Initially, this surprised me, but through research and client observation, I've learned that B12 alone isn't sufficient for recovery. A single mineral won't truly be effective—you need the entire B Complex.
During the perimenopausal transition, which typically occurs between the ages of 42 and 47, women often experience a significant decline in levels of vitamin B12 as well as other B vitamins. This decline can lead to a variety of symptoms that may include fatigue, mood swings, and cognitive changes, all of which can greatly impact a woman's quality of life. One of the most effective strategies to restore balance to these vital nutrients is through regualrly taking an increased dosage of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 plays a crucial role in the regulation of female hormones, which can help alleviate some of the discomfort associated with hormonal fluctuations during menopause.
However, while focusing solely on B6 can provide benefits, the most comprehensive approach is to consider taking a B complex supplement. A B complex combines all the essential B vitamins into one solution, ensuring that the body receives a balanced intake of these critical nutrients. Each B vitamin serves unique and important functions that contribute to overall health, particularly during the menopausal transition.
The importance of B vitamins during your menopause
The menopausal transition can significantly affect a woman's nutritional status, particularly concerning B vitamins. By incorporating a B complex supplement, you can help ensure you receive a balanced array of these essential nutrients, which work synergistically to support hormonal balance, energy levels, and overall well-being during this transformative period of life. Here are some important key aspects of the B vitamin complex:
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): This vitamin is essential for energy production and the proper functioning of the nervous system. It helps convert carbohydrates into energy, which is crucial as women may experience fatigue during menopause.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Riboflavin plays a significant role in energy metabolism and is vital for maintaining healthy skin and eyes. It also helps in the conversion of other B vitamins into their active forms.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Niacin is important for DNA repair and the production of stress hormones in the adrenal glands. It can also help improve circulation and reduce feelings of anxiety, which can be heightened during menopause.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): This vitamin is crucial for synthesizing coenzyme A, which is involved in fatty acid metabolism and the production of energy. It also supports adrenal function, helping the body manage stress more effectively.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): As previously mentioned, B6 is vital for hormone regulation and can help alleviate symptoms such as mood swings and irritability by supporting neurotransmitter function.
Vitamin B7 (Biotin): Biotin is essential for healthy hair, skin, and nails. It also plays a role in carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism, which is important for maintaining energy levels.
Vitamin B9 (Folate): Folate is crucial for DNA synthesis and repair, and it helps in the production of red blood cells. Adequate folate levels are particularly important during menopause to support overall health.
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): This vitamin is essential for nerve function and the production of DNA and red blood cells. A deficiency in B12 can lead to anemia and neurological issues, making it vital to monitor levels during menopause.
How much Vitamin B's should I take?
I was on a course the other year and was told that finding the supplement to take was only half the job, the other half is the dosage, and this is individual per person, but we'll find a common starting point. We're in a world where we're used to reading the instructions on the back, especially for painkillers that will say: take 2 every 4 hours, don't exceed daily amount. We've kind of got used to being told exactly what to take, but for supplements it's not so straightforward. The reason is that you may all have fatigue but it will be to a different degree and caused by any number of things that need to be resolved and balanced.
A multivitamin helps cover essential nutrients, including trace minerals your body needs. I initially used a well-known high street brand, but after contracting Covid in perimenopause, my energy levels didn't recover quickly. I switched to an plant-based brand with nearly double the mineral content without the price increase. Why plant-based? Because it emulates food and is absorbed more efficiently in the gut.
Start with weaker supplements, but as life becomes more stressful, stronger supplements may be necessary. When life eases, you can reduce your dosage. Currently, if you're exhausted, higher doses are essential. The 100% NRV (recommended daily allowance) is outdated, set when soil was nutrient-rich.
Check the values on your supplement bottle; if your energy is low and your percentages are much lower, consider increasing your intake.
Are you currently taking a B Complex supplement? Have a look at your dosage and compare it to the one I take:
B1 - 1818%, B2 - 1429%, B3 - 100% B5 - 833% B6 - 714% B9 - 100 B12 - 4400% of your NRV (nutritional reference value)
Why are these percentages so high?
Why do we need to take vitamins well above 100% of NRV?
The NRV (set in 1993) or RDA (recommended diertary allowance, set in 1943) are out of date.
These levels are based on the minimum required daily intake to prevent deficiencies. Unfortunately, due to poor soil quality affecting nutrient content, our food sources no longer provide adequate amounts. During certain life stages and with specific health conditions, a substantial intake of vitamins and minerals is necessary to restore optimal health.
From a medical perspective, I have a client who is sensitive to B vitamins and cannot tolerate high doses, highlighting the importance of individual needs. It is advisable to consult with your doctor if you have any uncertainties. For the majority, vitamins and minerals are essential components for maintaining bodily functions consider them building blocks of your daily energy pool and your hormones; and are generally safe to have.
Pay attention to your body's signals. If you notice improvements within a few days to weeks of taking a supplement, you are likely on the right path. If you experience any adverse effects, discontinue use and reintroduce the supplement gradually.
Why do I also need a multivitamin with the B Complex?
A multi vitamin is a universal combination of vital minerals that your body needs to function and never more so than as you transition with menopause. As I've previously mentioned you don't get enough nutrients in your food and with your current lifestyle if you have symptoms you most likely have stress in your life. Stress uses up vitamins and minerals even more quickly!
The more stressed you are the more minerals you need to consume to keep your symptoms away.
A good multivitamin has a decent B complex in it so there is no need to take a separate supplement for the majority of women. I've had many women in consultations who are receiving the B12 injection and not feeling the benefits. However when they then add in the multivitamin that I recommend they start to feel and see the results.
Can you over dose on vitamin B's?
To answer the latter first, as B vitamins are known as water soluble you can wee out the excess, this means you're less likely to have too much, but it also means you can wee out what you still require if you don't absorb it properly; this would be known as a leaky gut. When you want to support your gut for the best health and absorption of all your nutrients you'll want to repopulate your microbiome with a probiotic. This puts back in a variety of bacteria. The secret is variety, not count, supermarket one's only tend to have one strain of bacteria whereas the one I taje has 15! If you want to get healthy and energised, get serious about a probiotic. This is the one I took after I got a gut parasite which left me with a host of symptoms, this one not only got me back on my feet it also reduced my lifelong hayfever by over 95%, and incredible side effect I'd just not thought about. However allergies tend to get worse for women in perimenopause and mine got better! Check out Microbz if you want to get the best probiotic in my opinion and the only that really helped me in my perimenopause (and to get over a gut parasite too!)
Where to start with taking B vitamins and supplements?
I start my clients with a menopause-stage appropriate multivitamin, not only does this give you a good amount of the vitamin B's it also gives you all the other little nutrients you need like copper and manganese , as well as the NRV of zinc, iron, chromium and selenium. Minerals that you don't necessarily need to take as a separate supplment, (but you still can if you need too). Then you will get vitamin C and D, and Magnesium and you'll never get enough of these, they're quite bulky and so you will most likely need additional supplements of these (depending on your symptoms).
The point is it's somewhere to start, and so if you're reading this and you don't know where to start with supplements, really, get started on a multivitamin and then everything comes after this. I see a lot of women listing very fancy supplements but they've missed the basic foundation, so please start here and this gives you a good spread on all your multivitamins and a decent amount of the vitamin B complex. I have created a free supplement guide to get you started - download it from here!
Do you still need more energy even though you've started taking B vitamins?
If however you're really not picking up on energy after a couple of weeks then you'll more than likely need to boost your vitamin B's further. B12 can ramp up into the 10-20,000% range (and higher), keep going until you feel your energy coming back. This is why it's personal to you, you may require more or less than your fellow peri-peers, and only you will be able to feel and notice the affects that the vitamin B's are having. You can take a B Complex in addition to having it in your multivitamin.
Additional mineral requirements to reduce your symptoms
Some minerals are too bulky to fit into the one supplement. This is why a good supplement should never have filler ingredients! Here are my other vital minerals - click for additional blogs with more indepth information or access all this information in my free supplement guide.
Omega oils (Essential fatty acids)
Put an end to your menopause symptoms for good!
You don't need to put up with peri/menopausal symptoms, they are your body telling you that it is out of balance. I use my knowledge from Chinese Medicine to understand your energy patterns from your symptoms and support you with practical, natural solutions and supplements to help you alleviate your worst symptoms.
I have an extensive self help area, and you can book a chat if you don't know where to start, plus you can download and watch my 2hr Menopause Masterclass for free here.
Meet Andrea at Cotswold Menopause
Andrea is a shiatsu and chinese medicine practitioner who uses the principles of chinese medicine in a completely practical way to help you resolve your symptoms naturally and effectively. If you live locally you can book in for wonderfully relaxing Shiatsu for Menopause, or Andrea offer online indepth consultations where you'll leave with a simple steps actionable plan to follow.
Andrea was hit hard with perimenopause in 2016 and didn't realise it until bells starting ringing at a talk one day. She tried a menopause supplement and it gave her hot flushes! Realising that this wasn't straightforward she turned to her Chinese medicine books and pieced together the underlying health imbalances that cause symptoms. She resolved her symptoms and her clients quickly and naturally and is now in a position to help you too.
It is always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen and to tailor the approach to your individual health needs. Andrea's free supplement guide is a good introduction to how to safely and correctly take supplements; ensuring you have the confidence to take the right ones for your needs at any time.
