Table of Content

1.0 Vitamin B6
1.1 Introduction of Vitamin B6 1
1.2 Function of Vitamin B6 1
1.3 Deficiency and Toxicity of Vitamin B6 1
1.4 Factor of degradation 2

2.0 Vitamin B12

2.1 Introduction of Vitamin B12 2
2.2 Deficiency of Vitamin B12 3
2.3 Function and health benefits of Vitamin B12 3
2.4 Factor of degradation 4

3.0 Conclusion 5

4.0 Reference 5

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1.0 Vitamin B6
1.1 Introduction of Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is also known as a pyridoxine, which is a water-soluble vitamin that can be
eliminated in urine, and it is not stored by the body. Since humans body cannot synthesize it,
therefore, vitamin B6 must be obtained from the diet in order to get the sufficient supply of
vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 usually can be obtained easily from fortified cereals, meat, poultry, fish,
nuts, avocado, banana, legumes, dried beans, and green leafy vegetables. In fact, plant-based
vitamin B6 sources contain high amount of glycosylated pyridoxine glucoside that will inhibit
and reduced the bioavailability (Clayton 2006). Therefore, vegetarians might need to increase
their vitamin B6 intake either by taking a supplement or by taking fortified foods with vitamin
B6.

1.2 Function of Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 has a major function as a cofactor of many enzymes that catalyse essential chemical
reactions in the human body (Jane 2000). The production of amino acid (the building blocks of
protein) is required adequate supply of vitamin B6 for the muscle protein metabolism. It helps
the body to break down the protein into free amino acids. Besides, vitamin B6 is also used to
help brain development during pregnancy and infancy, as well as is involved in the bodys
immune function of the elderly (Carolyn 2014). In immune system, it helps the human body to
withstand a number of infections and diseases by boosting up the immune system of the human
body to the required functional level.

1.3 Deficiency and Toxicity of Vitamin B6

Alcoholics are seem to be the most at risk in deficiency of vitamin B6 due to their potentially
low dietary intake and impaired metabolism. Some symptoms of severe deficiency in vitamin B6
are depression, confusion, inflammation of the tongue, mouth sores and ulcers. Although
vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin and is excreted in the urine, but it may cause toxicity result
in painful neurological symptoms known as sensory neuropathy. This usually happens when
long-term of supplementation is taken with very high doses of pyridoxine. The symptoms
include pain and numbness of the limbs, and even in severe cases may lead to difficulty to walk

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(Jane 2000). However, these negative effects have only been proven from B6 supplements but
not from food sources.

1.4 Factors of degradation

Furthermore, vitamin B6 usually occurs in three forms in the natural foods, which are known as
pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxine. All these forms of vitamin B6 are quite stable at the
condition of low pH when light is excluded. This is because vitamin B6 is susceptible to the light
in alkaline solution. Therefore, when they exposure to the light especially UV or near UV
irradiation will results in significant degradation. Besides, heat is also another factor that causes
the degradation of vitamin B6. Studies show that the stability of pyridoxal and pyridoxamine are
less stable than pyridoxine. For instance, heat treatment in milk such as sterilization can cause
the reduction of vitamin B6 values because of the greater heat lability of pyridoxal and
pyridoxamine presence in the milk (National Research Council 1978).

2.0 Vitamin B12

2.1 Introduction of Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is also known as cobalamin or cyanocobalamin, is one of eight vitamin B. Vitamin
B12 is an essential water-soluble vitamin. It is soluble in alcohols, phenols, and other polar
solvents with hydroxy group (Eitenmiller et al. 2008). There are four main type of vitamin B12
which are methylcobalamin, cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin and adenosylcobalamin (Dr.
Edward Group DC et al. 2015).Cyanocobalamin is synthetic form of vitamin B12 which used in
food fortification and nutrient supplement. Among all of the vitamin molecules, vitamin B12 is
the largest and the most complex vitamin. Unlike other vitamin B complex, vitamin B12 contains
inorganic element, the mineral cobalt, and microorganisms that synthesize itself (Esperanca
2011). Besides cobalt, it also contains carbon, oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrogen according to
Figure 1 shown. Nevertheless, vitamin B12 only present in animal-based product. For example,
organ meat, non-fat dry milk, some fish and crab, egg yolk and cheese (Fenneman 1996). Vegan
was recommend take vitamin B12 supplement. People over 50 years old may also need
supplementation since the ability to absorb the vitamin decreases with age
(Healthyeating.sfgate.com 2017).

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 Figure 1: Structure of Vitamin B12
2.2 Deficiency of Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 will bind with intrinsic factors that are produced by stomach cells and then bring to
the small intestine for absorption. So, the damaged intestines may not function well enough to
enable adequate vitamin B12 levels to be absorbed (Gina n.d.). This may cause vitamin B12
deficiency occur. Deficiency disease is called pernicious anemia. Blood cells in pernicious
anemia show that the malformed red blood cells are slightly larger than normal blood cells, and
their shapes are irregular.
Apart from that, insufficient vitamin B12 intake may cause experience with fatigue,
diarrhea and possible nerve damage. A long-term deficiency of vitamin B12 may make you more
likely to develop heart disease, pernicious anemia or age-related macular degeneration
(Healthyeating.sfgate.com 2017).

2.3 Functions and health benefits of vitamin B12

Vitamin B12, also functions as a methyl donor, to aid with energy metabolism, to support the
health of the nervous system and to help in production of red blood cells, white blood cells, DNA
and RNA (Esperanca 2011). Vitamin B12 allows body to make heme, a chemical component of
hemoglobin, functional red blood cells are made to transport oxygen in the blood. It promotes
your body's use of iron and activates enzymes that regulate the level of homocysteine that you
have in your blood (Esperanca 2011). High levels of the amino acid homocysteine may increase
your risk of heart disease (Healthyeating.sfgate.com 2017).

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 There are many health benefits of Vitamin B12. First of all, it helps to maintain energy
levels. People with vitamin B12 deficiency often feel fatigue easily is because lack of this
vitamin to enhance their metabolism rate. By converting carbohydrates into usable glucose,
vitamin B12 will indirectly provide energy for human body. Besides, vitamin B12 helps in
preventing memory loss and lower risks of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers
disease and dementia. Vitamin B12 also plays an important role in maintaining heart health as
lowering high homocysteine levels in the blood (Lonn 2008). Apart from that, vitamin B12 is
important for a healthy pregnancy. Interaction with folate in body might help to lower the risk of
birth defects like neural tube defects. Vitamin B12 also acts as a mood booster as it helps in
healthy regulation of the nervous system, reducing depression, stress, and brain shrinkage (Smith
2016). Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy skin, hair and nails due to its involvement in cell
reproduction. It reduces redness, dryness, inflammation and acne blemishes of skin. It can also
reduce hair breakage and help nails to become stronger.

2.4 Factors of Degradation

By comparison with other vitamin, vitamin B12 activity is loss slower when exposed to light,
oxygen, and acid or alkali environments. Vitamin B12 in aqueous solution is quite stable and
stored at room temperature. Yet, there are several factors can affect stability of vitamin B12 and
led to degradation. External factor include temperature, presence of oxygen, humidity, exposure
to light, and pH value influence stability of vitamin B12.
Firstly, vitamin B12 food sources undergo drastic heat treatment like sterilization can
results in higher loss. Studies show that boiling milk for two to five minutes can cause a 30
percent loss, evaporation about 50 percent, and sterilization can up to 87 percent (John 1999).
Besides, vitamin B12 can be destroyed by highly alkaline and highly acid conditions.
Vitamin B12 is sensitive to strong acid. The overall stability is greatest at pH 4-6 (Riaz et al.
2009). However, exposure to acid or alkali condition will cause degradation of vitamin B12. This
is because of hydrolysis of amides yielding biologically inactive carboxylic acid. Presence of
strong acid like ascorbic acid will accelerate the degradation of vitamin B12. (Fenneman 1996).
According to Komaromy-Hiller. G. et al., light exposure give a negligible degradation
effect on vitamin B12. Yet, storing vitamin B12 in a frozen and light protected specimens are
stable up to a week (Komaromy-Hiller 1997).

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 Other than that, cyanocobalamin will break down while interact with thiamin. This is due
to the formation of 4-methyl-5-( -hydroxyethyl) during thiamin cleavage (Ottaway 2012).

3.0 Conclusion
As a conclusion, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 are important vitamins that always get little
attention by most of the public. A true balanced diet should have adequate intake of every single
nutrients from the foods that nourished human body. Those foods naturally rich in bioavailable
vitamins and minerals are essential for good health and successful reproduction. However, the
stability of micronutrients and vitamins in fortified foods can be ensured if the food is packaged
and stored appropriately.

4.0 References
Carolyn, D., Johanna, D. and Elaine, B., 2014. Handbook of Nutrition and Food, 2nd ed. London,
New York: CRC Press, 198.

Clayton, P. T., 2006. B6-responsive disorders: A model of vitamin dependency. Journal of

Inherited Metabolic Disease, 29(2), 317-326.

Dr. Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM, 2015. Vitamin B-12 Benefits: 4 Types
and Their Health Benefits [Online], Available at:
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/four-types-vitamin-b12/ [Accessed 17
March 2017]

Eitenmiller, R., Ye, L. and Landen, W., 2008. Vitamin analysis for the health and food sciences,
2nd ed. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 507-514.

Esperanca, M., 2011. The Wonders of Vitamin B12: Keep Sane and Young, 1st ed. Xlibris
Corporation, 25.

Fenneman, O. R., 1996. Food Chemistry, 3rd ed. CRC Press.

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Gina, S., n.d.. The Vitamin B12 Issue - some of the myths exposed! [Online]. Vibrancyuk.com.
Available at: http://www.vibrancyuk.com/B12.html [Accessed 19 March 2017].

Healthyeating.sfgate.com., 2017. Does the Human Body Produce Vitamin B-12? [Online].
Available at: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/human-body-produce-vitamin-b12-8409.html
[Accessed 19 March 2017].

Jane, H., 2000. Vitamin B6. Linus Pauling Institute [Online]. Available at:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-B6#authors-reviewers [Accessed 14 March
2017].

Komaromy-Hille, G., Nuttall, K.L.,M.D., and Ashwood, E.R., M.D.,1997. Effect of Storage on
Serum Vitamin B12 and Folate Stability. Annals Of Clinical And Labotary Science ,Vol. 27,
No. 4, Institute for Clinical Science, Inc.

Lonn, E., 2008. Homocysteine-Lowering B Vitamin Therapy in Cardiovascular Prevention.

JAMA, 299(17), 2086.

National Research Council, 1978. Human Vitamin B6 Requirements: Proceedings of a Workshop:

Letterman Army Institute of Research, 1st ed. San Francisco, California: National Academies,
1-210.

Ottaway, P. B., 2012. The Technology of Vitamins in Food. Springer Science & Business Media,
101-102.

Riaz, M., Asif, M. and Ali, R., 2009. Stability of Vitamins during Extrusion. Critical Reviews in
Food Science and Nutrition, 49(4), 361-368.

Smith, A., 2016. Dietary Supplements, 1st ed. BookRix.

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Werner, G., Hans-Dieter, B. and Peter, S., 2009. Food Chemistry, 4th ed. Germany: Springer,
415-416.