Discover – B Vitamins

Folate

Folate (B9) And The MTHFR Gene

Folate (B9) is one of the eight essential B Vitamins your body needs for good health and is naturally found in some foods. Having sufficient folate intake is crucial for dancers as it also relates to physical performance and muscle strength. Dancers can benefit from Folate for energy production, control of oxidative stress, cellular repair and immune system support.

Eight essential B Vitamins work together to fight off germs and bugs to maintain good health and wellbeing. In particular, Folate (B9) and Vitamin B12 play a crucial role in the healthy balance of the immune system. Folate (B9) has many other important functions in the body, including ensuring the correct formation of your DNA and the optimal production of red blood cells. It also plays a crucial role in fetal development during pregnancy.

The levels of Folate (B9) in your body are influenced by your diet and to some extent by the MTHFR gene. To convert Folate (B9) into the active form your body can use, you need an active MTHFR enzyme. The correct functioning of the MTHFR enzyme ensures that an important biochemical process called methylation is carried out properly.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 And The FUT2 Gene

Vitamin B12 is one of the eight essential B Vitamins and can be found naturally and almost exclusively in animal-derived products. Some plant products contain Vitamin B12 but in an inactive form, which inhibits the absorption of active B12. Vitamin B12 is important for a dancer’s optimal muscle performance, as it’s needed to make red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, which provides the energy your body needs to work.  Vitamin B12 is also vital for the proper functioning of nerves and for bone health. When you have low levels of B12, you can  experience symptoms like fatigue and weakness.

The amount of Vitamin B12 that the body can use may be influenced by a gene called FUT2. Knowing your FUT2 gene variation can help you to understand your likely levels of Vitamin B12 and your body’s needs, as well as your secretor status and your predisposition to certain infections. The FUT2 gene produces a molecule that influences the adhesion of microorganisms to the gut. Because Vitamin B12 absorption is dependent on the adhesion of certain microorganisms to the gut, FUT2 influences Vitamin B12 absorption in the body.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 And The NBF3 Gene

Vitamin B6 is one of the eight essential B Vitamins and is found naturally, especially in protein-rich foods and many vegetables. The essential B Vitamins work together to maintain good health and wellbeing and fight off germs and bugs.

Adequate levels of Vitamin B6 are important for good health and energy levels necessary for sustaining dance performance. Vitamin B6 plays an important role in the metabolism of amino acids, which has consequences for multiple functions in the body, such as the production of another important B Vitamin called niacin (B2). It is also essential for the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which influences mood, sleep, appetite control and more.

The amount of Vitamin B6 that the body can use may be influenced by a gene called NBPF3. Knowing your NBPF3 gene variation can help you to understand your likely levels of Vitamin B6 and your body’s needs. The NBPF3 gene controls the enzyme responsible for breaking down Vitamin B6 in the body. In this way, NBPF3 influences how quickly Vitamin B6 is cleared from the body, which influences how much Vitamin B6 is available at any given time.