{"id":10431,"date":"2025-11-05T18:14:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T18:14:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.truthforhealth.org\/?p=10431"},"modified":"2025-11-05T18:14:14","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T18:14:14","slug":"dr-vliets-health-tip-rattlesnake-raid-the-day-my-b-vitamins-source-died","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.truthforhealth.org\/es\/2025\/11\/dr-vliets-health-tip-rattlesnake-raid-the-day-my-b-vitamins-source-died\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Vliet\u2019s Health Tip: Rattlesnake Raid: The Day My B Vitamins Source Died!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a9 by Elizabeth Lee Vliet MD and Kathy Kresnik<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Who would have thought a rattlesnake killing three of my egg-laying chickens <\/em>would have adversely affected MY health so much???!!<\/strong>
\nThis past summer, I was shocked to find my three remaining egg-laying chickens dead in the larger fenced yard out back.\u00a0 They were fine two hours earlier when I let them out to roam, and I came back to put them back in their coop for the night and all three were lying on the ground dead!<\/em>\u00a0 No signs of injury, and they had plenty of water, food and shade. The only <\/em>clues we had as to what happened was the rapid death of all three, markedly abnormal dark purplish skin discoloration (a sign of snake venom poisoning), and the dead chickens were lying close to my firewood pile (a shade haven for rattlesnakes in the very hot Arizona sun), and we knew rattlesnakes eat chicken eggs and go after chickens as prey.<\/p>\n

When I began raising chickens in 2022, I had so many fresh eggs I would normally eat 4 or even 5 fresh eggs a day over my three meals, since eggs are one of the healthiest and nutrition dense foods available \u2013 and a rich source of quality protein, healthy fat, choline, omega-3 fatty acids, lutein and B vitamins<\/em>\u2014all major supporters of energy and brain health. The B vitamins are also essential support for energy metabolism, nerve health and red blood cell formation.<\/p>\n

Just to be clear.\u00a0 Even eating all those eggs every day, my cholesterol never went up, I have a very healthy lipid profile (cholesterol 140-150) taking no medication except my thyroid and estradiol (which naturally lowers total cholesterol, lowers LDL and increases <\/em>HDL). The \u201cnarrative\u201d that \u201ceggs increase cholesterol\u201d and we shouldn\u2019t eat them was a lie that actually damaged our health by urging people to avoid such a healthy food source of critical nutrients. It also happened to serve the Pharma profit agenda of pushing people to take statins to lower cholesterol.<\/p>\n

When my egg-laying chickens were killed, I simply did without eating eggs every day. I loved the taste of the fresh eggs from my chickens, and didn\u2019t like the taste of store-bought eggs. My own chickens didn\u2019t have any antibiotics or growth hormones, and I fed my chickens with organic feed, dried mealworms, vegetables, organic greens, watermelon and berries.\u00a0 I also didn\u2019t feel like eating much meat in the extremely hot summer months, which is another good source of all the B vitamins.<\/p>\n

Gradually over the summer and early fall, I began feeling more tired, not as \u201csharp\u201d in focus, and felt like my mojo was dragging, and I had more nerve tingling in my hands.\u00a0 I just thought it was the extreme and prolonged heat wave we had in southern AZ this past summer.\u00a0 Although I was still taking our Multivitamin with B vitamins and iron, I didn\u2019t really think about the major loss of choline, omega-3 fatty acids, lutein and all the B vitamins because I no longer had my eggs every day, or much meat either.<\/p>\n

About six weeks ago, I had an Aha! Moment. I realized I may need to add a B COMPLEX supplement since I wasn\u2019t eating as many eggs.\u00a0 I started taking our TruB Full Spectrum, Complete Methylated B Complex <\/strong><\/a>in addition to the basic B complex found in my multivitamin.\u00a0 After about two weeks, I was surprised to see that I could really tell a difference in how I felt. I wasn\u2019t as \u201cdraggy\u201d tired, back closer to my usual energy, and had more \u201cget up and go\u201d ( I call it \u201cmojo\u201d).\u00a0 I felt my mental acuity was sharper, back to normal in focus and concentration.\u00a0 I have to admit I was surprised to find that the simple addition of the Methylated B Complex made such a difference so quickly when I thought I had a pretty healthy regimen already \u2013 minus my daily intake of my great healthy chicken eggs that obviously had been more of a loss than I realized.<\/p>\n

I routinely check B vitamins levels on my patients, as indicated, and have generally recommended a B complex, usually as part of a quality multivitamin every day. I also often prescribe a single B vitamin addition (B12, B1, etc.) if a patient has the MTHFR mutation or a specific deficiency.\u00a0 I have noticed since COVID and the COVID shots rolled out, I am seeing more vitamin deficiencies in my patients that I think are related to the inflammatory GI tract damage from the spike protein and lipid nanoparticle coatings on the mRNA vaccines. As a result, my thoughts and approaches on vitamin supplementation have been evolving and I am recommending additional supplements. I always try out any new product before I recommend it to my patients or put it in my charitable foundation\u2019s store. As I was digging into the best B Complex supplements to recommend out of thousands of products out there, I found the methylated B Complex, TruB\u2122 Full Spectrum<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>that I added to our store this fall. With my own experience and what I am seeing in my patients who have added a premium B complex, I am confident that most people will benefit from a full spectrum methylated B complex over basic B complex supplements and supplementation of single B vitamins in isolation. In this health tip I explain the benefits to help you decide if adding our Methylated TruB\u2122 Full Spectrum<\/strong><\/a> might be right for you too.<\/p>\n

The 8 Essential B Vitamins<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine):<\/strong>\u00a0helps convert carbohydrates into energy; supports nerve, muscle, and heart function. Signs of deficiency include fatigue, weakness, nerve tingling, nervous system disturbances, and cardiovascular issues. Good sources of thiamine include eggs, whole grains, pork, legumes, nuts, seeds, fortified breads.<\/p>\n

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin):\u00a0<\/strong>aids energy metabolism and red blood cell production; helps maintain healthy eyes and skin. Signs of deficiency include cracks at mouth corners, sore throat, mouth sores, skin cracks, inflammation.\u00a0 Good food sources include eggs, milk, yogurt, almonds, mushrooms, leafy greens, and liver (beef, bison, venison, lamb especially).<\/p>\n

Vitamin B3 (Niacin, nicotinic acid or nicotinamide):\u00a0<\/strong>supports digestive system, skin, nerves, and is involved in energy transfer reactions. Signs of deficiency include skin rashes\/dermatitis (inflamed, scaly skin), diarrhea, neurological symptoms (nerve tingling and paresthesia, memory loss\/cognitive decline and even dementia, diminished mental acuity and focus), and digestive issues.\u00a0 Good sources include poultry, fish (tuna, salmon), peanuts, mushrooms, brown rice, whole grains.<\/p>\n

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid):\u00a0<\/strong>essential for synthesizing coenzyme A for energy metabolism; supports hormone and cholesterol production. Signs of deficiency include fatigue, irritability and neurological symptoms such as nerve tingling, diminished memory and focus.\u00a0 Good sources of pantothenic acid include chicken, beef, potatoes, oats, whole grains, yogurt, avocados.<\/p>\n

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine):\u00a0<\/strong>involved in amino acid metabolism, red blood cell formation, and neurotransmitter synthesis. Signs of deficiency include depression, confusion, anemia, nervous system symptoms (loss of mental acuity, diminished memory, nerve tingling), skin rashes. Good sources of pyridoxine include chickpeas, fish, bananas, potatoes, poultry, and fortified cereals.<\/p>\n

Vitamin B7 (Biotin):\u00a0<\/strong>supports metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, important for hair, skin, and nail health. Signs of deficiency include hair thinning, brittle nails, skin rashes, and rarely neurological symptoms.\u00a0 Good sources include eggs, nuts, seeds, salmon, sweet potatoes, and spinach.<\/p>\n

Vitamin B9 (Folate<\/strong>\/folic acid)<\/strong>: needed for DNA synthesis and red blood cell formation, critical during pregnancy for fetal development. Deficiency can cause sore tongue, fatigue, and mouth ulcers, macrocytic anemia and neural tube defects in pregnancy. Good sources of folate include leafy greens (spinach, kale), citrus fruits, asparagus, beans, lentils, and fortified cereals.<\/p>\n

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin):\u00a0<\/strong>helps form red blood cells, maintains nerve cells, and aids in DNA synthesis. Signs of deficiency include macrocytic anemia, nerve numbness, weakness, memory loss, neurological issues, and fatigue. Meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, fortified cereals, and nutritional yeast (for vegans) are good sources of cobalamin.<\/p>\n

For most people a balanced, methylated full spectrum B Complex is the best overall supplement.\u00a0 Taking a single B vitamin is not the best course of action for most people. I find taking a B-complex supplement is generally more beneficial than taking isolated B vitamins because the eight B vitamins work synergistically in the body. Taking B vitamins together as a B complex optimizes interconnected pathways and avoids imbalances that can occur by improper dosing of isolated B vitamins that depend on others for full activity.<\/p>\n

For certain patients with MTHFR mutations, or a specific deficiency, taking a single vitamin B supplementation may be needed after a careful medical evaluation.\u00a0 Examples include:<\/p>\n