Did you know that vitamin B can lower your risk of insect bites?
Some people seem prone to being bitten by insects, particularly mosquitoes and when abroad.
Many dermatologists now recommend that the skin can be made much less attractive to biting insects by taking Vitamin B supplements whilst at risk. So, we recommend that Vitamin B complex, 2 tablets twice a day, or Vitamin B-1, 100 mg daily, is a good way of helping to reduce the risk of being bitten.
This advice is recommended in addition to taking usual precautions. We should all safeguard against being bitten particularly in countries where insects carry specific disease, such as malaria or the recently publicised Zika virus. Protect your skin with appropriate insect repellents and where necessary sleep inside an insect proof net. Insects tend to be most active at night, particularly in foreign countries.
Is vitamin B12 the same as B complex?
Hello Leslie, thank you for your question and sorry for the delayed response. B12 is one of 8 essential B-vitamins. B-complex generally contains all 8 which are B1 – thiamine, B2 – riboflavin, B3 – niacin, B5 – pantothenic acid, B6 – pyridoxin, B7 – biotin, B9 – folate, B12 – cobalamin. The most common deficiencies are with B1, B6 and B12. For people who have a wide and varied diet of foods it is not usually necessary to need to supplement all of the B-vitamins. Those who have limited diets like vegetarians and vegans may benefit from a B-complex vitamin.
I tried this when we went to Costa Rica. Myself and my kids took vit b for a month before hand. He got eaten alive and we barely got bitten.
Which B’s did you take?
How much vitamin b complex do you need to take a day for best results
B complex got different vitamins in one pill. B12 is just b12 vitamin. I take 2500mg b12
No, they are different chemicals.
Hello please advise if children can take these too?
I take thiamine 50mg four times a day
Would that help me not to get bite
Can children take B1 to prevent mosquito bites?
Vicki, thank you for your question. The answer to that is yes, vitamin B1 was suggested by one of the previous dermatologists as being helpful to prevent insect bites, the dose of vitamin B1 would depend on the age of the child and would be between 25–100 mg daily. Is normally bought as Thiamine. Generally very safe but should check with patient’s own doctor if child taking any regular medication.
Your question said prevent. Vit B1 only helps and mosquitos are ruthless. Other precautions should be taken.
I read that B12 attracted mosquitoes which is why you should not drink beer.
Where can I buy the Vitamin B complex or vitamin B-1i live in Dublin Ireland and I’m going away in a few weeks and I am always getting ate alive by mosquitoes
Hi Valerie,
Most good pharmacists will carry a range of Supplements.
But if you’re going in to the City centre then Health Matters in Grafton St., has an excellent range and very knowledgeable staff.
Blanchardstown shopping centre has McCabes Pharmacy and the Health Store opposite.
I took B1 and B12 a few weeks before my India trip and a garlic supplement. The mossies gave me a wide berth and I didn’t receive a single bite. My hiking companion was bitten non stop.
A little bottle of essential oil of Citronella (or Lavender) was a godsend. A few drops, neat, into the palm of your hand, rub palms together and just sweep your hands over head, face, neck and clothes.
Good luck and safe travels.
Just came back from a group holiday in Egypt, and some people were bitten, and some weren’t. Further conversation revealed that those of us taking B complex vitamins were either not bitten, or only mildly bitten. Also, none of my bites itched. We did all use Mozzie spray, but the B complex addition seemed to be the most effective.
If I’m taking vitamin b 200mg why am I still getting eating alive? I can’t stand it! Year after year just a few minutes outside taking my dogs out.
Are you taking B1? Thiamine? Because that is the important one that helps with Mosquito repellent
Mosquitos are wicked and multi precautions are advised.
I have been bitten severely abroad by mossies once in Thailand my hand and arm swelled massively I had to have injections to stop swelling another time in West Africa my bites on lower legs & feet got infected through itching I had huge holes looked like bullet holes I was also delirious, sickness diarrhea fever required medical help all because I didn’t take vitb for 6 weeks before trip and during it does work for me I take 2 100mg per day 6 was before travel and during
Which B’s? Trying to determine if b1 is enough
Hi Gail, which B vitamins do you take? Thanks!
How long have you been taking it? I started 3 months ago and so far I haven’t had the several bites that I usually get and I’ve been outdoors more.
They’re also attracted to people who eat bananas.
Try lightly spraying yourself with peppermint essential oil, or dab on. They don’t like peppermint or lavender.
I used to be bitten a lot and the bites would react really badly. A few years ago I discovered I had a vitamin B12 deficiency. Following my B12 injections, one of the side effects is that I now don’t react at all to the bites. It may be a coincidence but I don’t think it can be anything other than a positive effect of the B12 injections.
Thank you so much for this advice for the B12. I get bug bites even with bug repellent on. Knats fly right into my face so I wear a mask outside along with bug pants from Bug Baffler. They work great. But I got a bug bite on my hip today. It is horrible. I will try this tomorrow. Thanks so much‼️
Does this work the same day you take the Vitamin B or do you have to take it in advance?
Hi… I have found that it takes four or five days to become effective.
Does B complex detour ticks? I’ve heard ticks don’t like the odor that your skin gives off by taking it
For some reason I have attracted bugs everywhere I go in people’s homes what can I do to stop them from biting me or even stopping from coming around me could anyone help me with this about to go crazy
I have been getting B12 injections for years and it hasn’t been a deterrent at all to my severe reaction to mosquito bites. I hope B1 will work. It’s the only thing I haven’t tried.
I have been taking a vit b complex and niacin for approx 3 weeks. I normally get badly bitten and when bitten, come up in large itchy bumps. Since taking vit b I have not come up in itchy lumps. Does this mean I was deficient in these vitamins?
B 1 is know as the bug vitamin must take 500 mg a day for a month for full protection than continue every day until winter than start again before spring to be ready for first camping trip thing will buzz around u but will not land on you many outdoor people I know say they would get eaten alive before they learn this my self if a mostoe is in 100 miles it will find me once I stopped counting at 100 bites but not any more but must take as stated or doesn’t work reason s they smell something they don’t like but people can’t smell it
Why do you recommend 4 B Complex a day which contains 100 mg of Thiamin?
B Complex has 100mg of Thiamin, so if I take 2 twice daily as you recommend I would be consuming 400mg a day. You claim only 100mg Thiamin is necessary. Please clarify.
Vitamin B1 definitely works! There is so much controversy regarding this, and apparently little empirical evidence to suggest it is true. I did a lot of research before a trip to the Amazon, and found it about 50/50 as to opinions. I decided to give it a go. It was suggested a minimum of 1000mg a day. I took 250mg at breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime. We were on a riverboat and had individual beds. I also slept with an individual mosquito net. And everyone on the boat used Deet repellent. End result? I had not a single bite, even tho they usually eat me alive! Everyone else on the boat was covered in bites. The beasts would wait outside the cabin doors and race in as we opened the door, hoping to feast on the inhabitants all night!
For jungle walks I also covered legs and arms. My husband wore shorts, offering his tasty legs to the bugs. He used bug repellant but scoffed at the idea of B1. He ended up with bites on his bites, every kind of ugly reaction, and some so severe he needed a doctor at the hotel when we returned to Cuzco.
I highly recommend the B1 no matter what else you read. I use it now in any hiking situation where there may be mosquitoes. You can smell it on your skin when taking it and I think that may be the reason bugs don’t like it. I see no value in taking it in advance. It works quickly after you take it . For children, ask their doctor.
Eu tomo b1 há anos para evitar picada de pernilongos. A região onde eu moro tem muito. Funciona muito bem. Tomo 150 mg por dia.
There is not controlled or evidence-based science to support this. Please read this scientific paper https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35199632/
A veterinarian recommended taking vitamin B complex while I was stationed at Ft. Bragg in NC to prevent ticks. Used it and was happy to say it worked. In my entire time at Ft. Bragg I only had one tick attach itself to me. In a most undesirable location.
If you get the mossie bite’s and they start to itch don’t scratch the itch with your finger nails get a lemon or lime cut it and keep rubbing it on the bite and the itching stop’s and they don’t get infected I’ve tried it and it works
Good tip! Thxs I’ll add it to my arsenal!
The product “AFTER BITE” also works wonderfully!
Good tip! Thxs, I’ll add it to my arsenal!
Years ago as a tree planter I was plagued with mosquitoes and black flies. One of our crew was hospitalized. I noticed one couple that didn’t seem to be bothered by mosquitoes at all, and even though we were covered with deet, these people seemed impervious to the bugs. When I asked them what they were using for mosquito repellent, they said nothing. I asked him what are you doing then? they said well we take vitamin B, I think it was B1 and B12. They explained that if you start taking it about 2 to 3 months before treeplanting season and you stay away from Berries and bananas that the mosquitoes will not bother you but if you just start taking it now and expected to work it’s not going to. The following year I started two months prior to the season, and I can say that I was not bothered at all by any mosquitoes. I took a B 100 supplement which seem to work pretty well and covered everything that I might’ve been lacking. Where is the previous season? I had to apply deet (Muskol) every hour. The reason, for the frequency of the application was due to the extreme nature of the work we were perspiring profusely, and the deed would be gone from our skin within an hour. It was almost like being in a shower.
Many years ago I had occasion to begin taking a vitamin B Complex. Since then I have NEVER ever had a Mosquito
bite. This was in Denver. My experience is not unique: See Ricks story here:
https://independentdoctor.co.uk/news/vitamin-b-helps-prevent-insect-bites/
Perhaps Rick and I are both freaks of nature: My health history definitely supports that hypothesis, at least for me. How many people do you know who completed a complete coures of cancer chemotherapy with a total of 3 days of mild side effects??
Anecdotal reports are very compelling, but so is more science-based reporting. Here is some additional information with a simple Google search:
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=AB5stBivLSGZfDKdzRzy3r8fH15ssGy2IA:1689091884056&q=B+vitamin+as+an+insect+repellent&spell=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvz_fNhYeAAxVVKn0KHS5CCxAQBSgAegQICRAB&biw=1347&bih=677&dpr=3
Yrs. ago, I saw an add in a fishing magazine for pills that would stop mosquitoes biting and ordered them and they worked just don’t drink beer while outside I could Smell the B1 in my hands it was so strong I don’t remember the dosages but it worked great.
I have always taken B1 before holidays and it works a treat but I know it changes your smell/pee etc! This year I am breast feeding.. anyone know if it will change the taste???
For many years took B1 when travelling and the bites were manageable. We’ve just got back from Bali. Didn’t take it there. Pre Vi B1 we always got bitten in Bali so this was a mistake. Got done by bedbugs, fire ants and Tomcat.
Hi, Im going to Vietnam and have just bought vitamin B1, is it best to take them a few weeks before going or at the start of holiday
Thank you in advance
When ever I go abroad I always get bitten by the mosquitoes I took my wife to the Dominican Republic for her birthday and I was bitten by mosquitoes and sand flies in 29 places it caused cellulitis in both of my legs I had to have iv antibiotics and syringes full of antibiotics cream on my legs and dressings and bandaged I was in over night I was told about the vitamin B complex will help I’m sick and tired of being bitten
Total nonsense. Studies have proved no material impact. Don’t be conned !
Well done Jon, you keep being bitten, while the rest of us take B and are ok. We don’t want the mossies to become immune to it!!
Where can I buy these vitamins B complex tablets or the B-1 I live in Dublin Ireland and every time I go away I get ate alive by mosquitoes
There are studies that vitamin b or thiamine DOES not help you with mosquito bites, everybody is different.
Does this work for bed bug bites!!