Most Food Research products contain what is called Vitamin B-4, Adenine. Adenine is considered by some health care professionals to be essential for heart health.
Published scientific evidence looks to support this (e.g. Yu F, et al. Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Supplementation to Alleviate Heart Failure: A Mitochondrial Dysfunction Perspective. Nutrients. 2025 May 29;17(11):1855; Tannus C, et al. Nicotinamide Riboside Supplementation Restores Myocardial Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Levels, Improves Survival, and Promotes Protective Environment Post Myocardial Infarction. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2024 Dec;38(6):1385-1396; Leu JG, et al. The Cell Protective Effect of Adenine on Hypoxia–Reoxygenation Injury through PPAR Delta Activation. Life 2021, 11(12), 1408).
Over the years, adenine has been referred to as vitamin B-4, though it is not officially considered to be an “essential” nutrient.
Additionally, it is known that adenine has a central role in cellular respiration. It is part of adenosine triphosphate which provides the energy that drives and supports most activities in living cells, such as protein synthesis, chemical synthesis, muscle contraction, and nerve impulse propagation. In respiration it also participates as part of the cofactors nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, flavin adenine dinucleotide, and Coenzyme A (Amjad J, et al. Role of NAD+ in regulating cellular and metabolic signaling pathways. Mol Metab. 2021 Feb 17;49: 101195).
Do Food Research Supplements Contain Adenine?
Some have wondered if Food Research supplements contain adenine. The fact is that pretty much all of them do!
Two ingredients that are in many Food Research supplements are Saccharomyces cerevisiae and organic brown rice, both of which contain adenine.
Published research clearly supports this view. Let’s look at Saccharomyces cerevisiae:
Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The adenine content of individual yeast extract powders was examined in relation to the cell mass (dry cell weight, DCW) achieved in culture media formulated with these powders. A general increase in DCW was observed with increasing adenine concentration in the yeast extract. … A minimum requirement for cell growth is at least as low as 12.5 mg of adenine/g of cells. (VanDousin W, et al. Adenine quantitation in yeast extracts and fermentation media and its relationship to protein expression and cell growth in adenine auxotrophs of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biotechnol Prog. 1997 Jan-Feb;13(1):1-7)
Here is some of why Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains adenine:
Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker’s or brewer’s yeast) contains adenine for the same fundamental reason every living cell does: adenine is a core building block of many essential molecules. Here’s how it functions in yeast:
So Saccharomyces cerevisiae doesn’t contain adenine for any special “yeast-only” reason—it’s a universal requirement of cellular life, critical for genetic information, energy transfer, and metabolic regulation.
It should be added that Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a higher concentration of adenine than wheat germ or organic brown rice.
At Doctors’ Research we wondered how much adenine would be in 521 mg of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is the minimum amount contained in Food Research’s B Stress Complex.
There isn’t a single fixed number, because the adenine content varies. But we can make a reasonable ball-park estimate from typical yeast composition.
Published analyses of dried baker’s yeast report roughly:
Let’s take a midrange total nucleic acid content ≈ 7 % of dry mass.
For 521 mg dry weight:
In RNA (adenine, cytosine, guanine, uracil) → ~25 % adenine by base count.
In DNA (adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine) → ~25 % adenine.
So adenine bases ≈ 0.25 × 36 mg ≈ 9 mg (as the free base equivalent).
Yeast also contains ATP, NAD⁺, FAD, etc., but those pools are small compared with the bulk RNA. That might add perhaps another milligram or two of adenine equivalents.
Estimated range
≈ 8–12 mg of adenine (as free base) in 521 mg dried yeast
—roughly 1.5–2 % of the dry weight.
This is only a biochemical back-of-the-envelope figure.
Different growth phases, extraction methods, or definitions (free vs. bound adenine) can shift the result, but it gives you the right order of magnitude.
So, that is what we came up with independently.
Since the Saccharomyces cerevisiae in B Stress Complex comes from the Grow Company, we asked it for an ingredient by ingredient analysis. For all of the amounts claimed on the label, Grow estimated that there would be between 4.6 to 15.4 mg of adenine per capsule in B Stress Complex (Tical A. Adenine. Calculation Report, September 25, 2025).
However, since Food Research actually puts 10% more Grow nutrients than the B Stress Complex label states (for purposes of supporting the “Best Buy” date), then the range actually would appear to be 5.1 to 16.9 mg per capsule.
So, yes, the fact is that B Stress Complex , as well as many other Food Research supplements, contain a substantial amount of adenine, also sometimes called vitamin B-4.
Do not let anyone try to convince you otherwise.
Some of these studies (or citations) may not conform to peer review standards, therefore, the results are not conclusive. Professionals can, and often do, come to different conclusions when reviewing scientific data. None of these statements have been reviewed by the FDA. All products distributed by Doctors’ Research, Inc. are nutritional and are not intended for the treatment or prevention of any medical conditions.
B Stress Complex™ naturally contains carbohydrates, lipids, proteins (including all ten essential amino acids), and superoxide dismutase as found in specially grown, enzymatically processed Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and organic brown rice.
Unlike many so-called “natural” formulas, B Stress Complex™ formula contains no synthetic USP nutrients or isolated mineral salts, but only contains foods, food complexes, and food concentrates.
Unlike other so-called “whole food” formulas, Vitamin B-6, B-12 & Folate™does not contain USP folic acid as that form is not what is found in natural foods. Vitamins B6, B12, and B9 support healthy blood. B12 is essential for myelin synthesis and central nervous system function.
Unlike most so-called “natural” supplements, Vitamin B-6, B-12 & Folate™ does not contain any folic acid, which is a sythetic from of vitamin B-9 and is dangerous (for more details, please check out the article on Folic Acid Dangers)
References
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[4] Ensminger AH, Ensminger ME, Konlade JE, Robson JRK. Food & Nutrition Encyclopedia, 2nd ed. CRC Press, New York, 1993
[5] Shils ME, et al. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 10th ed. Lipponcott Williams & Wilkins, Balt., 2006
[6] Mervyn L. The B Vitamins. Thorsons, Wellingborough (UK), 1981
[7] Vitamin-Mineral Manufacturing Guide Nutrient Empowerment, volume 1. Nutrition Resource, Lakeport (CA), 1986
[8] Glauser TA, Morita DA. Encephalopathic epilepsy after infancy. In Pediatric Epilepsy, 2nd ed. Demos, New York, 2001:201-218
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[10] Shils ME, Olson JA, Shike M. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 8th ed. Lea & Febiger, Phil., 1994
[11] Ishida A, Kanefusa H, Fujita H, Toraya T. Microbiological activities in nucleotide loop-modified analogues of vitamin B12. Arch Microbiol 1994;161(4):293-299
[12] Tandler B, Krhenbul S, Brass EP. Unusual mitochondria in the hepatocytes of rats treated with a vitamin B12 analogue. Anat Rec 1994;231(1):1-6
[13] Moracova M, et al. Biological properties of vitamin B12. Nutr Res Rev. 2025 Jun;38(1):338-370
[14] Mather Y, Hazra AB. Methylations in vitamin B12 biosynthesis and catalysis. Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2022 Dec:77:102490
[15] Verhoef P. Homocysteine metabolism and risk of myocardial infarction: Relation with vitamin B6, B12, and Folate. Am J Epidemiol 1996;143(9):845-859
[16] Brattstrom L. Vitamins as homocysteine-lowering agents: A mini review. Presentation at The Experimental Biology 1995 AIN Colloquium, April 13, 1995, Atlanta Georgia
[17] Lucock M. Is folic acid the ultimate functional food component for disease prevention? BMJ, 2004;328:211-214
[18] Menezo Y. Folic Acid, Folinic Acid, 5 Methyl TetraHydroFolate Supplementation for Mutations That Affect Epigenesis through the Folate and One-Carbon Cycles. Biomolecules. 2022 Jan 24;12(2):197
[19] Macrae R, Robson RK, Sadler MJ. Encyclopedia of Food Science and Nutrition. Academic Press, NY, 1993
[20] Thiel R. Folic Acid is Hazardous to Your Health. What About Food Folate? The Original Internist, 17(2) June 2010, 88-90; Thiel R. Is Folic Acid is Hazardous to Your Health? What About Food Folate? Monitor of Naturopathy, Spring 2025
[21] Gonzalez-Gross M, Marcos A, Pietrzik K. Nutrition and cognitive impairment in the elderly. Br J Nutr 2001;86:313-321
[22] Brown S, et al. High serum homocysteine appear to be a risk factor. Family Practice News May 1, 1995:25
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[24] Romandini P, Bonotto C, Bertoloni G, Beltramini M, Salvato B. Superoxide dismutase, catalase and cell dimorphism in Candida albicans cells exposed to methanol and different temperature. Comp Biochem Physiol Pharm Toxicol Endocrinol,1994;108(1):53-57 [25] Thompson FE, et al. Sources of fiber and fat in the diets of U.S. women ages 19 to 50: implications for nutritional education and policy. Am J Pub Health 1992, 82(5):695-702
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All products distributed by Doctors’ Research, Inc. are nutritional and are not intended for the treatment or prevention of any medical conditions.
Food Research products are distributed exclusively
in the USA by Doctors’ Research, Inc.
Folic acid gets a lot of press coverage. Few reports have mentioned that folic acid is unnatural, folic acid is synthetic, and that the body cannot properly convert much folic acid into a usable folate form.
Although many people take isolated nutrients as antioxidant supplements, they may not be getting the benefits they hope for. While isolated nutrients have powerful antioxidant abilities in vitro, they rarely have significant antioxidant benefits in vivo.
Vitamin-Mineral™ (90 Tablets) is a 100% vegetarian FOOD supplement that is the best multi-vitamin, multi-mineral product available anywhere. Unlike some other claimed “ WHOLE FOOD” multi-formulas, it does not contain ANY isolate USP nutrients. 270 Tablets – $89.98
B Stress Complex™ (90 Capsules) is a 100% vegetarian FOOD supplement that is intended to supply 100% FOOD B vitamins. Unlike certain so called “whole food” B vitamin sources, it does not contain isolated USP niacinamide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, or any isolated “nutrients”.
Gluco-Sugar-Balance™ (90 Capsules) is a 100% vegetarian FOOD supplement intended to help support a healthy balance of glucose in the body. It contains minerals, such as Chromium GTF and vanadium, as well as herbs to nutritionally support the body’s blood sugar systems.
Metabolic Thyro™ (90 Tablets) is a 100% FOOD supplement that is intended to supply nutrients, glandulars, and herbs needed to maintain and support optimal thyroid health. It is made up of naturally-iodine containing kelp, plant source l-tyrosine, and bovine glandulars.
