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Q. I was hiking high in the Canadian Rockies and the black flies were voracious. I didn't have insect repellent with me because mosquitoes, fleas and other critters never bite me. I think that's because I take B-complex and garlic, among other supplements, and they don't like that.
Increasingly vexed by the black flies, I finally appropriated a B-complex 100 mg tablet I had with me. I smushed it up with some creek water, and then rubbed the bright yellow liquid all over myself. END OF PROBLEM! I admit, though, that I did look a bit jaundiced. What do you think about the efficacy of B-complex or other supplements in repelling bugs?
A. We love your story, but we’ve never heard of anyone else using vitamin B pills topically. With no studies, we wouldn’t dare venture a guess about effectiveness.
There was some preliminary research on thiamine, a B vitamin, taken orally to repel mosquitoes. Since it was conducted many decades ago, however, it would not meet today’s scientific standards and newer research has not confirmed the benefit. Nevertheless, some readers swear that this nutrient keeps mosquitoes from biting them.
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