Vitamin B12 Benefits, Foods Rich in Vitamin B12, Supplementation

  • All B vitamins are water-soluble. They help to convert carbohydrates, fats, and protein into energy, or glucose.
  • B vitamins are necessary for keeping the liver, skin, hair, and eyes healthy. They also play a role in the nervous system, and they are needed for good brain function.
  • The B vitamins are sometimes called anti-stress vitamins, because they boost the body’s immune system in times of stress.

Apart from D3, one another important vitamin that we need to focus on is B12 (Cobalamin). We find most of the people either deficient or not having optimum levels of B12. B12 levels can be determined from blood sample test.

Vitamin B-12 is needed for :

  • Nerve tissue health
  • Brain function
  • Production of red blood cells
  • Regulating DNA

Deficiency symptoms:

  • Nervous system and brain damage
  • Depression, confusion, memory problems, and fatigue
  • Constipation, loss of appetite, and weight loss
  • Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet
  • Anemia
  • In infants : growth problems, irritation, loss of appetite, loss of reflexes

Foods rich in B12:

Vitamin B-12 can be found naturally in animal products. It does not typically occur in plant foods.

  • Poultry/chicken
  • Lamb/mutton
  • Fish, especially haddock and tuna
  • Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
  • Whole Eggs (Yolk has B12)

Supplementation

People who do not eat meat, such as vegans, can obtain vitamin B-12 in supplement form. Methyl-cobalamin (Methyl group + B12) is the most active form of B12 and is be better absorbed and retained in our tissues than the synthetic cyanocobalamin. While buying supplements look out for Methyl-cobalamin B12.

Some researches suggest that B12 supplementation works in below cases

  • Vitamin B12 deficiency
  • High levels of homocysteine in the blood
  • An eye disease that leads to vision loss in older adults (age-related macular degeneration or AMD)
  • Nerve pain and Neuropathy
  • Cataracts
  • Memory and thinking skills
  • Strokes

References:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219822#deficiency-symptoms

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-b12-benefits#section1

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-926/vitamin-b12

~Praveen Jada

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