What is vitamin b12 good for?

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Vitamin B12

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Vitamin B12 is also know as cobalamin. It is an essential vitamin that your body demands through diet as it is not produce by the human body. It is mostly present in animal foods especially in meats but can also be added to other foods as a result of fortification. The people who are vegetarians can get this vitamin from the supplemental source. It plays its role in the health of nerve tissues, proper brain function and in the production of red blood cells. Its deficiency can result in pernicious anemia in which the red blood cell production is reduced. In this article, the discussion will be about the vitamin B12 role, sources, dosage and issues related to it.

Vitamin B12:

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin and can dissolve in water. That’s why carried through blood stream. Excess of this vitamin is excreted out through urine and in human body it can be stored up to four years.

Sources of vitamin B12:

Vitamin B12 usually doesn’t occur in plant foods but it is enriche in animal foods especially meat. The good sources of vitamin B12 may include:

  • Meat
  • Liver
  • Eggs
  • Dairy products
  • Sea foods such as tuna, clams, crabs, mussels and oysters etc.
  • Pork
  • Yeast products
  • The  is also synthesize by micro-organisms in ferment vegetable products.
  • Soya milk and breakfast cereals are also fortified with this vitamin.

Supplements:

The persons suffering from achlorhydria, pernicious anemia and intestinal disorders are unable to absorb the  from the food sources. They can get it by the intake of supplements. Can be available in the form of nasal sprays, oral supplements and injections when the deficiency is severe.

Benefits of vitamin B12:

The has to play many roles in the human body. These functions include:

  • The cobalamin is found to produce red blood cells in the human body. The deficiency delays the maturation of red blood cells and thus impairing their function. In case of vitamin B12 deficiency, the red blood cells become larger and oval as compared to healthy red blood cells that are usually small and round. Due to irregular shape and larger size, red blood cells are unable to move from bone marrow to blood stream that cause megaloblastic anemia characterized by fatigue and weakness.
  • Vitamin B12 is also important in pregnancy in preventing birth defects. The adequate levels of  are necessary form the healthy development of fetal brain and nervous system. Thedeficiency in pregnant ladies can also lead to premature birth and miscarriages.
  • Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause the demineralization of bones that why necessary for the bone health and preventing osteoporosis in which the risks for bone fracture have been increase due to the bone fragility.
  • Benefits of vitamin B12:

  • It can also prevent macular degeneration that is related to the age disorders of eye. In this way,  is also necessary for keeping your eyes healthy. B12 works against the macular degeneration by decreasing the elevated levels of homocystein in the blood that is related to macular degeneration.
  •  has also been found to be associate with the serotonin regulation that greatly influences your mood and in releasing depressions.  B12 thus improves the symptoms of the major depressive disorders.
  • Benefits of vitamin B12:

  • It can also prevent memory loss and dementia by preventing the loss of neurons or brain atrophy. For this purpose,  along with omega-3 fatty acid has been use as supplements.  deficiency can result in poor memory functioning. It can also enhance the brain cognitive functions.
  • It also protects the heart health by decreasing the levels of homocystein (an amino acid). deficiency can result in elevated homocystein blood levels.

Dosage:

The RDA (recommended daily allowance) dosage of  is:

  • For adults over the age of 14 years, the RDA amount is 2.4 mcg (micrograms)
  • For pregnant ladies, the RDA amount is 2.6 mcg
  • that lactating women, it is 2.8 mcg

Deficiency issues:

The deficiency of cobalamin cause pernicious anemia that is characterize by poor appetite, stunted growth in children, fatigue, loss of mental attention and concentration. Neurological complications usually occur from its deficiency due to progressive demyelination of nerve cells as the plays its role in the myelin sheath.

Conclusion:

So, in a nutshell  has many roles in our life but its main concern is the maturation of RBC’s. It should be consume in regulated amounts but preferably through food sources.

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