Supports Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails
The main sources of vitamin B-12 in non-dairy products are plant foods such as:
- milk,
- yogurt,
- cheese,
- soy milk,
- beans,
- fortified rice milk, and
- tofu.
Helps Maintain Energy Levels
Vitamin B12 Dosage Recommendations
- Infants, Children and Teens. Vitamin B12 is essential for many body functions in babies, children and teens, including proper growth and brain function.
- Adults Ages 18–50. The recommended daily dosage for adults over 18 years old is 2.4 micrograms. ...
- Adults Over 50 Years Old. ...
- Pregnant Women. ...
- Breastfeeding Women. ...
- Vegans and Vegetarians. ...
Plays a Role in Maintaining Heart Health
Side effects of vitamin B12 can also include symptoms similar to those of a cold, such as coughing, low energy, wheezing, and breathing difficulties after minor physical exertion or after lying down. Other rare reactions involve the muscles, including muscular cramps, muscle weakness, muscle soreness, and tingling.
Aids in Digestion
The Top 20 Foods High In Vitamin B12
- Liver
- Beef (Ribeye Steak)
- Mackerel (Atlantic)
- Clams
- King Crab
- Milk
- Lamb
- Tuna (Bluefin)
- Oysters
- Octopus
Needed for a Healthy Pregnancy
What foods have high B12?
What B12 should you take?
What are the side effects of B12?
What food is high in B12?
What is the B12 nutrient?
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that helps the body create DNA, nourishes the brain and nervous system, and assists with the formation of healthy red blood cells. The nutrient occurs naturally in meat, fish, and dairy products, and can be created in a laboratory.
What does lack of B12 do to your body?
A lack of B12 can put you at higher risk for a specific type of anemia that makes you feel weak and tired.
What happens if you don't take B12 during pregnancy?
Pregnancy Health. If a woman has a vitamin B12 deficiency in the early stages of pregnancy, her child is at an increased risk of neural tube birth defects and low birthweight. Mothers with low B12 levels are also more likely to miscarry or give birth prematurely. Women with low levels of vitamin B12 are three times more likely to have a child ...
Does vitamin B12 help with macular degeneration?
Supplementing with vitamin B12 is believed to lower homocysteine in the bloodstream, which may help prevent age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease that can cause blindness in older adults. In one study of 5,000 women age 40 and up, those who took supplements of vitamins B12, B6, and folic acid had 34% fewer cases of macular degeneration after seven years than a placebo group. Their risk of severe degeneration was 41% lower.
Does vitamin B12 cause depression?
Vitamin B12 plays a role in serotonin production, so a deficien cy may be connected with clinical depression. In one study, disabled older women with a B12 deficiency were found to have double the risk of severe depression as those without a deficiency.
Is B12 good for vegetarians?
Vitamin B12 is also found in animal products, such as eggs, meat, fish, poultry, milk, and some nutritional yeast products. Vitamin B12 does not naturally occur in most plant foods, so fortified breakfast cereals are recommended for vegetarians. Pagination. 1. 2.
Does B12 affect memory?
Another study found that low B12 levels, even within the normal range, contribute to poor memory performance. More studies are needed before researchers can be certain of the impact of B12 supplementation on memory loss and dementia. There is no known risk of harm associated with vitamin B12.
What is the role of vitamin B12 in the body?
Helps Metabolize Proteins- One of the main features of vitamin B12 is that it plays an active role in protein metabolism, which trickles over into several areas of the body.
Why is B12 in energy drinks?
Along with the other B vitamins, B12 is known for it’s ability to keep you alert and feeling energized. That’s why some energy drinks include this in their ingredients.
Why do we need to eat fiber?
That’s why you’ll want to eat foods that are both high in fiber and that also contain the right mix of vitamins. Promotes Healthy Skin- Vitamin B12 provides great benefit to the skin, helping to soothe skin conditions and keep your skin looking its best. Getting the right mix of B vitamins can help conditions ranging from dryness ...
Why is vitamin B12 added to hair products?
Makes Hair Healthier- Vitamin B12 is often added to hair products because of its ability to add shine and a healthy look. But what’s even better is to start meeting your needs through the foods you eat. That way your hair will naturally grow out as if you had used a topical treatment containing vitamin B12.
Is B12 good for the brain?
Good for Brain Health- In addition to helping stave off and treat Alzheimer’s, vitamin B12 also provides health benefits for the brain, and helps prevent what is known as “ brain shrinkage ,” which can lead to conditions like dementia when you’re older.
Is vitamin B12 good for depression?
Luckily it’s somewhat rare to run a shortage on this vitamin, so in all likelihood you’re good. Reduces Depression- Many vitamins including vitamin D have been said to help with depression, and vitamin B12 is no different. This is such an important reason to make sure that all of your vitamins are at optimal levels.
Does B12 help with cholesterol?
Helps with Cholesterol- By helping to keep your cholesterol levels down, vitamin B12 may be able to reduce your need for cholesterol lowering drugs. If your doctor has told you that you’re low on this nutrient, they may have also given you a list of foods that contain extra amounts of B12 for you to start eating more of. If they didn’t, we’ve got you covered with our own list of vitamin B12-rich foods.
Why is vitamin B12 important?
Once again, vitamin B12 shows its importance for overall health through its role in synthesizing and maintaining myelin ( 43 ). In other words; getting enough vitamin B12 is essential for keeping our myelin healthy, which in turn is critical for neurological health.
What is the role of B12 in the body?
2) Vitamin B12 Gives the Body Energy. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in cellular energy metabolism, and it helps to convert the food we eat into usable energy ( 8 ). Providing that we consume sufficient quantities of the vitamin, we should have adequate energy for daily life.
What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?
However, for individuals not consuming enough vitamin B12, symptoms such as tiredness and fatigue are among the first signs of deficiency ( 10, 11 ). Increasing the intake of animal foods such as meat, fish, and shellfish (or supplementing with B12) can help to increase plasma levels of the vitamin. Key Point: An insufficient intake of vitamin B12 ...
What is the recommended daily intake of B12?
Last Updated on January 3, 2020 by Michael Joseph. Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin otherwise known as cobalamin, and it is essential for our health. The current reference daily intake (RDI) for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg, and it is found exclusively in animal foods ( 1 ). This important vitamin has a large number of functions, ...
Why is B12 important for anemia?
In other words, ensuring a sufficient intake of dietary vitamin B12 helps to support the healthy production of red blood cells. When the body does not have enough vitamin B12 to produce the required amount of red blood cells, anemia develops .
What is the B12?
9) Vitamin B12 Is Essential For a Healthy Nervous System. A substance called myelin is vitally important for the central nervous system. Myelin consists of proteins and fatty acids, and it acts as a sheath that surrounds and insulates nerves ( 40 ).
Can B12 cause SCD?
Research also suggests that suboptimal B12 levels can lead to subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord (SCD), which can develop following damage to myelin ( 44 ). Key Point: Getting sufficient vitamin B12 is important for the central nervous system.
Why is B12 important for your body?
1. Helps Maintain Energy Levels. Vitamin B12 benefits your metabolism because it’s needed to convert carbohydrates into useable glucose in the body. Glucose from carbohydrate foods is used as a form of energy, so this is the reason why people with deficiencies often experience fatigue.
What is the role of B12 in the nervous system?
It helps maintain the health of nerve cells — including those needed for neurotransmitter signaling — and helps form the protective covering of nerves , called the cell’s myelin sheath.
How to tell if you have a vitamin B12 deficiency?
Vitamin B12 deficiency can be hard to detect, especially considering how common the symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency can be, such as feeling tired or unfocused. Symptoms may include: Constantly feeling tired or chronic fatigue. Muscle aches and weakness. Joint pain.
Why is vitamin B12 important for hair?
Needed for Healthy Skin and Hair. Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy skin, hair and nails because it plays a major part in cell reproduction. Research suggests that vitamin B12 boosts skin health by reducing redness, dryness, inflammation and acne blemishes — and can be applied to the skin for psoriasis and eczema.
What vitamins help with homocysteine?
Homocysteine is an amino acid, and its levels in the blood are influenced by blood levels of B-complex vitamins, including B12. Vitamin B12 helps protect against heart disease like a heart attack or stroke by lowering high homocysteine levels in the blood.
What percentage of people have low B12 levels?
About 40 percent of people have low levels of vitamin B12, which is an issue that needs to be addressed because this is an essential vitamin for the production of red blood cells and DNA, not to mention all the vitamin B12 benefits it provides.
What are the benefits of vitamin D?
benefiting multiple metabolic functions, including enzyme production, DNA synthesis and hormonal balance. maintaining healthy nervous and cardiovascular systems. Because of its wide-reaching roles within the body, a deficiency in this essential vitamin can lead to a range of symptoms, including: chronic fatigue.
Overview
Vitamin B-12 (cobalamin) plays an essential role in red blood cell formation, cell metabolism, nerve function and the production of DNA, the molecules inside cells that carry genetic information.
Evidence
Research on the use of vitamin B-12 for specific activities and conditions shows:
Our take
Most people get enough vitamin B-12 from a balanced diet. However, older adults, vegetarians, vegans and people who have conditions that affect their ability to absorb vitamin B-12 from foods might benefit from the use of oral supplements.
Safety and side effects
When taken at appropriate doses, vitamin B-12 supplements are generally considered safe. While the recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms, higher doses have been found to be safe. Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine.
Interactions
Aminosalicylic acid (Paser). Taking this drug used to treat digestive problems might reduce your body's ability to absorb vitamin B-12.
What are the benefits of taking B12 shots?
The most obvious benefit of receiving vitamin B-12 shots is treating a vitamin B-12 deficiency and avoiding its associated symptoms. In addition, B-12 shots reduce the risk of some serious complications associated with vitamin B-12 deficiency including: heart disease. neurocognitive disorders.
What is B12 in the body?
Share on Pinterest. Vitamin B-12 can be taken in the form of injections. Vitamin B-12 is an essential water-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in many functions in the body, including: DNA synthesis. energy production.
Why is it important to have adequate stomach acid to absorb vitamin B12?
Adequate stomach acid is required to release the vitamin from the protein , and a substance called intrinsic factor is necessary to ensure its absorption. People who are unable to absorb vitamin B-12 properly may have pernicious anemia, which is a type of anemia characterized by a lack of intrinsic factor.
Why is B12 not absorbed?
People with gastrointestinal issues. A gastrointestinal tract that does not function normally may inhibit vitamin B-12 release or absorption. For this reason, people with disorders such as celiac disease and Crohn’s disease may be at higher risk of vitamin B-12 deficiency.
How to get B12 from food?
In addition to getting B-12 from food sources, it is possible to acquire B-12 through a man-made version of the nutrient, known as cyanocobalamin. Vitamin B-12 shots are injections containing high levels of cyanocobalamin.
What are the symptoms of B12 deficiency?
Some common signs and symptoms include: decreased cognitive function, such as issues with memory or understanding. fatigue.
Where is B12 found?
B-12 is present in many food sources (mainly animal-based), where it is bound to the protein molecules in that food. Vitamin B-12 is separated from the protein during digestion and is absorbed into the bloodstream.