Vitamin B12: Everything You Need to Know

When it comes to vitamins, vitamin B12 often gets put on the b-team, especially because of vitamin C always stealing the limelight. Though B12 happens to play several important roles in our overall body function, even more so than you may have originally thought. This vitamin becomes even more important as you begin to get older. In case you missed my post Is Vitamin C Really Good for You?

Vitamin B12 is crucial for brain health, producing red blood cells, nerve tissue, and so much more. Here’s everything you need to know about vitamin B12.  Keep reading to discover Vitamin B12: everything you need to know.

Please check with your medical advisor before taking any vitamins or supplements so they don’t interfere with the medications you are taking right now.

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Fun Facts about Vitamin B12

One of the important roles of this vitamin is to create DNA and red blood cells. Vegans and vegetarians run a higher risk of having the deficiency because most of the foods that contain the vitamin are meat, fish, and other animal products. How’s that for Vitamin B12: everything they need to know.

Our bodies do store the vitamin, but not for a very long period. That’s because vitamin B12 is water-soluble and is released over time when we urinate. 

As we grow older, it becomes more important for our bodies to get enough of vitamin B12, but unfortunately, it becomes harder for our bodies to absorb it. 

Those who have used alcohol heavily in the past or taken acid-reduction medication may have a harder time absorbing the vitamin. 

Symptoms of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency 

• Depression
• Confusion and difficulty thinking clearly
• Tiredness
• Problems remembering
• Loss of Appetite
• Weight loss
• Constipation
• Numb feeling in your hands or feet
• Difficulty with balance
• Permanent nerve or brain damage (might possibly lead to anemia) 
• Greater chance of getting infections 
• Higher risk of dementia and psychosis 

Symptoms for Infants 

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency in infants can be extremely critical to the development of the baby. 

• Irritation
• Feeding difficulty
• Reflex issues
• Growth development issues 
• Face tremors and irregular movement 

Health Benefits of Vitamin B12

Improves Mood as well as Reducing Depression 

Do you ever feel irritable and moody, wondering what on Earth is wrong with you? You may think, maybe that’s just me, or maybe a shortage of vitamin B12 may have something to do with it. Vitamin B12 has been found to improve mood and depression conditions amongst patients. In case you missed my post on Why Vitamin D May Be Just What You Need

Supports Strong Bones 

Bone mineral density is extremely important, even more so as you get older. Having the proper amount of vitamin B12 in your body prompts your bones to grow healthy and strong. Bones that begin to deteriorate over time increases the chances of you developing osteoporosis when you grow older (especially in women). 

It May Reduce the Risk of Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is an eye disease that affects your central vision. Too much of the amino acid homocysteine has been found to increase the chances of having the disease. Fortunately, vitamin B12 has been found to lower those harmful levels and reduce the risk.   

Provides a Boost of Energy

Who couldn’t use a boost of energy? Vitamin B12 does not necessarily produce energy, but it does allow your body to produce that energy more efficiently. Fatigue happens to be one of the early signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency.  

Supports Skin, Hair, Nails Health 

It’s the job of vitamin B12 to help your body produce healthy cells, including your skin, hair, and nail cells. 

Improvement in Heart Health 

When the amino acid levels of homocysteine are elevated for longer periods of time, it increases the chances of heart disease. Vitamin B12 in food has been found to actually reduce those levels, but at the present time, there are no studies to prove that the supplemental form has the same effect. 

Improves Memory

Vitamin B12 may prevent the loss of neurons in the brain. This keeps your brain functioning properly and helping maintain your memory as you grow older, and less likelihood of developing dementia. 

Foods with Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 can be found naturally in animal products such as meat, fish, and eggs, as well as several dairy products. It’s not a vitamin that you will find too often in plant foods, so if you’re strictly vegan, you’ll want to be sure to take a vitamin B12 supplement to fill the gap. Here’s a small list of food sources that have high levels of vitamin B12.  

• Beef
• Poultry
• Ham
• Pork
• Lamb
• Fish (Salmon, trout, and especially Tuna)
• Eggs
• Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese
• Breakfast Cereal (Fortified)
• Soymilk (Fortified) 

Supplements with B12 

It’s highly encouraged that you get your vitamin B12 through the foods that you eat because supplements don’t typically help when you have a deficiency. But if you are a vegan, supplements will be the best way for you to get the vitamin that your body needs. Older people also struggle to get enough of the vitamin as well. Supplements with B12 can be taken orally or even as a nasal spray if you choose to do so. 

How Much Should You Take?

It’s recommended by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that adults and teens who are over the age of 14 should have at least 2.6 micrograms of vitamin B12 every single day. Women who are pregnant or lactating should take no more than 2.8 micrograms a day. Before you decide to start taking vitamin B12 you should speak with your doctor. Especially if you take other medications that might interfere with the supplements. 

Side Effects from Too Much of the Vitamin 

There are cases where people have broken out from acne from taking too much vitamin B12, but there are no reports of any harmful side effects from doing so. Taking too much of the vitamin is not considered to be toxic to our bodies, even if you take more than 1000-mcg doses of it. The injectable form of the supplement has been known to have traces of cyanide in it, but several fruits and vegetables that you eat also contain it with no side effects. 

Final Word

Now that you know the symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency, and also the many health benefits that the vitamin provides, I hope that you plan on implementing it more in your diet on a daily basis. If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, at the very least, plan on taking the vitamin in supplement form to help your body get everything that it needs.

What did you find most surprising about vitamin B12 and its many health benefits? Please stock up on the vitamins you use most of the time. Please keep prepping, we must. May God bless this world, Linda

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