How to quickly replenish vitamin B12 deficiency? Vitamin B12 soothes the nerves, increases resistance to stress, prevents anemia and improves the appetite. In addition, it can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and mental illness. What other properties does vitamin B12 have, where is it and how to dose it? What are the symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency?
Vitamin B12 - properties and characteristics
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin or red vitamin, is most commonly found in animal products.
Vitamin B12 is stored in the bone marrow and the liver. It participates in many important processes: the synthesis of DNA and RNA nucleic acids, cell division, carbohydrate, protein and fat transformation.
It is a compound whose he alth properties cannot be overestimated.
Vitamin B12:
- has a positive effect on mental he alth
- is necessary for the proper functioning of the circulatory system
- has a beneficial effect on the digestive system
- participates in the production of red blood cells
- reduces fatigue
- lowers lipid levels
- has a beneficial effect on the work of the nervous system
- scientists argue that vitamin B12 can also protect against Alzheimer's disease, cancer and mental illness.
Vitamin B12 - norm and dosage
According to specialists from the Food and Nutrition Institute, the recommended daily intake of vitamin B12 at the RDA level is:
- in children - 0.9 μg / d (1-3 years); 1.2 μg / d (4-6 years); 1.8 (7-9 years);
- in older children and adolescents - 1.8 to 2.4 μg / d
- in adults - 2.4 μg / d
- in pregnant women - 2.6 μg / d
- in lactating women - 2.8 μg / d
In case of increased demand, daily doses of vitamin B12 are higher, e.g. in Addison's and Biermer's pernicious anemia without neurological symptoms: 250-1000 μg / d every 2nd day for 1-2 weeks.
Vitamin B12 deficiency after gastrectomy or as a result of malabsorption: 250-1000 μg 1 × / month
Vitamin B12 - who is at risk of deficiency?
Increased need for vitamin B12 is observed:
- in intestinal diseases (Whippel disease, Zolinger-Ellison syndrome)
- with abnormalities of the intestinal flora (including the presence ofparasites)
- in atrophic gastritis and gastritis
- in hydrochloric acid overproduction
- with deficiency of the Castle factor
- with certain medications
- with a vegetarian and vegan diet
- in people with celiac disease and Crohn's disease
- with megaloblastic anemia
- after gastrectomy.
Vitamin B12 - where is it found?
How to quickly replenish a vitamin B12 deficiency?The easiest way is to eat foods that contain vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 can be found mainly in animal products, i.e.
- meat
- fish
- milk
- jajach
- cheese
- cold cuts
The most vitamin B12 is found in pike, kidneys and liver (over 20 µg / 100 g).
You can find slightly less of it in other fish, such as herring, trout and mackerel, and in rabbit meat (5 to 20 µg / 100 g).
The least (less than 1 µg / 100 g) of vitamin B12 is found in egg noodles, hams, hams, milk and its products (yoghurt, kefir, cottage cheese, cream).
A good source of vitamin B12 is also food yeast, thanks to which you can quicklyreplenish vitamin B12 deficiency . There is practically no cobalamin in plant products. The only exceptions are those subjected to the fermentation process (e.g. miso - a thick paste spice made from fermented soybeans).
How to quickly replenish vitamin B12 deficiency?These are the foods that contain the most vitamin B12 per 100g.
| Vitamin B12 content per 100 g | Food products |
| Less than 1 µg | milk and dairy products (cream, yoghurt, kefir, cottage cheese), egg noodles, chicken breast, pork, ham, ham |
| 1 - 5 µg | ripened cheeses (brie, kamamber, gouda, edam), beef ham, veal, beef, eggs, fish (cod, pollock, hake, flounder, carp) |
| 5 - 20 µg | fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, trout), rabbits |
| Over 20 µg | fish (pike), liver and kidney: pork, beef, veal and poultry |
"Vitamins", collective work edited by prof. Jana Gawęcki, Library of the Nutrition Knowledge Olympiad, Book 5, Department of Human Nutrition Hygiene, Poznań 2000
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency causes:
- nervous system disorders
- pernicious and megaloblastic anemia
- degenerative changes in the gastric mucosa
- absorption disturbance
- glossitis and oral lesions
- hyperhomocysteinemie
- balance problems
- pale skin tone, and sometimes a yellowish tinge
- vision problems
- feeling of chronic fatigue
- dizziness
The most bothersome symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
See the gallery of 8 photos
Can vitamin B12 be overdosed?
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, and thus - it is not accumulated in the body, but excreted with urine and sweat. Therefore, it is difficult to overdose.
According to specialists from the Food and Nutrition Institute, the consumption of vitamin B12 in amounts significantly exceeding the recommended supply does not cause harmful effects, because in this case its absorption and excretion from the body is increased.
Vitamin B12 - excess
The use of very high doses of vitamin B12 for a long time causes allergic symptoms in some people.
Vitamin B12 and mental he alth
Vitamin B12 is responsible for the proper functioning of the nervous system in several ways.
First of all, it is essential for the proper functioning of the myelin sheaths that surround the nerves. When it is missing, disturbing signals from the nervous system appear, such as:
- numbness and tingling sensation, especially in the lower limbs
- imbalance
- gait disturbance
In addition, "red vitamin" is involved in the process of converting proteins, fat and carbohydrates into energy. Therefore, it counteracts weakness and the feeling of fatigue. In addition, it prevents memory loss and increases the ability to concentrate.
Vitamin B12 is also involved in the synthesis of serotonin - a neurotransmitter, which, in the right concentration, acts as an antidepressant. If the level of vitamin B12 (and hence - serotonin) is too low, irritability, fatigue and a bad mood appear.
Vitamin B12 can prevent anemia and atherosclerosis
Vitamin B12 is involved in the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. Therefore, its deficiency may contribute to the occurrence of anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency (Addison-Biermer disease).
In addition, vitamin B12, together with folic acid and vitamin B6, prevents the accumulation of homocysteine - a substance produced during the processing of proteins in the body, the excess of which can beharmful to he alth and cause cardiovascular disease.
Homocysteine contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques on the inner walls of blood vessels, and thus - increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases:
- myocardial infarction
- stroke
- thrombotic changes
It is worth knowing that in order to prevent the appearance of hyperhomocysteinemia, it is recommended to consume 400 μg of folic acid, 3 μg of vitamin B12 and 2 mg of vitamin B6 daily.
Vitamin B12 can help treat hepatitis
Vitamin B12 may aid in the treatment of hepatitis C (hepatitis C), argue Italian scientists in the journal "Gut". In their opinion, vitamin B12 included in standard therapy, i.e. interferon and ribavirin, may increase the chances of ridding the body of HCV. And standard treatment eliminates HCV from the body in about 50 percent. patients with genotype 1 and in 80 percent. people with genotype 2 or 3
Scientists divided 94 people participating in the experiment into two groups - the first was subjected to standard therapy, and the second was treated with vitamin B12 in a dose of 5000 µg every 4 weeks for the period from 24 (genotype 2 and 3) to 48 weeks (genotype 1).
Studies show that the inclusion of vitamin B12 enhanced sustained viral response by 34%, and the best results were seen in patients with genotype 1, the most difficult virus to treat.
Vitamin B12 can protect against Alzheimer's?
Many researchers point to a link between very low levels of vitamin B12 in the body (which is quite common in the elderly) and an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Scientists from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm think similarly, who published the results of their research in 2010 in the journal "Neurology".
For 7 years, researchers monitored a group of 271 people aged 65 to 79 who had not yet developed the symptoms of senile dementia. During the research, symptoms of the disease were observed in 17 people from this group. Scientists decided to test their blood for the presence of homocysteine, the excess of which is mainly related to the deficiency of vitamin B12.
The research of scientists shows that an increase in the level of homocysteine, i.e. a decrease in the content of B12 in the body, results in a 16% increase in the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, it is suspected that the intake of increased doses of B12 by the elderly may delay the onset of this type of dementia. However, more research is needed to clearly determine whether vitamin B12indeed has these properties and can improve the he alth of Alzheimer's patients.
Read also about other vitamins:
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B3
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B5
- Vitamin B4