Vitamin B12: Commonly Asked Questions

Vitamin B12, being a B complex vitamin, is needed for energy metabolism. Moreover, a lot of people tend have to the notion that all vitamins are alike, that is, they help keep the body healthy. Yes, the body needs them, but not all of them have the same roles in different processes and functions in the body. The vitamin is as important as the other vitamins but for different reasons. Here are some frequently asked questions about it and their corresponding answers.

1. How is it different from other B complex vitamins?

It is different from the other B complex vitamins in the sense that it has certain roles that are independent of this group of vitamins. One of its most important roles is the maintenance of the nervous system. It helps build myelin sheaths around the nerves, which protect the nerve fiber and increases the rate conduction of nerve impulses. Damage of myelin sheaths can lead to serious nervous system diseases. And, if you do not have enough levels of the vitamin in your body, the process of building myelin is negatively affected. Another important role it plays is in the production of healthy and new red blood cells.

2. What can happen if I do not have sufficient levels of it?

If you do not have enough Vitamin B12 in your body, you are at risk of developing serious diseases, including anemia and nerve damage, which is usually characterized by dementia, depression, and tingling of the hands and feet.

3. How do I make sure that I have sufficient levels of the vitamin?

It can be stored in your liver for a long period of time, but certain factors can cause your body's ability to absorb it. These include your diet, age, and health conditions with which you are diagnosed, including atrophic gastritis and pernicious anemia. You can get your source of the vitamin from animal and animal products, such as meat, shellfish, egg, and milk. If you are vegan, you can get it from Vitamin B12-fortified foods and supplementation.

Vitamin B12: Myths and Misconceptions

Vitamin B12 is water-soluble and is needed for metabolism, just like the other B vitamins. Besides that, however, it plays an important role in DNA synthesis, red blood cells production, and central nervous system maintenance. That is why you cannot afford to not have enough levels of it. However, despite its vital role in keeping overall health, many people still misunderstand it or worse, do not know its importance. Here are some of the myths and misconceptions that surround the vitamin.

1. Deficiency of the vitamin is rare.

No, it is not. In fact, many people over the age of 50 lose the ability to absorb it. Furthermore, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, about 6% of people who are over 60 years old in the United Kingdom and United States are deficient of it. One reason for this is that the elderly may not have enough acid in their stomachs, which is needed in the absorption of the vitamin. Also, people may not notice the signs of deficiency of the vitamin because these signs may occur gradually and intensify over time.

2. Deficiency of the vitamin does not pose serious health problems.

This misconception must be corrected. Deficiency of it can cause serious medical conditions, including anemia, nervous system disorders, and permanent nerve damage. Moreover, this deficiency is usually characterized by weakness, numbness and tingling of the hands and feet, and mental confusion.

3. It can be found in plant foods.

The fact is, no, you cannot get Vitamin B12 from plant foods unless they are fortified. That is why vegans are at risk of being deficient of it. Its food sources are animals and animal products, such as meat, shellfish, eggs, and milk. You can also get your source of the vitamin from supplements, which usually come in the form of injections and liquid drops.