Being a crucial vitamin among the B complex vitamins, B12 helps maintain the health of nerve tissues, and plays a role in brain function and production of red blood cells.
How is Vitamin B12 helpful to us?
Vitamin B12 helps in the functioning of the brain
Helps in synthesis and multiplication of red blood cells
It prevents megaloblastic anaemia by aiding in maturation of RBCs
Plays a role in synthesis of fatty acids and is also important in metabolism and energy production in cells
DNA synthesis
Folate metabolism
What are the risk factors of Vitamin B12 deficiency?
Deficiency can be caused if you have atrophic gastritis
If you follow vegan diet for a long time, there is a higher probability of deficiency
Another prominent risk factor is if you have pernicious anaemia
Small intestine disorders like Crohn’s disease, celiac disease etc.
Immune disorders like lupus and Grave’s disease
Some medicines like PPIs (proton pump inhibitors), antibiotics, metformin etc. interfere with the absorption of Vitamin B12 in the body
Weight loss surgery can also cause in malabsorption of vitamin B12.
Symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency
The most common symptom seen is the burning and tingling of palms, feet and toes
Constant fatigue
Shortness of breath
Persistent constipation, gas, acidity etc.
Loss of appetite
Soreness of tongue and mouth
Heart palpitations
Recommended dietary allowances of vitamin B12:
Infants up to 6 months – 0.4mcg
Babies 7-12 months – 0.5 mcg
Children – 1 – 3 years – 0.9 mcg
4 – 8 years – 1.2mcg
9 – 13 years – 1.8
Teenagers and adults – 2.4 mcg
Pregnant ladies – 2.6 mcg
Lactating women – 2.8 mcg
Effects of vitamin B12 deficiency
Deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause:
Confusion and cognitive impairment
Unsteady walking
Numbness in feet and hands
Megaloblastic anaemia
Loss of appetite
Mental and emotional concerns such as depression, dementia, behavioural changes
Hyperhomocysteinemia is a condition where excess homocysteine produced which causes blood vessels to lose their elasticity, further damaging the inner lining. This leads to cholesterol and calcium build up, this could possibly cause heart-related issues like stroke.
Postural hypotension – low BP on standing
Vision loss
Sources of Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is naturally present in animal products. Some of the sources include:
Eggs and poultry
Milk, yoghurt and cheese
Beef
Lamb
Liver
Clams
Fish like tuna, trout
Some other sources include fortified cereal, nutritional yeast etc. which has high bioavailability
Nutritionists advise vegetarians with the deficiency to go for a dietary supplement, as it is usually present as cyanocobalamin, which is converted to more active forms in the body. Evidence shows that the absorption of vitamin B12 through supplements is how ever very low. For example – when a 500mcg supplement is consumed only 10mcg of it is absorbed in the body.
There are also oral lozenges and sublingual forms of vitamin B12 supplement available, which have higher bioavailability.
References:
https://www.pharmacytimes.com/publications/issue/2013/december2013/vitamin-b12
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/vitamin-b12-deficiency-symptoms-causes#2
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219822.php#foods
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/