Index
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is found in foods of animal origin. It is an essential vitamin for the better performance of the nervous and blood system and in the absence of it it can bring a lot of damage to health.
- What is Vitamin B12?
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency
- Foods that have
- Benefits and Side Effects
- Vitamin B12 in Pregnancy
What is Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12, which is also known scientifically as cobalamin and cyanocobalamin, is part of the list of B vitamins. Animal foods are sources of this vitamin, being strong allies in improving the metabolism of the body’s amino acids and nucleic acids and essential for the blood formation. It has essential effects for the better functioning of the nervous system. The main component of vitamin B12 is cobalt , which is an essential mineral for the better functioning of the body in general, and is not found in any vitamin other than B12. For this reason its great importance, mainly for assisting in the production of red blood cells.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency
The absence of vitamin B12 in the human body can cause serious damage to health, some even irreversible, such as:
- Pernicious anemia
- Neurological changes, some irreversible cases.
- Convulsions
- Gastric Wall Damage
In addition to the symptoms reported above, hearing loss, weakness, memory loss, depression , male infertility and menstrual disorders may occur . As it is a vitamin that is only obtained through the consumption of the indicated foods and a large part of animal origin, it is indicated that those who do not consume this type of food, such as vegetarians, use supplementation to supply the absence of this vitamin in the body, such as injectable form or through capsules.
The deficiency in vitamin B12 brings symptoms that are not so specific and that can be easily confused with other health problems and making it difficult even to diagnose the doctor through the symptoms, being obliged to carry out more detailed tests for verification and confirmation. Being indicated and recommended by doctors, it is recommended to eat portions of food with a reference quantity of 2.4 mcg for a healthy adult . That you can easily reach that number by consuming an ox liver steak or a piece of salmon, with an estimated weight of 100 grams.
Foods that have
As we already mentioned above, foods that contain vitamin B12 are basically of animal origin. And when not eaten through these foods even by eating habits, we can find it in processed foods that are enriched with it. The main foods that we get from this vitamin are meats such as liver steak, chicken liver and heart, fish and seafood such as shellfish, salmon, oysters and crab and animal derivatives such as milk and cheese.
Can be eaten by vegetarians through breakfast cereals, powdered chocolate, peanut cream and products in general based on soy protein or in the few foods of plant origin that we find vitamin B12, as in beer yeast and seaweed . Some fruits such as grapes and pomegranates can also provide us with this benefit. Regular consumption of this type of food is recommended, in order to prevent the development of anemia and weakness.
Benefits and Side Effects
One of the main benefits of vitamin B12 is in improving the production of red blood cells , which are responsible for transporting oxygen to the blood and are essential for a healthy life. Another extremely important factor is that this vitamin ensures the balance of the nervous system, maintaining and balancing the levels of cobalamin that will prevent the development of emotional disorders and depression. In addition to vitamin B12 collaborating in the production of nucleic acids, which are responsible for keeping the body’s cells in better condition, it helps in the regeneration of muscles of the body maintaining energy reserves that are essential to control the level of muscle mass, being widely used and recommended for practitioners of physical exercises, especially weight training and athletes.
Cobalamin is largely responsible for the best development and growth of children, favoring an increase in appetite and acting on memory improvement . It also has great responsibility for preventing hearing problems and acts in a way that the immune system works properly, increasing the body’s defenses and thus contracting less infectious diseases. Vitamin B12 is found in greater amounts in the liver, although they are also stored in other organs such as the brain, kidneys, pancreas, bone marrow and in the case of men in the testicles . Even though considerable amounts are housed, storage in the body lasts for an average of 3 to 5 years, so it is recommended that consumption be regular to maintain levels in our body.
Even if it is such a powerful vitamin for health, excess intake can have side effects. The chances are minimal of having these symptoms, but they can occur as changes in the spleen and enlargement and changes in lymphocytes . These symptoms usually present when taking vitamin B12 supplements without the supervision of a doctor.
Vitamin B12 in Pregnancy
During pregnancy and even for women who are trying to get pregnant, it is recommended to improve the diet and intake of vitamins that will assist in this process, either through food or in the inclusion of poly vitamin supplements. The use of vitamin B12 is indicated together with folic acid for a better development of the fetus, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy, where the entire formation of the fetus’ body occurs before it begins to grow and gain weight.
The consumption of vitamin B12 is contraindicated in some cases of high-risk pregnancies , where the obstetrician will observe the blood levels and the amount of B12 in the body, and it may be prohibited to ingest until the breastfeeding phase.
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
