Our bodily system has its own way of functioning in a smooth manner. If tended to carefully, it works amazingly and does a lot of work on its own. But some of its needs may have to be taken care of and one of them is providing our body essential vitamins and minerals it deserves. One important nutrient, Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is an essential vitamin that our body must get but does not cannot produce on its own. Vitamin B12 is crucial to boosting our health in ample ways but being water-soluble, our body cannot store it. Thus, we need to get this vitamin through food. Primarily, it is found naturally in animal products and is available as an oral supplement or as an injection.
Also Read: Vitamin B9: Functions, Food Sources, Deficiencies and Toxicity
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What Does Vitamin B12 Do?
Helping in many aspects, Vitamin B12 can convert carbohydrates in our body into glucose. Working in tandem with another important vitamin which is B9 aka folate, it helps iron to work better and lets the body make healthy red blood cells. Together, folate and vitamin B12 create an S-adenosylmethionine compound that assists our immune function very well. When cobalamin gets absorbed by the body along with a stomach-made protein, the process is called the intrinsic factor. If a person cannot naturally make this intrinsic factor. anemia begins to set in, leading to difficulty absorbing vitamin B12 from dietary supplements and foods. Eating a nutritious diet or taking a supplement can help you fulfill your Vitamin B12 thus supporting the normal function of your nerve cells which is needed for red blood cell formation and DNA synthesis.
Also Read: Vitamin B6: Functions, Food Sources, Deficiencies and Toxicity
Why Do We Become Deficient In Cobalamin?
Technically, an active form of Vitamin B12 is only found naturally in animal products. While some varieties of seaweed and fermented foods also contain Vitamin B12, it is usually in its inactive form (also known as pseudo-B12.) Even though some plant-based milks or grains may have been fortified with vitamin B12, vegan diets often lack this component putting people at risk of major B12 deficiency.
Diseases That Vitamin B-12 Can Prevent
- By helping to form red blood cells, it can help to reduces chances of anemia
- It can prevent major birth defects
- It decreases the risk of macular degeneration
- It soothes symptoms of depression
- It helps to give the body an energy boost and fight fatigue
Vitamin B12 Food Sources
You can get cobalamin through supplements and foods. Foods that naturally have it are lamb, beef, chicken, salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, ham, eggs, Greek yogurt, and fortified nutritional yeast. If you eat well-planned, nutritious foods along with supplements if needed you can prevent cobalamin deficiency. Foray into this infographic to see how cobalamin or B12 benefits you in many ways:
