Benefits of the Vitamin B12
The benefits of the B12 Vitamin are numerous. Let’s discover just what the crucial vitamin is all about. It is also called cobalamin is an important water soluble vitamin.
The big difference between this and other B complex vitamins is that it is not excreted quickly in the urine, but rather can store itself in your liver and kidney for long periods of time. Because of this Vitamin B12 deficiency can suddenly appear after 5-6 years of a diet that was always inadequate.
Vitamin B12 has a few important functions. One is that it works with folic acid to synthesize DNA and red blood cells. It helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. The importance of this in maintaining insulation health of nerves cells cannot be stated any stronger.
Vitamin B12 is bound to the protein in food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach releases B12 from protein during digestion. Once released, B12 combines with a substance called intrinsic factor (IF) before it is absorbed into the bloodstream.
Probably the most well known disease of deficiency in Vitamin B12 is pernicious anemia. This is a serious disease where the bone marrow is putting out large immature read blood cells.
Vitamin B12 is found in a variety of foods such as fish, shellfish, meats, and dairy products.
Benefits of Vitamin B12
- Used in any Deficiency syndrome
- Used in anemia like pernicious or megablastic
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Used prior to Angioplasty
- Breast Cancer
- Cardiovascular disease
- Fatigue
- High Cholesterol
- Imerslund-Grabeck disease
- Shaky leg syndrome
- Sickle cell anemia
- Circadian rhythm sleep disorders
- Lung Cancer
- Stroke
- Leber’s disease
Dosing-The correct dosage of this Vitamin for any deficiency or disease should come from your doctor. The normal dose for a healthy person is as follows.
Recommended daily allowances (RDAs):
Adults (18 years and older): 2.4mcg/day
It is important to know the benefits of the B12 vitamin; however you should be aware that the US Food and Drug Administration do not regulate supplements. There is no guarantee of their safety or purity. Always discuss anything you wish to take into your body with your health care provider.