Vitamin B12 should be our best friend. It is important for the perfect functioning of the organism: it contributes to the production of red blood cells, to the formation of bone marrow, to the transformation of nutrients into energy, to keep nerve cells healthy and to reduce stress by increasing good mood. However, it has the characteristic of being water-soluble, that is, it cannot be accumulated in the body and therefore must be taken regularly through a varied and balanced diet in order to ensure the right amount.
The benefits of vitamin B12
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, plays a vital role in the production of red blood cells, on the other hand, low levels of this vitamin can cause a reduction in their formation or prevent them from developing correctly by encountering anemia, which manifests itself physically with tiredness, weakness, exhaustion and lack of energy in our days.
The heart also benefits from vitamin B12: if it is deficient, homocysteine levels increase because it cannot be disposed of properly and increases the risk of heart attack.
Moving on to the neurological field, vitamin B12 helps prevent brain atrophy, therefore, prevents the loss of neurons, a cause of dementia and memory loss.
In pregnancy, some studies have shown that the baby’s brain and nervous system develop more correctly during gestation if the cobalamin levels in the mother are adequate.. On the other hand, the chances of premature births or miscarriages are increased.
This vitamin then helps to synthesize serotonin, which therefore participates in mood regulation the more you are deficient, the more likely it is to have low mood or true depression.
Also to have one healthy and radiant hair we need vitamin B12: oxygenates the hair bulb for the benefit of healthy hair growth and counteracts excessive hair loss.
Where is it
It is present in all foods of animal origin in variable quantities, especially in meat, blue fish, shellfish, eggs, liver, milk and derivatives. The bad news is that the amount absorbed compared to that actually present in foods is 60% for meat and milk, 30-40% for fish products and, according to some studies, less than 10% for eggs. In addition, about a third of this vitamin is lost when cooked.
In the vegetable kingdom it is found in some species of seaweed and mushrooms, brewer’s yeast, tempeh, soy and kombucha (a Chinese tea), but in very small quantities. That’s not all: when washing vegetables, the amount of cobalamin that can be taken is further reduced, because cleaning food involves the elimination of bacteria capable of synthesizing this substance. In fact, if you follow a vegan diet, it is important to consume fortified foods, that is, added with vitamin B12 and possibly supplement it with specific supplements.
Shortage
The average daily requirement of vitamin B12 for an adult it is 2 milligrams, an amount normally covered by a healthy and varied diet, while for pregnant and lactating women this requirement increases to 2.2 – 2.4 milligrams per day.
There is nothing to worry about: for those who follow a balanced diet it is difficult to run into a deficiency of vitamin B12 unless you have malabsorption – due to inflammatory diseases, celiac disease, proliferation of bacteria, drugs, decreased gastric acidity – or you overcook food, since heat tends to degrade cobalamin.
People considered to be at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency are the elderly, breastfed infants, vegetarians, vegans, pregnant women, cancer patients, people with kidney disease and those suffering from bleeding..
How can we realize that we have this deficiency? At a diagnostic level, blood tests are sufficient, from which anemia will emerge, which can cause paleness, weakness, tingling in the limbs and fatigue.