Providing the body with foods rich in vitamin B12 can make a big difference in the quality of life, since the benefits of Vitamin B12 have a positive impact on the health of our body, improving hearing, preventing anaemia, improving the functioning of the immune system, in the regeneration of muscles among many other benefits that you can find in vitamin B12.
What is vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is part of the B vitamin complex. Like the other B vitamins, it is involved in energy metabolism and other related biological processes.
However, that's where the similarity to this vitamin ends. The list of things that are unique to this vitamin is long, and includes the following:
Difference between vitamin B and vitamin B12
· Most of the B vitamins can be found in a wide variety of plant and animal foods, but vitamin B12 is more difficult to find in plant foods, unless they have been fortified.
· Most of the B complex vitamins are relatively small and have a fairly simple chemical structure, while vitamin B12 is larger and more complex.
· Most of the B complex vitamins are more easily absorbed than vitamin B12, which has more complicated requirements for absorption.
· In terms of physical quantity, this vitamin has the lowest daily requirement of all the B vitamins.
· It is the only vitamin that contains a metal element (cobalt). In fact, the cobalt contained in it is the reason why this vitamin is known by the chemical name of cobalamin.
How to get vitamin B12
The diet style you choose can have a major impact on how much vitamin B12 you can get. If you regularly consume land animal foods and fish in your meal plan, your vitamin B12 intake is most likely normal.
If you regularly consume fish and avoid foods of terrestrial animal origin, you should not have problems with a deficiency of this vitamin either. If your diet does not include fish or animals, however, you include fairly specific food sources with vitamin B12, that is, fermented like tempeh and mushrooms or fortified foods. You may need to expand your diet a bit more, although this does not mean that you are deficient.
Signs of vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anemia or damage to the nervous system.Most vegans can consume it in good amounts, which helps them avoid a deficiency of this vitamin.
There are two types of vegans who are more at risk of having vitamin B12 deficiency and they are vegans who have been following the same strict diet for many years and who tend to avoid fortified foods (such as raw vegans or macrobiotic vegans).
In adult’s typical deficiency symptoms include loss of energy, a tingling sensation throughout the body, reduced sensitivity to pressure or pain itself, vision may become blurred, gait disturbance, sore tongue, memory may begin to fail, episodes of confusion or hallucinations occur, in some cases personality changes may also occur.
The symptoms often develop gradually over several months, it may even take a year before they are recognized and understood as a product of this vitamin deficiency and are generally reversible with the correct administration of this vitamin.
Risk of vitamin B12 deficiency in the diet in vegans
The only group in which we see a substantial risk of vitamin B12 deficiency in the diet is vegans who maintain a strict diet (avoid consuming foods such as fish or meats entirely). In a study of vegans of British origin, who were under the age of 50, it was shown that more than half had biochemical evidence of vitamin B12 deficiency in their diet.
The risk of deficiency was nearly ten times higher in vegans than vegetarians, and more than 50 times higher compared to those who regularly ate animal foods.
Relationship of Vitamin B12 with other nutrients
Vitamin B12 participates in the energy production process. However, this is not the only B-complex vitamin involved in this process, and for this reason, a deficiency of one or more of the other B-complex vitamins can aggravate the energy production problems that are related to deficiency. this vitamin.
In other words, some of the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency may be made worse by other vitamin B deficiencies.
In particular, the relationship between folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 is very close. A deficiency in any of the three can impair the activity of the others.
Benefits of vitamin B12
· Helps treat nerve problems and keep our body cells healthy. Its benefits are linked to its role in the performance of various body processes.
· It converts carbohydrates into glucose and this is what helps to produce energy and has an impact on reducing fatigue in the body.
· It also contributes to regulate the nervous system to reduce depression and stress.
· Keeps the digestive system in optimal condition. Vitamin B12 helps protect against cardiovascular problems and diseases by improving cholesterol levels in the body, it is beneficial against the dangers of stroke and high blood pressure.
· It improves the health of our skin by improving the appearance of brittle nails and hair. It helps in cell reproduction improving the appearance of the skin, keeping it in constant renewal.
· It can help protect against various types of cancers.
Foods rich in vitamin B12
Eggs
If you like to eat boiled, poached, or scrambled eggs, your body will enjoy absorbing the various vitamins and minerals housed in the white interior and in the yolk of the egg.Eggs provide the body with riboflavin, folate, vitamin D, protein, and vitamin B12, all of which are essential in a healthy body.
Salmon
Like many varieties of fish, salmon is rich in vitamin B12, omega 3 fats, selenium, and vitamin D. If you're concerned about getting enough vitamin B12, salmon is a healthy addition to your diet. A 100-gram serving contains more than 300% of the amount of the vitamin that the average person should consume per day.
Diabetes is a disorder of blood sugar levels. There are two main types of diabetes, plus rarer forms such as diabetes that can happen during pregnancy, known as gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes results in high blood sugar levels because the body stops producing insulin, the hormone that regulates sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes leads to high blood sugars because the insulin in the body does not work effectively.