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The following article was published in our article directory on February 15, 2014.
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What is Vitamin B12?

Article Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet

Author Name: Brett Bolwell

Vitamin B12 is a water soluble vitamin needed by the body for the creation of genetic material. It is naturally found in food such as meat and poultry but never in vegetables. Thus, vegetarians may be found deficient in this vitamin.

Vitamin B12 in food has to undergo a separation process to release the vitamin by the activity of hydrochloric acid and gastric juices produced by the stomach. After separation, the vitamin is absorbed by the body through the ileum, the last part of the small intestines. Again, emphasis should be given to take the right amount of meat products to supply the body's need for the vitamin.

However, there are people who, despite eating the vitamin's natural sources, experience deficiencies of this vitamin. The deficiency may either be congenital (babies born from mothers already deficient in vitamin B12), prolonged/chronic use of alcohol, diseases that involve the stomach that may affect production of enzymes for digestion, conditions that affect the small intestines or even surgery which removes a part of the small intestines.

Deficiency in vitamin B12 coupled with folate deficiency may lead to megaloblastic anemia where DNA synthesis is curtailed during red blood cell formulation. When this happens, cells do not synthesize. Thus, nutrients are not delivered to the body as they should as cells just normally die.

Since vitamin B12 is imperative in red blood cell production and DNA growth, immediate steps to correct this vitamin deficiency should be undertaken.
Other Sources of Vitamin B12

Aside from animal products, vitamin B12 may be found in vitamin B12 fortified foods and may also come as supplements. Vitamin B12 supplements taken orally, are supposed to fill in the deficiencies in the vitamin which may cause, among others, megaloblastic anemia (non-division of cells), pernicious anemia (caused by non-production of the protein intrinsic factor which aids in the absorption of vitamin B12), memory and cognitive diseases, and may manifest manias and psychoses as well. Unlike the food-sourced vitamin B12 that needs to be separated from its source, vitamin B12 in fortified foods and supplements are purified and just needs to combine with the intrinsic factor for it to be absorbed by the body. Approximately 56% of 1 mcg of the oral dose is absorbed by the body but absorption levels are greatly lessened as the limits of the intrinsic factor are passed.

Vitamin B12 supplements usually come together with other B vitamins as a complex so aside from cobalamin, the supplement may also contain any combination or all of the 7 other B vitamins.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (or RDA which is the required dietary intake for healthy individuals) for Vitamin B12 is very minimal, ranging from 0.4 mcg for newly born infants to a maximum of 2.4 mcg for adults 14 years and older. Pregnant women and lactating mothers' requirements are 2.4 and 2.6 mcg, respectively. Vitamin B12 supplements, and all other supplements for that matter, reflect a DV (Daily Value) which indicates nutritional values per serving.

Treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency depends upon the reason for the deficiency. For people suffering from absorption problems, replacement of the vitamin through injection could be resorted to. Those who lack the vitamin due to dietary restrictions may be prescribed vitamin B12 supplements for life.

Early detection of vitamin B12 deficiency is important because even if the supplements or injections can cure the anemia (if the deficiency has resulted to this), nerve damage, if it has commenced, can never be cured.

Keywords: B12 vitamins supplements shots spray pills injectable sublingual vitamins liquid methylcobalamin

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