When it comes to keeping the body healthy, essential vitamins and minerals are key to ensuring that your body and all of its systems continue to remain healthy and thriving. One such vitamin that is important is Vitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 benefits are in great numbers for the human body. Vitamin B-12, also called cobalamin, is an important water-soluble vitamin that becomes highly crucial in keeping the body in a healthy state. It belongs to a group of eight B vitamins, which are absolutely necessary for maintaining good health in the brain and the nervous system, as well as in the production of red blood cells. While all the B vitamins have their importance, B-12 is somewhat unique because its role in the body ranges from something as crucial as DNA synthesis to energy production. Being an essential factor of life, the deficiency of Vitamin B-12 causes severe disorders. This paper looks at the various health benefits of Vitamin B-12, its sources, and the risks of deficiency.
What is Vitamin B-12?
Vitamin B-12 is the only vitamin that contains a metal mineral, cobalt, in its structure; hence the name cobalamin. Unlike other vitamins, which can be synthesized by both plants and animals, vitamin B-12 can only be synthesized by certain bacteria. Virtually all vitamin B-12 is derived from animal sources, either directly from animals or from the consumption of plants contaminated with vitamin B-12 produced from bacterial synthesis, making it much more challenging for vegans and vegetarians to maintain adequate intake from plant-based foods alone. Vitamin B-12 is stored in the liver and can be held there for several years, but long-term deficiency can cause a wide variety of health problems.
Key Roles and Functions of Vitamin B-12
Production of Energy
One of the most familiar advantages of vitamin B-12 is its role in energy production. B-12 plays a role in carbohydrate metabolism- the transformation of carbohydrates into glucose, which the body uses for energy. This process ensures that the cells have the energy to function correctly. Many people who feel tired and sluggish are revitalized through supplementation with B-12. However, it does not actually give energy, but it is integrally involved in the process of converting nutrients from food into usable energy within the body.
Red Blood Cell Formation and Anemia Prevention
Vitamin B-12 also plays an important role in the metabolism of red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Without enough B-12, red blood cells may become abnormally large and deformed, which is known as megaloblastic anemia. This often features fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and pale skin due to a lack of healthy red blood cells. The intake of B-12 nutrients is critical to the healthy production of red blood cells and to avoid anemia.
Brain Health and Cognitive Function
Vitamin B-12 plays an immensely important role in maintaining good brain health and preventing cognitive impairment. It helps produce myelin, the covering on nerves protecting them and aiding them to effectively communicate with other neurons. A deficiency of B-12 results in neurological disturbances, including loss of memory, loss of concentration, and mood swings. There is an increasing amount of evidence that has to do with low intake of B-12 being attributed to an increased amount of neurodegenerative diseases associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia. With regard to this particular problem, it is of great importance that optimal levels of B-12 be maintained so that one can have long-term health in terms of cognition.
Nerve Health
Vitamin B-12 also plays a major role in the nervous system. It is needed for synthesis and regeneration of the myelin sheath that surrounds nerves, protecting nerves and enabling nerve impulses to properly travel. Damage to the myelin sheath, called demyelination, manifests in neurological disorders such as tingling, numbness, and weakness. Greater damage can cause irreversible nerve loss if it goes untreated.
Heart Health
Vitamin B-12 also has something to do with maintaining heart health because it minimizes the quantity of homocysteine, an amino acid, in the blood. Too much homocysteine in the body is known to increase one’s risk for cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Besides other B vitamins such as folate and B-6, B-12 assists in breaking down homocysteine, thereby minimizing the problems that could affect the heart. While further research is needed to understand the relationship between
B-12 and heart health, data does exist showing that a good B-12 level supports cardiovascular health.
Mood and Mental Health
Vitamin B-12 is essential for synthesizing neurotransmitters, chemicals that create the impulses that control mood and emotion. Poor levels of B-12 increase the risk for mood disorders, major depressive and anxiety disorders being two. Although some of the findings have been controversial, and a direct link between vitamin B-12 and mood disorders has not been established, observational studies suggest that dietary B-12 intake is directly related to activity in brain regions known to regulate mood. A review of multiple controlled clinical trials reports that supplementing B-12 improves mood and alleviates symptoms of depression only in those deficient in the vitamin.
Explore the Health Benefits of Vitamins for a Healthier You
If you are interested in learning more about the ways that Vitamin B-12 benefits can help you, call the offices of Nenergy Boost today at (424) 485-0626 and we will be happy to get you scheduled.