Vitamin B12 is an important vitamin for our system. It is responsible for our tissue health, production of red blood cells, and most importantly, brain function.
Between 1.5 and 15 % of the American population is diagnosed with Vitamin B12 deficiency. B12 deficiency occurs whenever the levels of Vitamin B12 are too low in our system. We know this by the occurring neurological symptoms which can mostly characterize with depression, confusion, memory problems, and fatigue. These are symptoms that can be characteristic for a lot of problems, not just vitamin B12 deficiency. Further occurring symptoms could be a loss of appetite, constipation, and weight loss.
Contents
Well Known Facts about Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B12 is crucial for our brain functions and the reproduction of red blood cells
- It is recommended for people that are over the age of 14 to consume no more than 2.4 micrograms of B12 daily
- If the levels of B12 are too low, you will encounter Vitamin B12 deficiency
- Vitamin B12 can be found in meets, but vegans can obtain this vitamin in the form of supplements and patches
Source: bbcgoodfood.com
Foods That B12 Can be Found in
As mentioned before, Vitamin B12 is mostly found in foods that come from animals such as:
- Beef, Pork, Ham, Poultry, Lamb, Fish (tuna and haddock)
- Dairy products such as Milk, Cheese, Yogurt
- Yeast Products
- Eggs
How to absorb and how much
How much Vitamin B12 you need depends on your age.
- Birth to 6 months: 0.4 micrograms daily
- 7 to 12 months: 0.5 micrograms daily
- 1 to 3 years: 0.9 micrograms daily
- 4 to 8 years: 1.2 micrograms daily
- 9 to 13 years: 1.8 micrograms daily
- 14 to 18 years: 2.4 micrograms daily
- Adults: 2.4 micrograms daily
- Pregnant Teens and Women: 2.6 micrograms daily
- Breastfeeding Teens and Women: 2.8 micrograms daily
Vitamin B12 can be absorbed by the previously mentioned foods. However, you can find it in the form of vitamin patches, which you can stick to your skin and your skin will absorb the vitamins itself. Another way to absorb Vitamin B12 is by dietary supplements. Vitamin B12 can be found in any multivitamins, and folic acid also has a lot of Vitamin B12.
Benefits of Vitamin B12
As we mentioned, B12 is crucial for our brain to function properly, the creation of red blood cells, and in the creation and regulation of our DNA.
It also plays a crucial role in the synthesis of fatty acids and energy production through the metabolism of each cell in our body. It gives us more energy in the day, and if the levels of Vitamin B12 are too low, anemia can occur.
Conclusion
Vitamin B12 is a very important Vitamin for us. Daily consumption is recommended in order to avoid any brain function problems, fatigue, loss of memory, depression, and more. The dosage of daily consumption depends on your age, with newborns and adults having to intake different dosages. Vitamin B12 can be consumed by eating meats, dairy products, as well as, Vitamin B12 supplements, multivitamins, yeast products, folic acid, and Vitamin B12 patches.
Source: nootropicgeek.com
