Lost your va va voom? Been feeling fed up or lacking in energy for a while? Maybe, like many people, you are missing out on the benefits of vitamin B12.
What is vitamin B12?
The two forms of vitamin B12 which are active in human metabolism are methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin (cobalamin indicates that they contain cobalt). Humans cannot make vitamin B12 ourselves, so we must source it in food, where the highest levels are found in grass-fed red meat, grass-fed dairy, and wild fish. Modern diets of ultra-processed food and plant-based diets, low in animal products, increase the risk of B12 deficiency.
Low B12 is different from pernicious anaemia, an autoimmune disease which results in a severe B12 deficiency. This condition must be diagnosed by a health practitioner and can be treated with injections of B12.
What are the benefits of an optimal B12 level?
- Balances your mood – regulates production of compounds which help us deal with stress and regulate mood.
- Improves cognitive function – B12 deficiency can increase the risk for attention disorders, Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s disease.
- Increases energy levels – helps your body use glucose to produce the energy you need.
- Protects cardiovascular health – lowers homocysteine levels which are a major risk factor for cardiovascular issues. B12 also reduces build-up of plaques in arteries.
- Boosts skin and hair – B12 is essential for healthy cell reproduction, which reduces hair breakage, strengthens nails and reduces skin redness, dryness and acne blemishes.
- Aids digestion – B12 plays a role in the production of digestive enzymes, which are needed to extract all nutrients from our food and to create a healthy gut microbiome.
- Reduces the risk of birth defects – required for DNA synthesis in the creation of new cells. Low B12 increases the risk of birth defects such as neural tube defect.
- Reduces nerve damage – B12 stimulates regrowth of nerve cells after injury.
Signs you may be missing the benefits of vitamin B12:
- Feeling constantly tired or fatigued
- Muscle aches or weakness
- Numbness or a feeling of pins and needles
- Shortness of breath or dizziness
- Poor concentration or memory loss
- Mood changes, like increased depression and anxiety
- Heart problems or palpitations
- Bleeding gums, a persistent sore tongue or frequent mouth ulcers
- Skin rashes
Who’s at risk of low B12?
- People who don’t get enoughB12 in their diet. Good dietary sources of B12 include red meat, organ meats and dairy products. If you change your diet before you notice signs of deficiency, because the body stores B12 and it may take several years to deplete those stores.
- People who have low levels of stomach acid. For example, older adults who tend to produce less stomach acid, or people regularly taking indigestion medication, such as proton pump inhibitors.
- People with digestive disorders which may reduce absorption of B12 in the gut. Such as people with celiac or Crohn’s disease. Also those people with inflammation of the digestive system, like alcoholics or chemotherapy patients.
- Smokers are also at higher risk because nicotine can block absorption.
What are the best food sources of B12:
- Grass-fed beef
- Organ meats
- Wild caught fish
- Nutritional yeast
- Organic, grass-fed dairy products
- Free-range eggs
What should you look for in a supplement?
If you are experiencing some of the symptoms or have one or more of the risk factors mentioned, you may benefit from supplementing your vitamin B12 intake. A short course of B12 will allow you to assess whether your symptoms improve. Good quality supplements all provide B12 in the form methylcobalamin, as this is the form found in food, which means it is more easily absorbed by the body. We have a range of options to suit your preference and requirements, including sublingual, drops, and capsules. For those who are working with a practitioner and need higher doses, we also offer and injectable B12, which is only available as hydroxocobalamin.
A generally recommended dose is 1000mcg a day. If you are deficient, a higher dose of B12 may be needed and, in certain cases an injection may be necessary. The body does not store excess B12 but excretes it in the urine. Methylfolate works synergistically with B12 and it is a good idea to take 400mcg of methylfolate alongside your B12 supplement.
More information about B12
Check out this article on the impact of B12 deficiency from Alliance for Natural Health
For a questionnaire to check whether you may be deficient and for more information about B12, see this link to the B12 Deficiency Support Group
