The Benefits of Vitamin B12
Food Supplements > > The Benefits of Vitamin B12
Vitamin tablets are critical food supplements when we don’t get the required daily amount that’s necessary for good health through the foods that we eat. Since vitamin deprivation can lead to a variety of health risks, those who are unable to derive an adequate amount of vitamin intake from their foods should integrate these food supplements into their daily nutrition regimen.
One of the primary functions of Vitamin B12 is to aid in the formation of red blood cells. To that end, the lack – or diminished level – of this vitamin in your system can cause a disruption in the body’s natural red blood cell formation, which will produce abnormal cells, resulting in anemia. The production of these abnormal cells – known as megaloblasts – can be staved through the use of food supplements, such as Vitamin B12 capsules.
Your physician may test you for anemia, and recommend a food supplement, if symptoms such as fatigue and depressed immunity to illness occur, or if you present yourself in his or her office showing signs of listlessness, paleness and breathlessness. Some may exhibit the additional symptoms of menstrual abnormalities or soreness of the tongue.
In addition to the formation of red blood cells, Vitamin B12 – in its natural form or as a food supplement – is also responsible for maintaining a healthy nervous system. Fat layers which protect the nerves – composed of a protein called myelin – will break down and cause nerve damage when the presence of this vitamin is lacking in the system, causing nerve damage. Without Vitamin B12, or a synthetic food supplement rich in this vitamin, myelin will not be generated and
Since the most common cause of the depletion of this vitamin is due to the body’s failure to absorb it from the intestine, changes in your diet may not be enough to battle the possible adverse effects of the deficiency. In such cases, Vitamin B12 injections may be required, as opposed to an oral food supplement.
Sources of Vitamin B12
While Vitamin B12 can be obtained through a variety of foods, the most reliable sources are meats, eggs and dairy products. Currently, there are no known sources of foods within the plant family that can provide adequate levels of this vitamin, and are, therefore, seen as unsafe sources of Vitamin B12.
Food supplements such as vitamin tablets and injections spring to mind when we envision aids to natural vitamin intake. However, those who eat unwashed vegetables that have been grown utilizing human feces as fertilizer can contain a high amount of this vitamin, since human excrement has the ability to contain large amounts of it, due to the fact that the large intestine produces the vitamin in large quantities. Since it can’t be absorbed through the lining of the colon, it passes
Vegetarians must take great care to incorporate foods that are rich in Vitamin B12 into their diet, or rely on a food supplement to maintain normal levels in the body. Certain types of eggs, milk and cheddar cheese can provide a certain amount of B12, but some foods are fortified with it during the manufacturing process. These include veggie burgers, soya milks, breakfast cereals, vegetable margarine, sunflower margarine and yeast extracts.
While we all need a sufficient amount of Vitamin B12 in our daily diets, and may require food supplements if adequate levels are not present, high intakes of it are believed to be toxic and could present a danger to our overall health.