What Does Vitamin B12 Do?
Vitamins A through Z can get a bit confusing. However, what do you know about B12?
Our team is diving into research to understand this powerful vitamin and figure out what it is doing for consumers!
Many of you may already have solidified vitamine routines. Today, we hope to outline what B12 is and what the benefits of intake look like. From here, the idea is that you will be able to have a general understanding of the vitamin and discuss the decision to take it or not with your primary care physician.
What is B12?
B12, also known as “cobalamin,” is one of 8 different B-vitamins. B12 is recognized as a nutrient that can assist with keeping the nerves and cells of the body healthy and performing regular functions. Moreover, B12 is known for the help it offers to make DNA, or the genetic material in every cell.
Who needs B12 supplements?
There are a handful of people who should consider taking a B12 supplement to maximize on their individual goals.
First and foremost, the internet is crawling with B12 supplements that are turning their marketing efforts towards vegans. While a balanced vegan diet can be an extraordinary way to improve your health, many are known to neglect the understanding it takes to balance a vegan diet well. Because of a plant-based diet without perfect balance, many vegans find themselves with blood tests that show low B12.
Again, while many vegans do get the B12 they need to avoid any immediate health risks, it is important to note that “enough” B12 does not allow a consumer to maximize on the health benefits of having more B12! Countless studies have focused on the vegan diet and B12 consumption – all leading to similar results. For example, lengthy studies show that vegan pregnancies are an example of a time when a balanced vegan diet will still need the addition of a B12 supplement.
Interestingly enough, B12 deficiency is extremely common in America. Truly, there are over 3 million cases reported each year in our country alone! While this condition can be tricky and annoying, it is in no way life threatening if caught and addressed early on. Even in its worst stages, people experience clouded thoughts, mood swings and extreme fatigue.
Identifying who is B12 deficient is tricky because the symptoms mimic that of nearly every other deficiency! This is why blood tests are so crucial to recognizing this issue – it gives doctors and patients a nearly immediate answer.
Needing V.S Wanting B12 – What Can B12 Do for Me?
The average human can benefit from taking additional B12 everyday, even if there is no medical purpose behind it! There is so much research to review when considering what B12 can do for you. Below are some ways to utilize B12 in daily life (these are summarized from this study):
- Natural Energy: Everyone enjoys a morning boost, but sometimes coffee leads to heartburn or crashing. B12 is a natural vitamin that helps your body kickstart without experiencing the feeling of a caffeine crash.
- Beauty: Weird, right? B12 actually boosts the iron absorption in your body while maximizing the production of red blood cells. With both of these in mind, your body is able to address inconsistencies in hair and nails!
- Bone Health: Studies have shown a correlation between B12 deficient patients and low bone density.
- Improve Mood: B12 plays a vital role in synthesizing and metabolizing serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical responsible for regulating mood.
How to take B12.
Thanks to the advancements in science and technology, nutrition administration has come so far. When it comes to B12, this helps consumers astronomically.
It is good to know that we all do not absorb vitamins and nutrients the same way. While some absorb the majority of capsules or tablets, others do not have such an easy time. Now customers have the option to take traditional pills, nano-variations, gummies, dissolvables and lozenges!
However, in some rare cases, customers will still not retain the B12 vitamins they absorb. In this case, medical professionals can guarantee absorption through a minor injection in a fatty area.
How much B12 should you take?
There are many sources with a range of answers to this question. However, pharmaceutical companies have given us insight on the most popular amounts of B12 to consume on a daily basis. The most popular supplement is that with 1,000 micrograms of B12.
While your body does not absorb the majority of this supplement, it makes use of every particle that it can! From there you’ll just pass the excess.
