What is vitamin B12
B12 is a vitamin also known as cobalamin, since in its composition we find a cobalt atom.
It is a water-soluble vitamin, which therefore can easily dissolve in water. It is advised to drink the cooking water of the vegetables in order to increase the intake of water-soluble vitamins and mineral salts.
For the well-being of our body, a daily requirement of 2 or 3 mcg of B12 has been estimated , which we can take with food or vitamin B12 supplements.
Foods rich in vitamin B12 are entrails, such as liver and kidney, shellfish and fish, especially oysters and herring. Eggs and algae, especially spirulina algae, also have a good amount of B12. Some soy-based products or 100% vegetable products, sold in particular for those who have chosen a vegan diet, have a B12 supplement.
What is vitamin B12 for?
This vitamin is essential for the growth and maturation of red blood cells . Vitamin B12 and folic acid, along with other vitamins, also act in the synthesis of DNA and RNA .
Vitamin B12 is also involved in the formation of white blood cells, which are our defenders against external attacks by viruses and bacteria, thus contributing to the health of our immune system.
The nervous system also needs B12 for the creation of the myelin sheath that surrounds our nerves. This vitamin is also essential for the synthesis of neurotransmitters and has analgesic properties, as well as antidepressants and antiallergics.
Finally, it is involved in the metabolism of homocysteine and thus serves to keep the circulating levels of cholesterol in balance, counteracting its deposit along the blood vessels.
Evaluate vitamin B12 values
To find out how much vitamin B12 is present in our body we can use blood tests or hair tests .
In laboratory analysis we can evaluate the presence of circulating B12, of absorbed B12 and of B12 used. Some tests instead evaluate the amount of homocysteine and folic acid, which are directly related to vitamin B12.
A normal level is between 100 and 600 pmol / L and between 130 and 800 ng / L.
Low vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 deficiency in the body can be due to many causes: the main ones are poor dietary intake and difficulty in absorption.
Diets that do not involve the consumption of animal derivatives, such as vegan, seem more at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. It is true that this is also possible with an omnivorous diet, mainly due to dysfunctions, malabsorption or other factors.
In fact, the lack of a glycoprotein that the stomach should produce just to absorb B12 is increasingly common. Moreover this intrinsic factor decreases with age, triggering vitamin deficiencies.
The most common symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are:
> extreme tiredness, weakness and low energy;
> anemia, more or less strong;
> palpitations;
> nausea and vomiting;
> difficult digestion;
> constipation and constipation;
> intestinal gases;
> Crohn's disease;
> lack of appetite;
> nervous system problems, such as dizziness and memory loss;
> mood disorders and anxiety.
High vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 may also be present in excess in our body, although this is a much rarer situation. In this case we will have milder problems, such as acne, but also more serious ones, such as the malfunctioning of the kidneys or some nervous system disorders .
In general, the symptoms of high vitamin B12 are tremors, mood swings, insomnia, swelling, states of anxiety and nervousness . Other possible manifestations are allergic reactions, changes in the heart rate or difficulty in breathing . Even the gastrointestinal tract can show dysfunctions, such as diarrhea and inflammation.
Sometimes laboratory tests can report high amounts of vitamin B12, which however have an inactive chemical structure that is not processed by the body . This happens for example when algae are consumed.
To learn more about whether B12 in the blood is active, therefore, we will also need to evaluate the way the body has used it, reading the homocysteine analysis . In fact, if the values of vitamin B12 are high but those of folic acid are normal and homocysteine is in equilibrium, it is likely that vitamin B12 is in an inactive form.
Finally, high B12 levels are also common in the case of diabetes , or besity, kidney and liver problems.
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