What is Vitamin B12?
B12 is also known as cobalamin. It is a vitamin which is of great importance in the production of red blood cells (red blood cells) of the body. It is very important in maintaining the health of the body as a whole. However, vitamin B12 is only available through external nutrients. It is not a vitamin that the body can produce itself. Therefore, individuals need to pay great attention to their nutrition and pay attention to healthy balanced and regular nutrition. Symptoms of B12 deficiency are observed when not enough is taken..
Benefits of Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 protects nerve cells and reduces the risk of depression and Alzheimer’s disease in older ages. When taken with folic acid, it prevents risky situations in pregnancy. When taken together with B6 and folic acid, it has a preventive effect on vascular occlusion and heart disease.
Vitamin B12 can also increase fertility, contribute to cell formation, facilitate the development of nerve endings, strengthen memory and help to learn.
B12 Deficiency Symptoms
Vitamin B12 can only be taken from animal foods. Meat, milk, cheese, eggs and fish are foods that contain vitamin B12. Low consumption of these foods is one of the most important causes of B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency can signal:
- Anaemia,
- Fatigue and fatigue,
- Loss of strength and numbness in hands and feet,
- Imbalance,
- Incontinence,
- Loss of appetite,
- Mood disorders,
- Tongue burning and taste loss,
- Contractions,
- Cardiovascular diseases due to prolonged deficiency.
B12 deficiency, one of the most important causes of anaemia, should be treated. In certain cases, vitamin B12 treatment continues for a lifetime. If treatment is discontinued, discomfort recurs. Inadequate absorption in the body also causes B12 deficiency. Vegetarians, pregnant women and people who have problems with the absorption of the gastrointestinal tract can often encounter this problem.
Importance of Vitamin B12
Increases energy production by making DNA synthesis helps to transport oxygen in the blood. Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, provides regular functioning of the nervous system and fights the negative effects of smoking. Proteins are essential structures for the body. Vitamin B12, a protein, increases body energy production, improves oxygen levels in the blood, increases fertility, accelerates cell formation and promotes the development of nerve endings. This protein, which is found in animal foods, is high in egg, milk, fish, sheep and turkey meat and rabbit meat. Plants are rare, so vegetarian nutrition patterns are unhealthy.
What Causes B12 Deficiency?
- Implementing a vegan or vegetarian diet
- Non-consumption of foods rich in vitamin B12
- Eating disorders (anorexia neurosis, bulimia neurosis)
- Continuous application of wrong diets
- Some drugs used
- Advancing age
- Stomach reduction operations
- Inability to consume foods rich in B12 due to food allergies
- Stomach and intestinal problems, diseases
- Pregnancy
What are the Symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency?
- When vitamin B12, which is effective for the intestines, is depleted, this study either slows down or runs fast. Therefore, the intestine is either difficult to dissolve or dissolves quickly. It causes two different digestive problems, such as constipation and persistent diarrhoea.
- Vitamin B12 is necessary for the nerve endings to work more healthily and to provide exchange within the body. However, when vitamin B12 is depleted, nerve cells cannot give enough stimulants to the brain, which increases brain fatigue. Mental disorders such as stress and tension increase.
- B12 vitamin deficiency is one of the reasons why the body’s resistance to diseases decreases. This is the reason why permanent flu and fatigue occur.
- The most prominent symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are nail breakage and hair loss. When the weakened nerve cells cannot grow the necessary vitamins and minerals to dead cells in the body, the renewed stem cells become weaker. This causes breakage or spillage.
- The weakening of muscles and bones, as well as rapid depletion of body energy during the day.
- Rarely, the body’s heart rate increases. Because sweat glands work fast, flushing and sweating are frequently experienced. It does not occur depending on the weather.
- Increased sensation of tingling and burning in hands and feet, as well as difficulty in speaking and memory retardation, are among the most serious symptoms.
What are Daily Vitamin B12 Needs?
The need for vitamin B12 can be obtained from animal tissues. Loss of vitamin B12 is more common in people who consume vegetable-derived nutrients. B12 deficiency can also be seen if food is stored and cooked incorrectly. Daily vitamin B12 requirement is 2 mcg. During pregnancy and lactation, the need for B12 increases to 2.6 mcg.
What are the Foods that Contain Vitamin B12?
In a normal healthy human, the amount of B12 in the blood is around 150 pg/ml. When this amount falls below 80 pg/ml, B12 deficiency can be mentioned. It is recommended to take 2.4mcg vitamin B12 daily with foods. B12 deficiency is generally seen after absorption disorders, inadequate and unbalanced nutrition, the use of medications such as omeprazole, glyphor, metmorphine and stomach surgeries. In case of insufficiency, it is recommended to consume foods rich in B12. Vitamin B12 is only found in foods of animal origin.
- Liver, spleen offal
- Shellfish such as mussels, clams, shrimps
- Trout, herring, mackerel and tuna
- Milk, yoghurt, cheese
- Eggs are among the richest sources of vitamin B12.
Treatment of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
In the treatment of B12 deficiency, the cause of the deficiency should be determined. If dietary B12 deficiency is the cause of the deficiency, it is very common in vegan diets. A B12 vitamin pill or sublingual tablets are recommended. However, if the patient develops insufficiency due to the absorption of vitamin B12, the use of tablets or pills does not contribute to the treatment. In case of insufficiency due to absorption problems, vitamin B12 supplementation with the needle should be performed. B12 pills produced in the form of 1000 mcg or 500 mcg tablets exceed the daily B12 requirement. The use of 1000 mcg tablets twice a week is sufficient to prevent deficiency.