Vitamin B12
With the recent popularity of the vegan lifestyle, many people move away from meat, fish, poultry and dairy products and seek to obtain their protein from beans and nuts. A fit of vegetarian anger is a wonderful option for people aware of animals that are discouraged by the idea of eating something that used to be alive. The vegan lifestyle is producing a population of generally healthy and thin people. It is also contributing many cases of vitamin b 12 deficiency within that population.
What is Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is an essential water-soluble vitamin, that is, it dissolves in water and must come from an external source since the body cannot synthesize it.Vitamin B12 can be stored in the body for many years, which is why vitamin B12 deficiency is relatively rare. The body will absorb the number of vitamin B12 it needs, and the rest will pass through the urine.
Vitamin B12 role in the body
Vitamin B12 is used in many body functions, including red blood cell formation, cell metabolism, nerve function, and production of DNA.It also helps with folic acid absorption.
Red blood cells are formed in the body continuously, and without vitamin B12 this cycle would not be feasible.
This is particularly important for a pregnant woman whose plasma volume will rise by up to 50%, and the red blood cell counts up to 30% during pregnancy.
Especially essential for breastfeeding mothers is the intake of vitamin B12, particularly if the baby is only breastfed.
How much vitamin B12 do I need?
According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended dietary allowances for vitamin B12 are as follows:
0-6 months: 0.4 mcg
7-12 months: 0.5 mcg
1-3 years: 0.9 mcg
4-8 years: 1.2 mcg
9-13 years: 1.8 mcg
14+ years: 2.4 mcg
Pregnant women: 2.6 mcg
Lactating women: 2.8 mcg
Source: National Institutes of Health
Which foods are good sources of vitamin B12?
Foods that are rich in vitamin b 12 are foods rich in protein such as beef, chicken and fish. Dairy products are also rich in vitamin b 12 and people who give up meat, fish and dairy find a deficiency that has serious adverse effects on the body, including pernicious anaemia. Pernicious anaemia is a condition in which the body loses red blood cells and can cause nerve damage.
Doctors point out that children who follow a vegetarian diet often develop pernicious anaemia. The condition can be treated with injections of vitamin b 12, but it is necessary for people to maintain a continuous level of vitamin in their systems. Stored nutrients prevent the individual from completely losing all vitamin reserves if he returns to a vegetarian lifestyle.
A deficiency of vitamin b 12 can also cause significant nerve damage. A common treatment for autism, a neurological disorder, is to add nutritional supplements to the autistic person's diet. Many families swear that supplements result in fewer tantrums and less self-stimulatory behaviours, such as fluttering and stimulating hands.
Taking supplements is the ideal approach to avoid any possible deficiency. The good news is that an overdose of vitamin B 12 is almost impossible. The nutrient is soluble in water and passes through the urine. The bad news is that the body does not retain the nutrient in its cells for a long time, so it is necessary to continue taking supplements constantly.
Another good news is the amount required for daily intake. We need relatively low amounts of vitamin b 12 in our diet to get the benefits of the nutrient. And adults can find a full-day supply of vitamins in a cup of milk, an egg and a four-ounce serving of meat. A vegetarian would need to look for a supplement.
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