Vitamin B12 is one of the eight B complex vitamins. These vitamins are considered essential to human health because of their roles in important cellular processes including metabolism, blood circulation and cognition.

Vitamin B12, in particular, supports the production of DNA strands that hold vital genetic material. It also assists in the production of red blood cells, the integral component of blood.

Health benefits of vitamin B12

Take a look at how vitamin B12 benefits our bodies:

1. Energizes – Vitamin B12 boosts the production of red blood cells. This helps reduce the risk of anemia, a condition that can cause fatigue and feelings of sluggishness.
2. Improves heart health – Vitamin B12 works alongside other B vitamins (B6 and B9) to inhibit arterial stiffness, a biomarker of heart disease.
3. Protects brain cells from inflammation – Vitamin B12 helps produce a substance called myelin that insulates brain cells to protect them from inflammation.
4. Promotes balance – People deficient in vitamin B12 tend to experience loss of balance, walking difficulties and tingling in their legs. These are often signs of nerve damage due to a lack of vitamin B12.
5. Supports oral health – Vitamin B12 is essential to good oral health. People with low levels of vitamin B12 are prone to oral issues including mouth ulcers and glossitis, a kind of tongue inflammation.
6. Maintains vision – Vitamin B12 is also reported to protect the optic nerve from inflammation and damage that can lead to macular degeneration and blindness.
7. Reduces the risk of dementia – Studies suggest that the beneficial effects of vitamin B12 on the brain also protect it from age-related mental decline and dementia.
8. Prevents jaundice – People deficient in vitamin B12 are often reported to develop jaundice due to problems in red blood cell production.
9. Promotes gut health – Low levels of vitamin B12 are also reported to cause digestive issues like constipation and diarrhea. In some cases, it can even lead to sudden weight loss and a decreased appetite.
10. Calms nerves – Vitamin B12 is reported to have a calming or soothing effect on the nerves. In fact, scientists report that pregnant women who ate more foods rich in vitamin B12 had calmer babies than those who didn’t.

Clean and nutritious sources of vitamin B12

People of all ages can become deficient in vitamin B12, in which case the following can be observed: cognitive difficulties, poor balance, numbness, jaundice, anemia, constipation, weight loss and fatigue or general weakness. In severe cases, shortness of breath and increased nervousness can also occur.

Oftentimes, people who are deficient in vitamin B12 are those that do not consume enough foods rich in the said nutrient. Vegans and vegetarians, in particular, face an increased risk of low vitamin B12 levels since most sources of the nutrient are animal products. That said, this can be remedied through vitamin supplementation.

With that, here are 12 foods rich in vitamin B12:

1. Organ meats
2. Clams
3. Sardines
4. Beef
5. Fortified cereal
6. Tuna
7. Yeast
8. Trout
9. Salmon
10. Plant-based milks
11. Milk
12. Eggs

Vitamin B12 is essential for cognition and DNA production. To avoid nutritional deficiencies, eat foods rich in vitamin B12 as part of a balanced diet. People with severe nutritional deficiencies and malabsorption, as well as those who follow vegan and vegetarian diets, are encouraged to take supplements.

Read more articles about vitamin B12 and other B complex vitamins at Nutrients.news.

Sources:

BestHealthMag.ca

Healthline.com