Introduction
Vitamin B12 is a crucial water-soluble nutrient with numerous health benefits.
In this discussion, we will explore 14 important aspects of how vitamin B12 impacts overall health and well-being, as well as strategies to prevent a deficiency.
Builds red blood cells
One primary function of vitamin B12 is its role in building red blood cells. Found in various foods, particularly red meat, fish, and shellfish, B12 plays a vital role in the formation of red blood cells.
These cells are essential for transporting oxygen and nutrients to all cells and organs throughout the body.
Making DNA for Cell Division
In addition to red blood cell formation, vitamin B12 is crucial for DNA synthesis. Adequate B12 levels are necessary for proper cell division and the maintenance of genetic material within cells.
Insufficient B12 can lead to anemia and disruptions in cell division, causing various health issues.
Skin Health (Preventing Paleness)
The presence of iron and B12 contributes to healthy skin.
These nutrients allow red blood cells to reach the skin’s surface, providing it with a vibrant tone and color.
Conversely, a deficiency in red blood cells results in less hemoglobin, leading to pale, lifeless skin with a hint of a yellow undertone.
Protects Nerves and Myelin
Vitamin B12 deficiency is often observed in individuals with limited meat or fish intake, such as vegans and vegetarians.
This deficiency can lead to the degradation of myelin, the protective coating around nerves. Problems such as tingling, burning sensations, or shooting pains, especially in the extremities, may arise.
Supplementation, particularly with algae-based B12 like chlorella, is crucial for those on plant-based diets.
Protects the heart and arteries
Collaborating with other nutrients like B6 and folate, vitamin B12 plays a role in reducing homocysteine levels.
This process helps maintain the health of veins and arteries, lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases, strokes, and heart problems.
Energy Production (Metabolism)
Insufficient B12 levels are associated with fatigue, tiredness, and pale skin. B12 is instrumental in the energy production process within cell mitochondria.
It aids in the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose, which serves as a primary energy source.
Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for combating fatigue and promoting overall well-being.
Psychological Health (Brain and Cognitive)
The brain requires ample oxygen for optimal function, relying on a healthy supply of red blood cells.
B12 deficiency can result in misshaped red blood cells, leading to memory issues, poor concentration, and links to depression and anxiety.
Ensuring adequate B12 levels is essential for maintaining psychological health.
Supporting Eye Health
A deficiency in vitamin B12 can negatively impact the nerves and blood vessels of the eyes, potentially causing poor eyesight and blurred vision.
Incorporating B12 and iron from whole food sources, such as liver or beef, can nourish the eyes and, when combined with vitamin A, lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration.
Normal nail growth
The benefit number nine is nail growth, and vitamin B12 also helps to supply the nail matrix with oxygen, producing strong, smooth, and healthy nails.
If your nails begin to develop deep ridges, this could sometimes mean that you need more B12 in your diet.
Immunity and Preventing Infections
You need a good amount of oxygen and red blood cells to keep your immune system strong and reduce the risk of infections from things like viruses, bacteria, and the common cold.
You also need zinc, vitamin D, and a range of other nutrients to work with the B12 to keep your white blood cells working as they should.
Supporting Oral Health
B12 also plays a role in supplying oxygen to the tissue in your mouth, throat, and the inside layer of your digestive system.
This can help prevent mouth problems like ulcers, canker sores, and a shiny, swollen, red tongue, which often occur in people with a B12 deficiency.
If you’re a vegetarian, have pernicious anemia, or have some type of digestive damage, taking a methylcobalamin supplement can help overcome these problems.
Preventing birth defects
It’s very important for pregnant women to meet their vitamin B12 requirements, as this is essential for fetal brain development and preventing neural tube defects in the child.
B12 levels often fall by around 30% by the third trimester, raising the chances of having a miscarriage, so you need to keep these levels up.
Nursing mothers who are breastfeeding also need B12 to produce nutrient-rich breast milk for the infant.
Aiding Detoxification
Your body also uses a type of B12 called hydroxocobalamin to bind to harmful substances like cyanide and transport them out of the body.
Larger injections of this are sometimes used in hospitals to treat burn victims suffering from smoke poisoning, as it can help to clear out the toxins in their bodies.
Boosting Muscle Health
By supporting the nervous system and protecting the nerves against oxidative damage, B12 helps to keep your muscles healthy.
People who exercise frequently also need to keep their B12 intake high, as they will require more oxygen than those who are sedentary and not very active.
6 Symptoms of B12 Deficiency
Here are six common symptoms of a B12 deficiency: pale skin around the face, inner eyelids, and gums; deeper than normal vertical ridges on the nails; pins and needles due to nerve problems; a smooth red tongue that becomes a little swollen or enlarged; a fast heart rate, which may mean that your red blood cells aren’t working properly; and weird cravings for things like ice, clay, or dirt, which is common in vegans and those with a severe B12 deficiency.
Now, if you have any of these symptoms, you can go to your doctor and ask for a serum B12 test to measure the level of vitamin B12 in your blood.
Alternatively, you may want to use a home test kit from our sponsor, Let’s Get Checked, to test your B12 levels at home. These kits are very easy to use.
You simply need to take a few drops of blood from your finger and send it off to the lab for analysis. You can use the link below and the code Ryan Taylor 25 at checkout to get a special 25% discount.
Although your B12 levels may be high on some blood tests, sometimes they aren’t being absorbed properly by your cells, causing deficiency symptoms.
How to Raise B12 Levels (and Absorption)
Please remember that this article is for educational purposes only, so please speak with your doctor if you have any medical concerns at all.
Here are some steps you can take to boost your B12 levels and their absorption:
- Eat Foods Rich in B12:Â Consume grass-fed organ meats like beef liver and kidney, beef steaks, clams, oysters, shellfish, sardines, eggs, oily fish, and European cheeses to get your B12.
- Chew Your Food Thoroughly:Â Be sure to chew your food thoroughly and mix it with saliva, as this contains haptocorrin, aiding B12 absorption.
- Plant-Based B12:Â If you’re a vegan, consume chlorella powder, a dried sea algae that is a natural source of vitamin B12. You can also get small amounts of B12 from the bacteria on unwashed organic vegetables and mushrooms.
- Improved Digestion:Â Before meals, drink a glass of water mixed with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. You could also take a digestive enzyme supplement containing bile, pancreatin, and betaine hydrochloride. These aids help activate intrinsic factors and pepsin, essential for absorbing B12 and proteins in the small intestine.
- Heal the Stomach:Â If you have stomach ulcers or gastritis, avoid acidifiers. Instead, drink cabbage juice, wheatgrass juice, or take L-glutamine to heal ulcers. This helps prevent bleeding in the stomach, a common cause of B12 deficiencies. Once healed, resume improving stomach acid from step three.
- B12 Supplements:Â Consider taking a natural supplement called methylcobalamin and avoid cyanocobalamin, which is synthetic. If you’re also taking folic acid, switch to methyl folate to prevent interference with B12 assimilation.
