Vitamin B12 is one of eight B vitamins that play essential roles in your health. B12 is needed for neurological function, red blood cell production, metabolism, and DNA synthesis. Having a vitamin B12 deficiency can impact health in a number of ways.
B12 is naturally concentrated in animal products like meat, fish, and eggs, and is also added to some plant-based foods, like fortified breakfast cereals.
Even though B12 is found in many commonly consumed foods, some people need to supplement with B12 in order to maintain healthy levels of this nutrient.
Here’s everything you need to know about B12 supplements, including health benefits, safety, side effects, and how to choose the best B12 supplement for your needs.
Benefits of B12
B12 is a water-soluble nutrient. This means that your body doesn’t store B12 in large amounts and excretes whatever it doesn’t need through the urine. Because B12 isn’t readily stored, your body requires a steady supply of B12 in order to perform vital processes like energy production and normal nerve function.
Most healthy people following unrestricted diets consume enough B12 to maintain optimal blood levels. However, certain medical conditions, medications, dietary restriction of B12-rich foods, and even normal aging can affect the body’s B12 levels and its ability to absorb B12 from food sources.
People who can’t maintain healthy B12 levels through diet alone need to take B12 supplements in order to meet their daily requirements for this vitamin.
Here are some ways in which B12 supplements benefit health.
Can Increase B12 Levels and Treat B12 Deficiency
One of the top benefits of B12 supplements is their ability to effectively increase B12 levels in the body.
There are several reasons why a person may be unable to maintain optimal levels of B12 on their own.
As many as 30% of older adults are unable to properly absorb B12 from food due to changes in stomach acid and decreased production of a protein called intrinsic factor, both of which are needed for B12 absorption.
Commonly prescribed medications such as acid reflux medications and antidiabetic drugs can deplete B12 levels. Additionally, people with certain medical conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and those who follow restrictive diets, such as vegan diets often develop low B12 levels.
For people who are unable to maintain healthy B12 levels on their own, a B12 supplement can help increase blood levels of this important nutrient and protect against B12 deficiency-related health issues, including macrocytic anemia a blood disorder that impacts red blood cell production.
Can Reduce Homocysteine Levels
Homocysteine is an amino acid naturally found in your body in low amounts. B12 helps break down homocysteine and turn it into other compounds that your body needs. If you don’t have enough B12 in your system, homocysteine builds up in your blood.
High homocysteine levels increase inflammation and oxidative stress, a condition caused when your body’s antioxidant defenses are overwhelmed by reactive oxygen species, which are substances that cause cellular damage when levels get too high in the body.
High homocysteine has been linked to an increased risk of several health conditions, including heart disease, cognitive decline, and depression.
Supplementing with B12, along with other nutrients involved in the regulation of homocysteine, like folate, can significantly reduce homocysteine levels and therefore reduce disease risk associated with high homocysteine.
A 2022 review of 8 studies found that supplementation with B12 , B6, and/or folic acid led to a 31.9% average reduction of homocysteine levels in people with mild cognitive impairment.
May Benefit People with Depression
B12 plays important roles in brain function and is necessary for the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and dopamine, which play important roles in mood regulation. What’s more, B12 keeps homocysteine levels in check, which is essential for healthy brain function.
Research shows that having low B12 levels increases the risk of developing depression.
A 2021 study in older adults found that having low or deficient levels of B12 increased the risk of developing depression by 51% over four years.
Supplementing with B12 may help prevent the onset of depression and improve symptoms in people with depression. A 2023 review concluded that supplementing with B12 may be effective for reducing depression symptoms and improving the effectiveness of antidepressant medications.
Supports Brain Health
Having low levels of B12 can negatively affect brain health by increasing homocysteine, which promotes nerve cell inflammation and oxidative stress. Supplementing with vitamin B12 may help protect against oxidative stress-related cellular damage, which has been linked to a number of chronic diseases, such as cognitive decline.
Studies suggest that supplementing with B12 may help preserve brain function and delay cognitive impairment in older adults.
A 2022 review found that B12 supplements helped slow cognitive decline in older adults, especially when people started taking the vitamin earlier in life.
Good Sources of B12
B12 is naturally concentrated in animal foods and is added to some plant-based foods, like cereals, through food fortification.
Here’s some of the best food sources of B12:
- Cooked beef liver: 23.5 mcg per ounce, or 981% of the DV
- Cooked clams: 17 micrograms (mcg) per 3-ounce serving, or 708% of the daily value (DV)
- Fortified nutritional yeast: 15mcg per 2 tablespoons, or 630% of the DV
- Cooked salmon: 2.6mcg per 3-ounce serving, or 108% of the DV
- Ground beef: 2.5mcg per 3-ounce serving, or 106% of the DV
- Whole milk Greek yogurt: 1.04mcg per 7-ounce container, or 43% of the DV
- Eggs: .5mcg per whole cooked egg, or 19% of the DV
Even though B12 is found in certain fortified foods, like nutritional yeast, plant-based milks, and breakfast cereals, people following strict plant-based diets may have a difficult time reaching their daily B12 needs through diet alone.
Studies show that people following vegan diets are much more likely to develop a B12 deficiency compared to people who consume animal products. If you’re following a vegan diet or a restrictive diet that limits most natural sources of B12, it’s recommended that you supplement with B12 or a B complex vitamin in order to prevent deficiency and maintain healthy B12 levels.
This crticle comes from https://www.health.com/vitamin-b12-7252832
Post time: Apr-07-2023