Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 Latest News

Researchers report that a specially grown form of the blue-green algae can produce biologically active vitamin B12 at levels comparable to beef, a finding that could reshape how scientists think about sustainable nutrition.

About Vitamin B12

• It is a water-soluble vitamin. 
• It is also called cobalamin.
• It is a vitamin the body uses to make and support healthy nerve cells. 
• It’s also used to make healthy red blood cells and the genetic material inside cells called DNA. 
• The human body cannot produce B12 on its own, so it must be obtained through foods high in vitamin B12 or supplements. 
• It is naturally found in animal foods such as fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products. 
• It is not present in plant foods unless fortified.
• The body stores vitamin B12 in the liver. 
• The body can store vitamin B12 for 2 to 5 years, and it can get rid of any excess or unwanted vitamin B12 in the urine.
• Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Deficiency is most common in people who:
  • Are over the age of 50
  • Follow a vegetarian or vegan diet
  • Have had stomach or intestinal surgery, such as weight loss surgery
  • Have digestive system conditions such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease
  • Have pernicious anemia, an autoimmune condition that occurs when your body destroys cells in your stomach that make an intrinsic factor, which is needed to help your body absorb B12 efficiently.
• Low levels of B12 can cause:
  • Anemia
  • Loss of balance
  • Numbness or tingling in the arms and legs
  • Weakness
  • Dementia due to metabolic causes

Source: STD

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