This vitamin, essential for the functioning of the nervous system and the production of red blood cells, usually decreases in older people, and not everyone knows it. That is why you should be careful with vitamin B12 and the possible deficiencies that may occur with the passage of time. If this happens, it is important to detect it in time to be able to supplement it, according to the corresponding prescription of a health professional.
What is the function of vitamin B12?
Medline Plus reports that vitamin B12 is important for metabolism within the body. It encompasses the processes of energy generation and use, including nutrition, digestion, absorption, elimination, respiration, circulation and temperature regulation.
This vitamin, also known as cobalamin, has vital functions in the human body:
- Production of red blood cells: it thus helps in both the elaboration and maturation of this type of blood cells, in the bone marrow. Its deficiency can produce a megaloblastic anemia, which are more than normal blood cells, do not work efficiently.
- Metabolism and energy: vitamin b12 is crucial for energy metabolism, as it helps in the transformation of carbohydrates into glucose, which is then used by the body as a source of energy.
- Influences on the nervous system: cobalamin is crucial for the central nervous system, as it helps in the production of neurotransmitters, which are responsible for regulating sleep, mood, among other brain functions.
- In addition, it contributes to the formation and maintenance of myelin, which protects nerve fibers; if you do not have enough vitamin B12, nerves can be damaged and trigger neurological problems.
- Impact on the cardiovascular system: cobalamin reduces homocysteine levels in the blood, which is an amino acid that in high levels can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
It also affects the immune system, as it is present in the functioning of the immune system; it also prevents neural tube defects during pregnancy.
Who should be careful with vitamin B12 deficiency?
As the years go by, our body begins to be deficient, so it requires supplements and additives that can replenish what it cannot produce by its own means to continue functioning in an optimal way for health.
In that sense, older adults must have a rigorous control of this vitamin, since its deficiency has multiple impacts on well-being. While there are several multivitamin and fortified foods that can be ideal to supplement what the body cannot produce on its own, in some cases it may require industrial supplements to achieve optimal levels of this important vitamin.
In this regard, the Spanish Vegetarian Union stated: “Excess vitamin B12 is generally not harmful since it is soluble in water. However, an unbalanced intake can lead to other health problems. Supplements should be seen as a complementary solution and not a replacement for a balanced diet.”
Certain groups of people may not consume enough vitamin B12 or may have difficulty absorbing it, according to the National Institute of Health:
Older adults
Some older adults do not produce enough hydrochloric acid in the stomach to absorb vitamin B12 found naturally in foods.
People over age 50 should consume most vitamin B12 from fortified foods or dietary supplements because, in most cases, their body can absorb vitamin B12 from these sources.
Autoimmune disease
It is also reported that certain people who have an autoimmune disease called atrophic gastritis do not absorb enough vitamin B12 because they produce too little hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor in the stomach.
Type of anemia
In turn, people with pernicious anemia do not produce the intrinsic factor needed to absorb vitamin B12. As a result, they have problems absorbing vitamin B12 from food and dietary supplements.
Surgeries and others
Also, certain people who have undergone some surgeries of the stomach or intestine (e.g., operations to lose weight or to remove part or all of the stomach) may not produce enough hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor to absorb vitamin B12.
Stomach issues
People with stomach and small intestine disorders, such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease, may not absorb enough vitamin B12.
Low animal sources
People who eat little or no animal foods, such as vegetarians and vegans, may not get enough vitamin B12 from their diet. Only foods of animal origin are a natural source of vitamin B12.
Foods that help with vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 is found primarily in foods of animal origin, such as fish and shellfish, meat, liver, eggs and certain dairy products such as yogurt, milk and cheese.
For those who are vegans, in order to achieve the desired levels of this vitamin, it is essential that it is reinforced with nutritional supplements that are indicated by doctors, so that they do not cause allergies or have harmful side effects on health.
Some of the symptoms that reflect deficiency are weakness, extreme tiredness and fatigue, anemia and also memory problems.
Importance of going to the doctor to detect vitamin deficiency
To know the general state of our hormones and the functioning of our body it is essential to have regular check-ups that can detect everything that is really missing in the organism.
For example, to know whether or not there is a vitamin B12 deficiency, it is essential to have a blood test for this particular vitamin, which can only be detected in this unique way.
In addition, discovering the insufficiency in time allows actions to be taken to reduce the condition; as opposed to a non-early detection, which can then aggravate a disease.
How much vitamin B12 do I need?
The National Institutes of Health states that “the amount of vitamin B12 a person needs per day depends on his or her age”.
Therefore, for babies up to 6 months old, 0.4 mcg corresponds to 0.4 mcg; babies from 7 to one year old, 0.5 mcg; children from 1 to 3 years old, 0.9 mcg; from 4 to 8, 1.2 mcg; from 9 to 13, 1.8 mcg; for adolescents from 14 to 18, and adults require 2.4 mcg; pregnant women 2.6 mcg and breastfeeding women, 2.8 mcg.
Therefore, it is essential, knowing these doses, to be able to perform various analyses, and if not, to make the corresponding consultation to supplement either with food or with an industrial tablet.
