What Vitamin B does for you
Being a water soluble vitamin, you can find b12 in many foods. What Vitamin B12 does that is so vital to the human body is helping to maintain a proper red blood cell formation. It is also an excellent source of support for neurological functions. B12 is essential for our bodies cellular energy production. It is found in high protein food such as fish, meat and dairy. Often there is very little B12 to be found in plant-based foods, therefore adding a b12 supplement to one’s diet if they are vegetarian or vegan can be a necessity.
Understanding Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Not having enough B12 can cause one to start feeling weak, fatigued, loss of weight and even loss of appetite. This is seen quite often with vegetarians and even the elderly, most of the time it is due to the fact they are not getting enough of the vitamin from any meaty proteins. Some of the biggest noticeable signs of being B12 deficient is weakness and fatigue, this happens due to the body not having enough B12 to bolster its red blood cells count, with a low red blood cell count less oxygen is being transported through the body and gives the feeling of fatigue and weakness. What Vitamin B12 does is helps get more oxygen to the body and can decrease or eliminate the fatigued feeling.
Another common deficiency that can be seen with low B12 in the body is mood changes, In the study “Vitamin B12 for Cognition” researchers looked into “ association between neuropsychiatric disorders and vitamin B12 deficiency” what they found was more low levels of B12 had a higher likelihood to display mood and brain disorders.
Benefits
What Vitamin B12 does to your diet when you add a supplement, you also make it more difficult for heart and blood vessel diseases to take root. B12 also helps to control homocysteine in the blood, an amino acid, high levels of homocysteine can lead to heart disease. By making sure you are getting enough B12 you are taking preventive measures to stop it before it has a chance to take hold.
Even if you are not B12 deficient, there is little to no evidence that it can be over consumed, so if you feel less energetic during the middle of day or are experiencing random mood swings, adding a B12 vitamin right be the next move to start getting ahead of these pesky symptoms. Along with keeping your nerve and blood cells healthy the benefits of a B12 supplement help many aspects of healthy body functions.
Sources:
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-b12/art-20363663
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-b12-deficiency-symptoms#section9
