Some people claim that vitamin B-12 will boost your: However, when speaking before Congress in 2008, Susan B. Shurin, M.D., deputy director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, countered these claims. She testified that vitamin B-12 could do all of these things for people who are deficient in the vitamin. However, no clinical evidence suggests that it can boost energy in people who already have ample stores of it. Vitamin B-12, or cobalamin, is a nutrient you need for good health. of eight B vitamins that help the body convert the food you eat into glucose, which gives you energy. Vitamin B-12 has a number of additional functions. need it for the: production of elements of DNA production of red blood cells regeneration of bone marrow and the lining of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts health of your nervous system, which includes your prevention of megaloblastic anemia The amount of vitamin B-12 you need is primarily based on your age.
recommended daily amounts of vitamin B-12 are: birth to 6 months old: 0.4 micrograms (mcg) 7-12 months: 0.5 mcg 1-3 years: 0.9 mcg 4-8 years: 1.2 mcg 9-13 years: 1.8 mcg 14-18 years: 2.4 mcg 19 and older: 2.4 mcg pregnant teens and women: 2.6 mcg breast-feeding teens and women: 2.8 mcg Vitamin B-12 is naturally in foods that come from animals, including: It also may be in some fortified cereals and nutritional yeast. Although most Americans get enough vitamin B-12, some people are at an increased risk of vitamin B-12 deficiency, particularly those who: take prescription antacids, anti-seizure medications, colchicine, or chemotherapy medications are vegans and don’t eat meat or dairy products have an immune dysfunction have a history of bowel disease, such as gastritis or The symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency include: The most serious condition associated with vitamin B-12 deficiency is
This is a chronic blood disorder in which the bone marrow produces overly large, immature blood cells. As a result, the body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. Older adults are in the age group that’s most likely to be deficient inAs you age, your digestive system doesn’t produce as much acid. This reduces your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B-12. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that more than 3 percent of adults over age 50 have seriously low levels of vitamin B-12. The survey also says that up to 20 percent of older adults may have borderline levels of vitamin B-12. Evidence indicates that vitamin B-12 has many benefits for people as they reduce your risk of a heart attack and stroke offer protection against Alzheimer’s disease You should be aware of vitamin B-12 in your diet, but you don’t need to be overly concerned about if you’re not in an at-risk group.
nutrients, it’s best if you can get the vitamin B-12 you need from the food youFor ample stores of vitamin B-12, eat a well-rounded diet that includes: A simple blood test can determine the B-12 levels in your body. stores are low, your doctor may prescribe a supplement. is available in pill form, in tablets that dissolve under the tongue, and in a gel that you apply to the inside of your nostrils. In some cases, your doctor may recommend using injections to increase your vitamin B-12 levels. A headache can often leave you down for the count and reaching for the stash inside your medicine cabinet. Dr. Oz has all-natural...Vitamin B-12, along with the seven other members of the B vitamin complex, aids the body with its metabolic functions, thus earning it the reputation as a vitamin that can provide energy. A micronutrient, vitamin B-12 is only needed in small amounts in the body, and on its own, it is not guaranteed to be an effective energy booster. Vitamin B-12 is commonly found in animal sources, such as eggs, milk and milk products, shellfish and poultry.
For those who abstain from eating meat, consider taking a vitamin B-12 supplement to ensure you receive sufficient amounts in your daily diet. Along with producing new red blood cells, vitamin B-12 helps with regulating nerve transmissions and synthesizing DNA. Lesser functions in the body include helping to create hormones, lipids to help build cell membrane structures and protein. In some cases, vitamin B-12 can be used as an energy source for metabolic functions. Vitamin B-12 is essential to energy production in the body, but there is no documented proof that it alone provides a quick-fix energy boost, like a shot of caffeine. Vitamin B-12 can, in some cases, reduce feelings of tiredness and weakness associated with megaloblastic anemia. This type of anemia occurs when there is insufficient oxygen being brought to cells to produce energy for the body, leading to poor DNA synthesis in red blood cell production and a consequent decrease of hemoglobin levels in the blood. Megaloblastic anemia can occur when there is not enough vitamin B-12 or folic acid in the body.
A daily dose of 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B-12 is sufficient for healthy male and female adults. This level of intake means that you should have sufficient levels of vitamin B-12 in your system to help sustain healthy metabolic function, reducing the likelihood of fatigue or weakness as a result of a poor metabolism. But low energy levels can be a result of a number of factors, and having healthy vitamin B-12 levels in your body will not guarantee more energy. If you suffer regularly from fatigue and low energy, speak with a medical professional as this may be a symptom of a larger health concern. Taking extra vitamin B-12 as a possible energy source is redundant because it is a water-soluble vitamin. This means that excess amounts of vitamin B-12 -- anything your body does not need -- will be excreted out of the system. Vitamin B-12, like all vitamins, are not individual cure-alls for ailments. Vitamins do not have a direct function in the body, and so they should not be considered as immediate energy sources.