Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that supports bone health, red blood cell formation, energy levels and mood. Your body can’t manufacture this vitamin, also known as cobalamin, so eating a well-rounded, nutritious diet or taking a supplement can help ensure you’re meeting your needs.
According to Healthline, B12 is naturally found in animal products and is added to certain foods. It’s also available as a supplement or injection. A simple blood test can measure B12 levels in your body. Levels are considered low if below 200 pg/ml and high if above 900 pg/ml. Lack of this vitamin is associated with dementia, brain atrophy, various neurological disorders, neuralgia, and bursitis. Some experts suggest that the optimal level of vitamin B12 should be at least 500 pg/ml.
Here are some important health benefits of vitamin B12:
- Prevents anemia. Vitamin B12 helps your body make healthy red blood cells. When the level of this vitamin is deficient, the blood cells change shape, making it difficult for them to travel from the bone marrow into the blood stream to oxygenate your vital organs. This results in megaloblastic anemia causing fatigue and weakness.
- Helps ensure a healthy pregnancy. Adequate vitamin B12 levels are crucial to a healthy pregnancy, says Healthline. Deficiency in the beginning stages of pregnancy can result in neural tube defects, and low maternal vitamin B12 levels may contribute to premature birth or miscarriage.
- Supports bone health. Studies have shown that low levels of vitamin B12 were linked to decreased bone mineral density that could eventually lead to osteoporosis.
- Reduces risk for macular degeneration. Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin B12 may lower your risk for age-related macular degeneration, a disorder that blurs central vision. Studies found that supplementing with this vitamin lowered homocysteine levels in the blood. Elevated levels of this type of amino acid have been linked to an increased risk of macular degeneration.
- May improve your mood. Experts believe that vitamin B12 helps synthesize and metabolize serotonin, a chemical that regulates mood. Research shows that supplementation may help improve mood in people with an existing deficiency.
- Protects the brain. Several interesting studies have found an association between low levels of vitamin B12 and symptoms mimicking Alzheimer’s disease, says Verywell Health. Some have shown that low B12 levels are linked to atrophy or shrinkage of the brain. While there is no conclusive evidence that B12 supplementation can prevent Alzheimer’s disease, research does say that good nutrition, including adequate levels of vitamin B12, makes a difference in our brain health.
- Boosts energy. If you are deficient in vitamin B12, taking a supplement or increasing your intake of this nutrient through food will likely improve your energy levels. One of the most common early symptoms of B12 deficiency is fatigue or lack of energy.
- Protects your heart. High levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood may increase the risk of heart disease. People who are significantly deficient in vitamin B12 have elevated homocysteine levels. Studies have shown that adequate levels of this vitamin or taking a supplement helps decrease homocysteine levels which may, in turn, reduce the risk of heart disease.
People most at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency include older adults, people with gastrointestinal disorders, those on a strict vegan diet, those who take metformin to control blood sugar and those taking proton pump inhibitors for chronic heartburn. Experts recommend taking a sublingual supplement of this water-soluble vitamin such as Nature Made Sublingual Vitamin B12 1,000 mcg or a similar product. Foods rich in vitamin B12 include organ meats, clams, sardines, beef, fortified cereal, tuna, salmon, and eggs.