Life is hard, life is busy, life is full of expected and unexpected occurrences that can drain our energy levels by the end of the day. There are times when fatigue hits you and hits hard. For many, it’s a number of things that are just hard to shake off; irritability, feeling run down by midday, low energy levels, memory loss, feeling sluggish can be symptoms of something a bit more than just restlessness. Vitamin B12 is a vitamin that is essential in maintaining a healthy brain and immune system, it plays an important role in helping the body make red blood cells and is one of the several B vitamins essential in converting food into glucose. Why is this information important? The reason why we don’t recognize important problems in our health until too late is because we’re either busy or too bothered to notice, two very wrong approaches to finding the result of a problem.
It’s very common to hear things such as “get some rest and you’ll be fine. You should take some vitamin C. Have some chocolate to give you a boost of energy. You’re too skinny that’s why… etc.” There’s more to it than just taking a nap and getting a needed energy boost, there’s an underlying problem in situations where it’s constant. How is vitamin B12 involved? Low levels of vitamin B12 are often overlooked, it’s a powerhouse and your metabolism won’t run smoothly if it’s not within sufficient rates. As a society who loves their food, we are under extreme pressure to eat healthy, stop eating dairy products, go gluten-free, eat more greens, go vegan and try this and that. Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products. Individuals whose diets are high on plant based food might need to tweak their diets a bit to include foods such as eggs, beef, turkey, chicken, dairy and shellfish. Why? A serving of each can give your body close to 100 percent of your RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances is the quantities required to maintain good health).
There are those who use the 10/10/80 diet plan, the goal is to get 80 percent of carbs from fruits, vegetables and plant based proteins, all vegan diets, diets free from dairy and so many low protein, low meat intake diets are at risk of vitamin B12 shortage. Men and women older than 50 who have difficulties absorbing vitamin B12 naturally, people with GI tract problems and celiac disease sufferers are also at risk. It is a matter of concern but in this day and age, after checking with physicians and after confirmation of a blood test, individuals with a shortage of vitamin B12 need to take supplements and fortified cereals and foods, a great replacement to meats and dairy for example.
Foods that are high in vitamin B12 include:
- Cooked clams (top source), oysters, crab,
- Beef liver and red meat.
- Fish (salmon, tuna, trout)
- Breakfast cereals
- Turkey meat
- Chicken and eggs.
- Dairy products (cheese, milk, yogurt…)
- Fortified cereals
The majority of food sources for the vitamin are available from animal sources only. Though many might think that eating red meat daily can be harmful, physicians always recommend to eat in moderation and not depravation. It’s an essential nutrient to insure good brain function, a healthy nervous system, blood formation, bone marrow health and DNA synthesis/regulation.
Your metabolism won’t be the only good result from normalizing your vitamin B12 levels, a number of key factors of a healthy body also benefit from these good levels. This vitamin plays a major role in creating energy, prevents nerve damage by providing a protective cover from toxins, protects the heart and entire cardiovascular system, delays early onset of osteoporosis and helps improve serotonin levels that regulate your mood.
In 2008, the WHO released conclusions of a Technical Consultation on folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies, based on data on the prevalence of folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies derived from small and local surveys from a number of countries that suggest that deficiencies of both these vitamins may be a public health problem that could affect members of their society and children, as well as have future repercussions. The study finds that children who suffer development delays as a result of severe vitamin B12 deficiency tend not to fully recover. School-age children with poor vitamin level status had lower scores at school and lower cognitive performances. One possible symptom of vitamin B 12 deficiency is hair loss.
The WHO’s best strategy to improve vitamin B12 intake is to promote the consumption of foods rich in it. Advocacy programs will facilitate in aiding individuals to find local food sources and promote their use. When in doubt, check your food labels, monitor your diet and keep in touch with your physician to see if you require supplements or simply an increase in some of the foods mentioned above. All in all, making sure that your vitamin and minerals are in check is a sure way to keep your body healthy not just for the now, but for the long run as well.
It’s very common to hear things such as “get some rest and you’ll be fine. You should take some vitamin C. Have some chocolate to give you a boost of energy. You’re too skinny that’s why… etc.” There’s more to it than just taking a nap and getting a needed energy boost, there’s an underlying problem in situations where it’s constant. How is vitamin B12 involved? Low levels of vitamin B12 are often overlooked, it’s a powerhouse and your metabolism won’t run smoothly if it’s not within sufficient rates. As a society who loves their food, we are under extreme pressure to eat healthy, stop eating dairy products, go gluten-free, eat more greens, go vegan and try this and that. Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products. Individuals whose diets are high on plant based food might need to tweak their diets a bit to include foods such as eggs, beef, turkey, chicken, dairy and shellfish. Why? A serving of each can give your body close to 100 percent of your RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances is the quantities required to maintain good health).
There are those who use the 10/10/80 diet plan, the goal is to get 80 percent of carbs from fruits, vegetables and plant based proteins, all vegan diets, diets free from dairy and so many low protein, low meat intake diets are at risk of vitamin B12 shortage. Men and women older than 50 who have difficulties absorbing vitamin B12 naturally, people with GI tract problems and celiac disease sufferers are also at risk. It is a matter of concern but in this day and age, after checking with physicians and after confirmation of a blood test, individuals with a shortage of vitamin B12 need to take supplements and fortified cereals and foods, a great replacement to meats and dairy for example.
Foods that are high in vitamin B12 include:
- Cooked clams (top source), oysters, crab,
- Beef liver and red meat.
- Fish (salmon, tuna, trout)
- Breakfast cereals
- Turkey meat
- Chicken and eggs.
- Dairy products (cheese, milk, yogurt…)
- Fortified cereals
The majority of food sources for the vitamin are available from animal sources only. Though many might think that eating red meat daily can be harmful, physicians always recommend to eat in moderation and not depravation. It’s an essential nutrient to insure good brain function, a healthy nervous system, blood formation, bone marrow health and DNA synthesis/regulation.
Your metabolism won’t be the only good result from normalizing your vitamin B12 levels, a number of key factors of a healthy body also benefit from these good levels. This vitamin plays a major role in creating energy, prevents nerve damage by providing a protective cover from toxins, protects the heart and entire cardiovascular system, delays early onset of osteoporosis and helps improve serotonin levels that regulate your mood.
In 2008, the WHO released conclusions of a Technical Consultation on folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies, based on data on the prevalence of folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies derived from small and local surveys from a number of countries that suggest that deficiencies of both these vitamins may be a public health problem that could affect members of their society and children, as well as have future repercussions. The study finds that children who suffer development delays as a result of severe vitamin B12 deficiency tend not to fully recover. School-age children with poor vitamin level status had lower scores at school and lower cognitive performances. One possible symptom of vitamin B 12 deficiency is hair loss.
The WHO’s best strategy to improve vitamin B12 intake is to promote the consumption of foods rich in it. Advocacy programs will facilitate in aiding individuals to find local food sources and promote their use. When in doubt, check your food labels, monitor your diet and keep in touch with your physician to see if you require supplements or simply an increase in some of the foods mentioned above. All in all, making sure that your vitamin and minerals are in check is a sure way to keep your body healthy not just for the now, but for the long run as well.
