Healthy Blood Cells with Vitamin B-12
Vitamin B-12 is one of the lesser-known vitamins, but it’s one of the vital ones. Many people are not aware of its sources or functions simply because it isn’t often talked about. This vitamin can be found naturally in foods such as shellfish, meat, fish, and dairy products like milk or yogurt. One person can easily get their daily needed intake of this important vitamin through simple meals such as a chicken breast and one cup of yogurt. The function of vitamin B-12 is to help promote healthy red blood cells and nerve cells. This vitamin can also contribute to the creation of DNA.
Since vitamin B-12 is stored in the body over a period of many years, deficiency is quite rare. In most cases, elderly people are typically more susceptible to a vitamin B-12 deficiency. Certain people may have difficulty absorbing the vitamin, which can also lead to a lack of the necessary amount in the bloodstream. This is a type of anemia known as pernicious anemia. Vegetarians and vegans are also in potential danger of becoming B-12 deficient since they typically don’t eat the foods containing high amounts of the vitamin such as chicken or dairy products.
If someone is vitamin B-12 deficient, it can lead to many different health problems such as low blood pressure, anemia, and even dementia. In fact, studies have shown that insufficient amounts of B-12 can actually lead to psychological problems including psychoses and mood swings. An important fact about B-12 supplements is that they are not usually well absorbed by the body in pill form. Most vitamin B-12 supplements are in liquid form and are taken under the tongue. This is known as a sublingual vitamin. For people with extreme deficiencies, an injection of B-12 is given to the patient monthly or even weekly, administered by a physician.
Fortunately for most people, vitamin B-12 is abundant. Over 80 percent of it is stored in the liver. There are several ways to ensure your intake is sufficient. If you want to get more of this important vitamin into your system, you may eat more clams, tuna, haddock, trout, salmon, pork or chicken, or drink more milk. Getting enough of this important vitamin can help to prevent fatigue and ensure healthy red blood cells. Some studies even suggest that women with a deficiency are more prone to breast cancer, so this very essential vitamin should be taken into consideration as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
