Vitamin B12 - What You Need To Know

One of the eight B vitamins, vitamin B12 is a water-soluble nutrient that is vital to the body's overall wellbeing

. It contains the element of cobalt and as a result one of the formal or scientific names for vitamin B12 is "cobalamin". Unlike many vitamins, B12 is not found in animals or plants. In fact, it is exclusively produced by bacteria. When animals consume plants or drink water contaminated by these specific bacteria, the vitamin ends up being stored in their body, mostly in the liver.

Vitamin B12 assists the body in more ways than one although one of the key functions it performs is to help in the making of red blood cells. These cells help deliver oxygen to the body's vital organs, including the heart and brain. This oxygen is important in providing you with the necessary energy to get through each day. Vitamin B12 also assists in white blood cell production, which is crucial to keeping the immune system strong, which in turn keeps the body healthy.

Another way vitamin B12 benefits the body is by properly maintaining the nervous system and helping to keep nerve cells healthy, which keeps the brain functioning the way it should. The B12 vitamin also assists in the creation and regulation of DNA, which is present in every cell in the body. Since this nutrient is also a very powerful antioxidant, it helps fight off free radicals which researchers have said can lead to cancer.

It is imperative that your body gets some vitamin B12 each and every day. This particular nutrient helps in the metabolisation of food so it can be turned into energy for the body to use. More specifically, it does this by helping turn carbohydrates into glucose - when the glucose is released into your system, it gives you energy. Many people who experience fatigue and low energy often have an absence of vitamin B12 in their body which ultimately comes from having a poor diet.

Vitamin B12 is an important nutrient that everyone should have in their diet - it can be found in meat, fish, dairy, and eggs. If your lifestyle does not permit some of these B12 rich foods, it's important to take a supplement that will top up your daily requirement. By making sure you do have enough vitamin B12 in your body, you can avoid permanent nerve damage with associated symptoms like pins and needles, numbness, tingling, memory loss, attention deficit disorder, depression, dizziness, fatigue and mood swings.

by: Jeremy Potter

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