The Benefits of B12 Vitamins

Vitamin B12 Research

The eight B Vitamins are lumped under the same name because they all play a role in cell metabolism – in other words, they all ensure that the various systems in the body have enough energy to function. They differ in their scope and range, as well as in their sources, but all are necessary for bodily health. The body produces energy in many ways, and each B Vitamin has its own place.

Vitamin B12 and Supplementation

Vitamin B12′s place extends primarily through the blood and within the nervous system. It is also necessary for the production of DNA. Known as cobalmin due being centered around a cobalt ion, vitamin B12 can be found in most animal products. Generally, if you eat any meat at all, you aren’t at risk for contracting Vitamin B12 deficiency; however, there are two classes of people who are at risk and should definitely consider B12 supplementation.

As the body ages, some people are unable to utilize the B12 found in animal products. As such, B12 supplementation could be useful for people over sixty. Some of the conditions associated with B12 deficiency in the elderly include memory loss, dementia, and other cognitive disorders, as well as pernicious anemia, characterized by weakness, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

If you’re a vegan, vegetarian, or have chosen not to eat animal products, you’re in danger of developing B12 deficiencies similar to those suffered by the elderly. Vitamin B12 is the only one of the B vitamins that can’t be acquired from plant products. Many vegan products claim to be fortified with vitamin B12, but be wary! Spirulina, a common B12 supplementation and healthy in its own right, doesn’t actually replicate the activity of vitamin B12 within the body. Using a cyanocobalmin or hydroxocobalmin supplement would be a better idea to ensure that you’re getting the nutrition you need.

Forms of Vitamin B12 in Supplementation

The two major types of supplemental B12 are cyanocobalmin and hydroxocobalmin. The difference between the two is: one is cheaper, more widely used, and less effective (cyanocobalmin), the other is more expensive, more effective, and can treat a broader range of conditions. If you suffer from cyanide poisoning or if you suffer from the more severe form of pernicious anemia known as megaloblastic anemia, your doctor will likely prescribe hydroxocobalmin.

As an informed consumer, all you need to know when you’re reading the label on the bottle is:

a) hydroxocobalmin stays in the body longer than cyanocobalmin, and is thus a more efficient form of vitamin B12

b) if you smoke, cyanocobalmin is likely not going to give you the same benefits as hydroxocobalmin, due to the cyanide from the cigarette smoke clogging up your body. Cyanocobalmin’s effectiveness is predicated on the lack of cyanide in the body.

Vitamin B12 and Blood Health

As mentioned, a vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anemia, which stems from a lack of blood. Vitamin B12 plays a role in the synthesis of blood cells – specifically, it helps to ensure that there’s enough energy to produce the blood that’s needed to keep the body oxidated.

In addition, it helps to reduce the levels of homocysteine in the blood. Homocysteine is often implicated in a number of cardiovascular conditions and diseases like thrombosclerosis, heart attacks, and stroke.

Vitamin B12 and Nervous System Health

B12 plays a vital role in the production of myelin, which insulates and protects nerve cells. B12 deficiency causes nerve cells’ myelin sheathes to deteriorate, which research has linked to a number of degenerative diseases, notably Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia.

A lack of myelin has also been implicated in a number of other diseases and conditions, such as impaired sense of touch or impaired reflexes. Research in a number of these areas has shown that B12 supplementation can help to treat these conditions.

B12 is necessary for the production of neurotransmitters, associated with maintaining a steady mood and being able to concentrate, among other things. Lack of B12 can thus lead to depression, mania, and other psychological conditions associated with neurotransmitter deficiency – and vitamin B12 supplementation can help treat these conditions.

History of and Research Behind Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 was discovered mostly by accident in 1920, when scientist John Whipple was researching foods that would treat anemia in dogs. He found that beef liver was most effective. When two other scientists, George Richards Minot and William Murphy, tried to isolate the element that treated the anemia, they found that it was iron. However, in the process, they discovered that liver juice cured pernicious anemia in humans, but had no effect on dogs. Twenty years later, chemists Karl A. Folkers and Alexander R. Todd isolated B12 from the liver juice, discovering the actual substance used within the body.