Vitamin B12, also known as Cobalamin, is an essential water-soluble vitamin that encompasses several crucial functions in the body.
Water-soluble means that the vitamin always needs water to dissolve for absorption. Water-soluble vitamins, including vitamin B12, cannot be stored by the body. Therefore, you cannot build up a reserve. Only fat-soluble vitamins can be stored by the body. For this reason, you need to replenish your vitamin B12 level every day to avoid a deficiency. The body cannot produce vitamin B12 itself, so it must be obtained through food or supplements.
Vitamin B12 is important for the proper functioning of your brain, thereby aiding concentration, memory, learning performance, mental balance, and mood. But it does much more for your health. Vitamin B12 contributes to a normal energy metabolism, reduces fatigue, enhances fitness, aids in the production of red blood cells and thus the transport of oxygen throughout your body, ensures the normal functioning of the immune system, proper functioning of the nervous system, normal homocysteine metabolism, the process of cell renewal, and good resistance. It is no wonder that it is the most well-known vitamin from the B-vitamin family!
The importance of each B-vitamin can vary depending on factors such as age, gender, diet, and lifestyle. A balanced diet with sufficient B-vitamins is essential for maintaining optimal health. A vitamin B12 deficiency is more common than generally assumed. There are several reasons for a vitamin B12 deficiency. The main reason is that many people do not get enough from their diet, either because they eat too few animal products, or because absorption in the intestines is hindered for some reason. This can be the case if you have ever had intestinal surgery. Older adults often have more difficulty absorbing vitamin B12, leading to a deficiency. This is because, with aging, the production of stomach acid can decrease.
Also, the use of metformin, a medication used by type 2 diabetes patients, can lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency with long-term use. Additionally, medications such as antacids, cholesterol-lowering drugs, antibiotics, and gout medications can also cause a vitamin B12 deficiency.
A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause various symptoms, including fatigue, reduced appetite, tingling, numb fingers and toes, muscle cramps, balance problems, memory loss, concentration problems, inflamed tongue, menstrual issues, and depression.
One underlying reason for the late recognition of a vitamin B12 deficiency is that the symptoms and their severity can vary from person to person. One person may only experience mild fatigue, while another may have psychological issues such as concentration problems or severe symptoms like depression. Additionally, research has shown that overweight is also associated with low vitamin B12 levels.
For some of these symptoms, other causes are often considered first. For instance, depression is more quickly associated with a vitamin D deficiency. Muscle cramps are more often attributed to a magnesium deficiency, and fatigue to an iron deficiency. This can cause a vitamin B12 deficiency to go unnoticed. In the long term, this is problematic for the proper functioning of the brain and nerves. It is quite possible to have a vitamin B12 deficiency without immediately noticing it.
However, there are more and more foods on the market that are fortified with vitamin B12, such as breakfast cereals, plant-based milk, and meat substitutes. The vitamin B12 added to breakfast cereals and other fortified foods is often synthetically produced in a laboratory and is generally less well absorbed by the body.
Beef liver and organ meats are among the most nutrient-dense foods when it comes to vitamin B12. Therefore, all of our natural supplements are an excellent addition and a smart choice for your diet, providing vitamin B12 in its highly bioavailable natural form. This ensures efficient absorption and utilization by the body. Due to the very high vitamin B12 content, all Nannar supplements, can offer a great solution to support overall health, and if you have symptoms that may indicate a vitamin B12 deficiency or if you consume few animal products. Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, which means the body can easily excrete excess amounts through urine. So, any excess is simply urinated out when your body does not need it. Vitamin B12 has no maximum intake level (no upper limit per daily dose).
