Vitamin B12: an essential nutrient for well-being
Essential for our body, it performs several functions: from the production of red blood cells to energy metabolism
Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is a vitamin essential for our body, involved in many fundamental biological processes. Unlike many other vitamins, our body is not able to produce it itself, making us dependent on external intake through food or supplements.
What is vitamin B12 for?
Vitamin B12 plays a crucial role in several body functions, including:
- Production of red blood cells: It is essential for the formation of red blood cells, the blood cells that carry oxygen to all tissues. A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia, characterized by larger than normal red blood cells and anaemia
- Nerve function: Vitamin B12 is involved in the synthesis of myelin, a substance that protects nerve fibers. A deficiency can lead to neurological damage, with symptoms such as tingling, numbness, difficulty concentrating and memory disorders
- Energy metabolism: Vitamin B12 helps convert food into energy, helping to maintain constant energy levels
- DNA synthesis: It is critical for DNA replication and cell division
Where is it?
Vitamin B12 is found mainly in animal foods, such as meat, fish, dairy products and eggs (especially yolk). Vegetarians and vegans may find it difficult to meet their vitamin B12 needs through the diet and may need supplements. Some fortified plant foods, such as some cereals and vegetable drinks, may contain added vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 deficiency
A vitamin B12 deficiency is detected when blood tests show that it is below a certain range. Ideal vitamin B12 values usually range from 200 to 950 picograms per milliliter of blood (pg/ml). Below is considered a vitamin B12 deficiency, while above an excess of it. In case of deficiency it is necessary to supplement the vitamin through oral or injectable administration, depending on the severity of the deficiency and the underlying cause.
The symptoms of deficiency
The main symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are:
- Asthenia and fatigue: Feeling of persistent tiredness and lack of energy
- Pallor: Due to reduced red blood cells
- Dizziness and dizziness: Due to reduced oxygenation of the brain
- Gastrointestinal disorders: Loss of appetite, nausea, constipation or diarrhea
- Neurological changes: Tingling and numbness in the limbs, difficulty in concentration, memory disturbances, depression, irritability
- Myalgia: Muscle pain.
The causes of the shortage
The causes of vitamin B12 deficiency can be multiple, including:
- Inadequate diet: A diet poor in vitamin B12-rich foods, such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, can lead to deficiency, especially in vegetarians and vegans
- Malabsorption: Some medical conditions, such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease and atrophic gastritis, can interfere with the intestinal absorption of vitamin B12
- Drugs: Some drugs, such as antacids and diabetes drugs, may reduce the absorption of vitamin B12
- Advanced age: As we age, our ability to produce the intrinsic factor, a protein needed for vitamin B12 absorption, may decrease