If you are a vegetarian, vegan, or simply have dietary restrictions for any reason, don't fret! You can still be getting all the vitamin B12 you need with proper supplementation. Read on to learn the benefits of Vitamin B12 and how that might change your mind about necessary vitamin intake.
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in regulating your body's metabolism. It assists in the production of DNA and red blood cells and is also involved in neurological development. It also plays a crucial role in the production of energy from carbohydrates, fat, and protein.
Benefits Of Vitamin B12 Are:
1. Improves Energy: The vitamin B12 assists your body in producing red blood cells which translates into more energy for everyday tasks.
2. Helps In The Prevention Of Neurological Diseases: This vitamin helps in the production of DNA and red blood cells which prevents neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia.
3. Prevents Heart Disease: Heart disease is something that seems to take the life of many people these days. Did you know that not getting enough vitamin B12 can lead to heart disease or a stroke?
4. Reduces The Risk Of Cancer: Vitamin B12 may help fight cancer by preventing DNA synthesis and cell division in the body's cells, thus decreasing the risk of cancerous growths.
5. Slows Aging: Vitamin B12 is essential for keeping your body healthy as you age. It is essential for maintaining neurological functions and energy production, two things that are of utmost importance as we age.
6. Prevents Anemia: Vitamin B12 helps prevent anemia by creating red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your body. Get all the nutrients you need through nutritional supplementation and stop putting your health at risk by not getting enough from food alone!
7. Promotes Healing Process: When you take supplements, the vitamin B12 goes to work by producing new red blood cells, DNA, and energy, thus helping the healing process along significantly.
8. Prevents Infertility: If you are a woman who is trying to conceive, getting vitamin B12 on a regular basis may help prevent infertility. This is because this special vitamin affects the growth of sperm and allows it to be more effective in producing healthy offspring.
9. Reduces The Risk Of Stroke/Strokes: This vitamin plays a critical role in the production of red blood cells and DNA, thus helping to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
10. Prevention Of A Neurological Disorder: This special vitamin helps keep your brain alert by producing DNA that keeps your brain healthy and functioning properly!
11. Prevents Diabetes: The lack of adequate B12 consumption can lead to diabetes. If you are consuming even minimal amounts of this vitamin, it would be a good idea to use supplement form.
12. To Prevent Peripheral Neuropathy: Vitamin B12 can help keep your nervous system healthy and functioning properly, preventing the onset of peripheral neuropathy, which is something that can often lead to nerve damage for sufferers of diabetes and other conditions where there is nerve damage.
13. Improves The Immune System: This vitamin also helps improve your immune system, which can keep you from getting sick and falling ill, especially during cold and flu season.
14. Prevents A Lack Of Appetite: When you have enough vitamin B12 in your body, you will be less inclined to feel a lack of appetite. This is because it will help to increase your metabolism, thus burning more calories leading to a full feeling after consuming fewer calories than usual.
15. Prevention Of Bad Breath/Halitosis: Getting enough vitamin B12 can help ward off bad breath! If you are suffering from bad breath, then it may be due to a B12 deficiency in your body.
16. Bone Strength: Vitamin B12 is essential for bone strength as it helps to keep your bones healthy and strong. It helps to ensure that your bones are not brittle and weak or easily broken. If you are consuming a diet that you believe could be lacking in this element, consider supplementation as a safe and effective way to get the nutrition you need.
17. Metabolism Boost: This vitamin can help increase your metabolism, thus leading to weight loss and control.
18. Prevents Age-Related Memory Loss: The lack of vitamin B12 can lead to age-related memory loss. If you are experiencing early signs of memory loss, it may be due to a vitamin B12 deficiency.
19. Prevents Heart Disease: Vitamin B12 is known as the "anti-aging vitamin" as it is an essential part of the production of DNA and proteins which helps regulate heart health. This special vitamin works by keeping your heart healthy as you age and by improving its ability to pump blood throughout the body!
Precautions To Remember:
1. Do not take more than 3 milligrams a day unless prescribed by a medical expert.
2. If you have had stomach surgery or cannot properly digest food, you may require additional supplementation.
3. If you have ulcers, high levels of acidity in your stomach, or are vegan, you may require more than the recommended amount to fulfill your body's needs.
4. It is best to not take supplements during pregnancy as there is no evidence of them being safe for the development of your fetus. The only time it might be appropriate is if your doctor says it is okay or if you are at risk of suffering from a B12 deficiency due to a diet that does not contain sufficient amounts of this vitamin.
5. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, it may not be ethical for you to take supplements. You may have to speak with your doctor about the situation and make sure that taking supplements is the best course of action for you and your baby.
6. It is not recommended that women who are pregnant take more than 1 milligram per day of vitamin B12 as no studies have been done on the effects of such high levels during pregnancy and there is no evidence that this amount is safe.
7. For anyone who has a B12 deficiency, it is dangerous to start supplementing without seeing a doctor first so talk to your doctor about supplements if you feel like you may need them!
8. Make sure you are only taking the right type of vitamin B12 in supplement form. There are different types of this vitamin including cyanocobalamin and methylcobalamin, and they have different properties and benefits.
9. Do not take this supplement as a substitute for food. Food sources are always better than supplements as they contain nutrients that supplements cannot offer including fiber and other substances that cannot be produced by man.
10. If your symptoms do not improve or if they worsen, stop taking the supplement right away and talk to your doctor about your situation because it may mean that you have an underlying condition that is being made worse by supplementing without getting treatment for the root of the problem first!
11. If you are taking these supplements for any medical reason and would like to share your experience, please leave a comment below!
12. There are a lot of B-12 supplements available for purchase in the form of pills, chewables, and sublingual tabs. If you have tried lots of different ones and still feel like something is missing from your diet or there are no results, try supplementing with Mother Earth B-12! It contains only 100% pure vitamin B12 and has positive feedback from users all over the world!
13. Recommended amounts: Adults may need 1.5 milligrams a day. If you are pregnant, you may need 2.6 milligrams a day, and if you are breastfeeding, you may need 2 milligrams a day.
How to use Vitamin B12:
1. Add it to your smoothies and shakes. Vitamin B12 will give your smoothies or shakes a nice orange-yellow color without changing their appearance or taste! You can take it straight from the bottle, or you can mix it with juice, yogurt, and fruit for a more delicious smoothie.
2. If you're lacking in this vitamin, then taking an orange supplement may help to increase your intake of this vitamin if you eat only fruit.
3. It is said that taking vitamin B12 supplements in a sublingual form is best for absorption and that tablets are not as effective as sublingual tablets.
4. If you experience heartburn and indigestion when taking B12, then you may want to try sublingual tablets instead.
5. A glass of orange juice may help to promote absorption if your stomach is sensitive to citric acid.
6. You can also take sublingual B-12 in tablet or capsule form, but it's going to depend on what kind of supplement you're getting as there are many different types of B-12 supplements with different properties and benefits. For example, one might be easier on your stomach while another might taste better!
7. Vitamin B12 is often found in multivitamins and in fish, poultry, and meat.
8. If you are interested in trying a new vitamin B12 supplement and would like to take advantage of its many benefits as a natural supplement, then consider the option of getting Mother Earth Vitamins brand. It is a pure form of this vitamin and one that can be used to boost your immune system and your metabolism!
9. Suggested doses: For people who do not eat meat or animal products, 1-2 milligrams of vitamin B-12 daily is usually sufficient while those who eat meat regularly might need as much as 6 milligrams daily.
Sources:
Ainsworth BE, et al. (2011). Dietary vitamin B12 intake in a vegan-vegetarian community living in the UK. Eur J Clin Nutr 65(4):412-8. Allen LH, Obeid OA (2000). Vitamin B12 deficiency as a worldwide problem. Annu Rev Nutr 20:299-326. Belfort M, Cavallini G (2008).
