make a use of vitamin b12

Make A Use Of Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is one of the eight
vitamins in the B complex. The
human body assimilates it from
dairy products, eggs and meat, and
there are few vegetable food
sources for it. Scientists report that
some seaweed and an alga like
spirulina contain very high amounts
of this nutrition element.
What it serves for!
Vitamin B12 has a major function in
the red blood cells production and
the maintenance of the nervous
system. This vitamine contributes
to the rapid cellular division and the
synthesis of DNA. Children and
adults depend on it for good health.
As for the aid it provides to the
nervous system, it helps to the
metabolism of fatty acids, which
play a crucial role to the
maintenance of myelin.
Vitamin B12 deficiency
The body can store small amounts
of this vitaminic element, most of it
in the liver. The bile excretes and
reabsorbs it into a circuit that is
known as enterohepatic circulation.
If you don't get enough of this
vitaminic element from your diet,
you are likely to develop anemia
or neurological problems, although
problems can appear within twenty
years from the switch to a B12-
deficient diet.
Deficiencies are more common with
vegans and vegetarians and
symptoms may include anemia
with excessive tiredness, poor
immune function, pallor, menstrual
disorders and breathlessness.
Prolonged deficiency of vitamin
B12 can also lead to permanent
neurological damage.
Balance your diet!
Meat, eggs and dairy products are
the most important sources of B12
vitamin. Nevertheless, mention
must be made that yogurt
fermentation or milk boiling could
destroy this vitamin. As for
vegetable sources, there is not
sufficient data to support the use of
spirulina as a dietary supplement to
compensate for this vitaminic
element diet deficiency.
There are studies that suggest that
spirulina contains B12 analogues,
which are compounds with a similar
structure to B12. Scientists do not
know whether these analogues are
good or bad, but there are chances
for these substances to compete
with the real vitamin B12 and
actually inhibit its metabolism. This
means that on the long run, a B12
vegetal supplement could do more
harm than good.
Special mentions!
Nutritionists have reached a
consensus that no vegetal sources
for vitamin B12 are reliable, and
therefore vegans and vegetarians
are advised to consume foods
fortified with it. Fortification applies
to yeast extracts, soya milks,
breakfast cereals, vegetable and
sunflower margarines.
Pregnant women do not have
special needs for vitamin B12, while
nursing mothers require a higher
daily intake because of the
lactation. There is no toxicity
associated with higher vitaminic
element intakes.