HEALTH BENEFITS OF VITAMIN B12
To better understand the importance of this vitamin, here are its most significant health benefits:
1. Prevents Heart Disease and Stroke
Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., taking some extra measures to protect your heart is something everyone should consider. New research has discovered that increased levels of homocysteine is a higher risk factor for heart disease than cholesterol. This non-protein α-amino acid can create inflammation if there’s a lack of vitamin B12. In other words, this vitamin reduced the levels of homocysteine, and with that the risk of heart disease and stroke.
2. Prevents Nerve Damage
Nerves have a natural covering called myelin sheath whose primary purpose is to protect them from toxins and free radical damage. Without this protective covering, nerves can be easily damaged and killed which can result in nerve-related disorders. This is because dead nerves are interrupting the transmission of signals to and from the brain.
3. Supports Energy
Vitamin B12 stimulates the production of energy by keeping your cells happy, healthy, and well-fed. Insufficient amounts of this vitamin starve your cells, making you tired and weak. The metabolism requires vitamin B12 to convert carbs into usable glucose – an essential participant in the production of energy. Therefore, if you’re deficient in this vitamin, you are more likely to suffer from fatigue.
4. Helps Digestion
This vitamin aids in the production of digestive enzymes, thus helping the breakdown of foods in the stomach and supporting a healthy metabolism. It helps foster healthy gut bacteria and removes the harmful bacteria in the digestive tract. This, in turn, prevents inflammatory bowel disease, candida, and other digestive disorders.
5. Helps Produce Erythrocytes and Prevent Anemia
Since this vitamin helps the production of erythrocytes, it can prevent megaloblastic anemia which is manifested by weakness and chronic fatigue.
6. Good for Bones
This vitamin is recommended for osteoporosis patients and anyone who suffers from bone conditions as they have higher levels of homocysteine than those with healthy bones. As we already mentioned, vitamin b12 can reduce the levels of homocysteine, which makes it an ideal supplement for these patients.
NATURAL SOURCES OF VITAMIN B12
Here are the foods which contain the highest levels of this vitamin:
- Beef and chicken liver— 81 milligrams in 3 ounces
- Salmon— 19.5 milligrams in 108 grams (1 filet)
- Herring— 18.7 milligrams in 143 grams (1 filet)
- Mackerel — 15.3 milligrams in 3 ounces
- Sardines— 13.3 milligrams in 1 cup
- Tuna — 9.3 milligrams in 3 ounces
- Trout — 9.1 milligrams in 1 filet
- Organic yogurt— 1.3 mg in 1 container of plain Greek yogurt
- Turkey — 1.1 milligrams in 3 ounces
- Raw milk— 1 milligram in 1 cup
- Beef tenderloin— 0.9 milligrams in 3 ounces
- Lamb — 0.8 milligrams in 3 ounces
Other non-vegan sources of this vitamin include cereals, cheese, nutritional yeasts, plant-based milk (soymilk, almond milk, and coconut milk).
As you can see, vitamin B12 plays an important role in our overall health and can protect us from various health problems and diseases. That’s why recognizing the early symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency is crucial to treat it as soon as possible and prevent further health complications.
Credit: Quicknhealthypoints.com