Vitamin B12

Weekly Scripture:
"Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;" Doctrine and Covenants 89:12

Weekly Quote:
"The first wealth is health." Emerson

I was talking to my mom a few weeks ago and she mentioned something about wanting to know more about Vitamin B12. I believe my grandma had to get monthly shots of this vitamin in the last years of her life, and my mom was worried that maybe she, herself, has a deficiency of it. I wanted to know more about this vitamin, and when I overheard my brother-in-law mention that he was getting his vitamin B12 for the day as he loaded his plate up with meat at a restaurant buffet, my curiostiy was peaked.

So I turned to the internet and found a couple of good resources: http://www.vegsoc.org and http://ods.od.nih.gov. They were simple, easy to understand, and answered many of my questions about the vitamin.

What is Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is one of the B-complex vitamins necessary for maintaining good health. It is also known as cobalamin because it contains cobalt. It is needed in the body for synthesis of DNA and red blood cells, for maintenance of the nervous system, and for the growth and development of children.

Sources of Vitamin B12

B12 is synthesized by bacteria and is found mainly in meats, eggs, and dairy products. Researchers are unsure if there are any vegetable sources of it, so these cannot be relied upon. According to 2 suveys taken 10 years or so ago, most people in the US consumme recommended amounts of vitamin B12. However, there is a concern for vegetarians who avoid all animal products. They must take extra care in their food choices to ensure they are getting the recommended amounts of B12, especially those who are pregnant or nursing. There are many food products that are supplemented with B12, such as breakfast cereals, soy milks, textured vegetable protein, some margarines, and vegie burger mixes.

Bacteria in the colon produce B12 in our bodies, but it is thought that this is not a good source because the large intestine does not absorb many nutrients. However, in less developed countries that use human feces as fertilizer, vegetables grown in these soils and are faecally contaminated are responsible for a good supply of B12.

Vitamin B12 Deficiencies

Deficiencies of Vitamin B12 show general symptoms which could be signs of other problems, so evaluation by a doctor is required before diagnosing B12 deficiency. Symptoms include anemia, fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, weight loss, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, difficulty maintaining balance, depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory, and soreness of mouth and tongue. In infants, signs may include failure to thrive, movement disorders, delayed development, and megablastic anemia.

How Vitamin B12 Works

Vitamin B12 is bound to protein in food, which is released in the stomach by hydrochloric acid. It then combines with a substance the body makes called Intrinsic Factor (IF). It is then able to be absorbed in the small intestine and put to use by the body.

Problems arise sometimes in older people who are no longer able to produce enough hydorchloric acid because of a gastric inflammatory disease (atrophic gastritis). By taking vitamin supplements or eating Vitamin B fortified foods, these people can get their full amount of the vitamin, as this form is more easily absorbable.

Some medications also interfere with the absorption of Vitamin B12. These include some drugs used to treat gastoesophageal reflux disease, some used to treat peptic ulcer disease, and Metformin, a drug used to treat diabetes.

There are also individuals who cannot produce the IF, and therefore, cannot absorb Vitamin B12 at all. These people must be given injections of B12 initially to replenish their bodies stores of it.

There is much more detailed information in the websites from which I have taken this information, but these were some of the main points. There is still much research being done on this vitamin as to its sources and deficiency problems, especially it's play in the disease of dementia. I look forward to learning results of these studies in the future.