Health Benefits of Vitamin B12

According to doctors, vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the leading nutritional deficiencies across the globe, yet it’s also one of those health issues that can be hard to detect — many of its symptoms resemble those of other problems, and that’s why some individuals who are suffering from it are often misdiagnosed.

Vitamin B12 is a role player in regulating the mood, generating energy, maintaining heart health, keeping the skin in a great shape, optimizing digestion and so many others. In short, it’s a very important vitamin. And that is why being deficient in it can cause all sorts of problems, many of which can considerably affect a person’s life.

If you want to know some of the health benefits offered by vitamin B12, continue reading. Afterwards, share this article to let your family members and friends know about them, too!

Sometimes referred to as cobalamin or cyanocobalamin, vitamin B12 is, obviously, a member of the very large family of B vitamins. It is a water soluble vitamin, which means that the body is unable to store excess amounts of it for future use — unused vitamin B12 is simply flushed out of your body by means of the kidneys.

Because excess vitamin B12 is eliminated, it’s important to have your body supplied with the nutrient on a regular basis. Such can be done by including foods in your everyday diet that contain good amounts of it.

Experts say that the best sources of vitamin B12 are animal food products. That’s because the vitamin B12 that they yield can be easily absorbed by the body. Some wonderful examples include organ meats, beef, pork, chicken, fish and eggs. Plant sources of vitamin B12 are nutritional yeast, sea vegetables and grains fortified with the said nutrient.

If you feel that your everyday diet is not a balanced one, you may also obtain the vitamin B12 you need in pill form. There are also vitamin B12 forms that are administered sublingually, via IV drip or through injections.

Here are some of the most impressive health benefits that vitamin B12 provides:

It Reduces Fatigue

Just like many other members of the B vitamin family, vitamin B12 helps in the conversion of food into energy. It’s due to this why the consumption of foods containing vitamin B12 helps ensure that you feel energized. The said nutrient also helps in optimizing the metabolism, which contributes further to energy generation.

It Improves the Mood

According to doctors, deficiency in vitamin B12 can cause all sorts of problems concerning the mood. Making sure that you are getting good amounts of vitamin B12 daily can help in warding off depression and anxiety. And by the way, vitamin B12 also helps save your brain from exhaustion caused by stress.

It Boosts Brain Functioning

Vitamin B12 is a defender of the brain cells, and that is why it can help in boosting the cognitive functioning of your brain. If you feel that your memory is no longer as sharp as before, consider adding more vitamin B12-rich foods in your diet because numerous studies have shown that vitamin B12 is capable of improving one’s memory.

It Maintains Heart Health

Heart specialists say that vitamin B12 helps reduce homocystein (an amino acid) levels in the blood. Elevated homocystein is considered as a risk factor for heart disease. Experts say that vitamin B12 also exhibits the ability to reduce bad cholesterol as well as high blood pressure, thus helping to keep the heart out of harm’s way.

It Beautifies Skin and Hair

Making sure that you are obtaining enough vitamin B12 via the diet helps keep your skin beautiful and healthy because it is known to ward off skin dryness and various skin issues like acne, psoriasis and eczema. Vitamin B12 is also beneficial for the hair, and that’s why some shampoos and conditioner contain this nutrient.

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