🥛How's Your Vitamin B-12?🥚

Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps keep your body's blood and nerve cells healthy and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all your cells. It's found naturally in animal products but also added to certain foods and available as an oral supplement or injection.

Benefits of Vitamin B12:

1. Helps With Red Blood Cell Formation and Anemia Prevention
2. May Support Bone Health and Prevent Osteoporosis
3. May Reduce Your Risk of Macular Degeneration
4. May Improve Mood and Symptoms of Depression
5. May Benefit Your Brain by Preventing the Loss of Neurons
6.  May Give You an Energy Boost
7. May Improve Heart Health by Decreasing Homocysteine

 Who Is at Risk of Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

An estimated 6% of people in the US and the UK aged 60 or older have a vitamin B12 deficiency, while about 20% have low to normal or borderline deficient levels.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can occur in one of two ways. Either your diet lacks adequate amounts, or your body cannot fully absorb it from the food you eat.

Those at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency include:

• Older adults
• People with gastrointestinal disorders, such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease
• Those who have had gastrointestinal surgeries, such as bariatric surgery or bowel resection surgery
• People on a strict vegan diet
• Those who take metformin for blood sugar control
• Those taking proton pump inhibitors for chronic heartburn
• In many older adults, the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is reduced, causing a reduction in the absorption of vitamin B12.

 Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

If you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, you could become anemic. A mild lack may cause no symptoms. But if untreated, it may lead to symptoms such as:

• Weakness, tiredness, or lightheadedness 
• Heart palpitations and shortness of breath 
• Pale skin 
• A smooth tongue 
• Constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or gas 
• Nerve problems like numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, and problems walking 
• Vision loss 
• Mental problems like depression, memory loss, or behavioral changes

 The Bottom Line - Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin you must obtain through diet or supplements.

It's responsible for many bodily functions and may benefit your health in various ways, such as preventing significant congenital disabilities, supporting bone health, improving mood, and maintaining healthy skin and hair.

Getting enough vitamin B12 through your diet is crucial. However, if you struggle to obtain enough or have a condition that affects absorption, supplements are a simple way to increase your B12 intake.

We offer many supplements with B12, or you might consider B12 injections.