Let’s Talk About Vitamin B12

Vitamins.

There are a whole lot of ‘em.

If you seek the services of a naturopathic doctor in Toronto, they’ll almost certainly recommend at least one or two.

There’s a reason why they’re called “essential” vitamins, after all.

We’ve been through a lot of vitamins together on this blog, and today it’s time to look at the last of them – vitamin B12.

When I offer nutritional counselling services in Toronto, I’m often asked what the best vitamin B complex is – and it almost always includes a healthy dose of vitamin B12.

Let’s take a closer look at this vitamin.

What Is Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin that our body needs but can’t make on its own.

It’s found naturally in some foods, while other foods are fortified with it.

You can also get it through supplementing.

What About Vitamin B10 And B11?

If you’ve been following our B complex series so far, you probably noticed we’ve looked at vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin B7, and vitamin B9.

We’ve talked about some of the other gaps up to now, but what about vitamin B10 and vitamin B11?

Let’s take a look.

Vitamin B10

Vitamin B10 has its health benefits, but it turns out it’s not strictly a vitamin.

It’s also known as para amino benzoic acid, though it you look at the ingredients in your bottle of sunscreen you might better recognize it as PABA.

It can protect your skin from UV rays, and also helps your body absorb protein more efficiently and form red blood cells.

This makes it useful as a naturopathic treatment for digestive disorders.

Vitamin B11

Vitamin B11, or salicylic acid, is built by amino acids and works with vitamin B12 to form DNA and RNA.

It helps your body grow and create new tissues.

It’s also important during the first eight weeks of pregnancy to help your embryo develop into a healthy fetus.

Salicylic acid is a common ingredient in natural skin care products and can work as a natural solution for acne.

Salicylic acid also doesn’t count as a vitamin, since your body can synthesize it on its own.

Benefits Of Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 has some major health benefits.

Let’s take a closer look.

1. It Helps Your Body Build Red Blood Cells

Vitamin B12 plays an important role in forming red blood cells.

Red blood cells move oxygen from your lungs to the various organs that need it, so a deficiency can cause chronic fatigue.

2. It Can Improve Mental Health

Vitamin B12 helps you process and break down serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that’s linked with mood.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is linked with lower serotonin production, which can lead to depression.

3. It Keeps Your Bones Healthy

As we age, our bones sometimes lose density.

That’s especially true if you’re going through menopause, but it can happen to anybody as they age.

This loss of bone density can lead to disorders like osteoporosis.

Vitamin B12, along with vitamin D and calcium, can help you maintain your bone density.

4. It Helps With Iron Absorption

Iron is a tricky nutrient, since your body sometimes has a hard time absorbing it.

But vitamin B12 can help.

When your body has enough healthy red blood cells, it makes it easier to absorb iron more effectively.

Iron deficiency has a variety of different symptoms and can lead to anemia, which comes with its share of health complications as well, so getting enough is key for good health.

5. It Contributes To A Healthy Pregnancy

When you’re pregnant, your body needs more B12, since it’s important for fetal development.

It’s also an important ingredient in breast milk, so it’s important to make sure you’re still getting enough once your baby is born.

6. It May Slow Cognitive Decline

Vitamin B12 helps your brain stay strong.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to memory loss which can even lead to brain atrophy, especially in senior citizens.

Like the muscles in your body, your brain can atrophy as well, which causes it to lose neurons.

This can lead to dementia.

Researchers have found a link between vitamin B12 deficiency and cognitive decline, though more research is needed.

Methylcobalamin Vs Cyanocobalamin

Those two words are a mouthful, but they’re also the two different forms of vitamin B12.

But don’t be scared – I’m here to break them down for you.

Vitamin B12 is also known as cobalamin.

However, just like vitamin C has two different forms – ascorbic acid and calcium ascorbate – vitamin B12 also has two different forms – methylcobalamin and cyanocobalamin.

Cyanocobalamin is synthetic, meaning it’s only found in supplements.

Methylcobalamin, on the other hand, is naturally occurring, and is the type you get from food (though it’s also found in some supplements).

Cyanocobalamin tends to absorb better, but methylcobalamin lasts longer in your body.

Talk to your naturopathic doctor to find out which option might be best for you.

Signs Of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

If you’re deficient in vitamin B12, you might feel the following symptoms:

• Feeling extremely tired
• Feeling weak or lacking energy
• Feeling faint
• Pale or yellow skin
• Headaches
• Depression
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Difficulty concentrating or memory loss
• Pain and inflammation of the mouth or tongue
• Sensation of pins and needles in hands and feet
• Muscle cramps or weakness
• Vision problems

You might be at greater risk of vitamin B12 deficiency if you’re a vegetarian or vegan, have type 1 diabetes, or have an autoimmune condition or a digestive disorder like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or IBS.

Dietary Sources Of Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 occurs naturally in many food sources and can be easily included in your daily diet.

Here is a list of food sources that provide a good amount of Vitamin B12:

• Red meat
• Poultry
• Fish
• Eggs
• Leafy green vegetables
• Legumes
• Fortified breakfast cereals
• Nutritional yeast
• Tempeh
• Bananas
• Strawberries

Can You Overdose On Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is water soluble, which means your body flushes it out what it doesn’t use in your urine.

As a result, it’s difficult to overdose on vitamin B12.

It can, however, interact with some medications like gastric acid inhibitors and Metformin, which is used as a medical treatment for diabetes.

If you’re taking any prescription drugs, talk to your naturopathic doctor before starting vitamin B12.

Book Your Appointment With Dr. Sheila Dyer, ND, Today

Are you concerned you may be deficient in vitamin B12?

Got questions about how to optimize your diet and nutrition to stay healthy?

If so, I’m here to help.

Book your appointment with me, Dr.Sheila Dyer, ND, today.