Vitamin B12 deficiency makes people tired, weak and depressed. A deficiency of B12 can lead to irreversible damage to the nervous system. Here you will learn everything you need to know.
At the keyword Vitamins many of us think of vitamins A, B, C, D and E.
But of vitamin B12? Vitamin B12 deficiency is a topic that concerns us all.
Not very much is known about it, and the symptoms of undersupply are often hidden.
If we take a look across the pond, suffering according to current reports, about 16% or 48 million of all Americans suffer from a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12 requirements are in part inadequately met because the nutrient is only sparsely present in most foods.
Table of contents
- What vitamin B12 is and what you need it for
- How a vitamin B12 deficiency develops and when one speaks of a deficiency supply
- What promotes a vitamin B12 deficiency and who is at risk
- Why a vitamin B12 deficiency is dangerous
- What symptoms are typical of vitamin B12 deficiency
- How to do a vitamin B12 deficiency test
- What you can do against a vitamin B12 deficiency
- Prevent vitamin B12 deficiency with food
The consequences can be drastic, but don't worry: with us you get the full pre- and aftercare package and learn what vitamin B12 is and why we need it.
What vitamin B12 is and what you need it for
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is one of the water-soluble vitamins of the vitamin B family.
Unlike the other B vitamins and most vitamins in general, it can be obtained exclusively from animal, bacterial or non-plant sources.
Vegetables fermented by bacteria, such as sauerkraut or other fermented foods, offer a very modest source of vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 fulfills various tasks. It supports the healthy development and maintenance of the nervous system and red blood cells. It also helps in the production and repair of DNA, the genetic material of all body cells.
Why is vitamin B12 especially important for women? Anemia is more common among women than among men. It is precisely this condition that the vitamin can prevent.
The nutrient is also a useful little helper during pregnancy: according to one study, the Taking 250 micrograms of vitamin B12 per day the cobalamin levels of the mother and the unborn child, as well as the vitamin B12 levels in breast milk.
How a vitamin B12 deficiency develops and when one speaks of a deficiency supply
Most people in the Western Hemisphere get enough vitamin B12 through their diet. However, the uptake and absorption of this vitamin can become more difficult with increasing age.
Surgical stomach reductions or heavy, excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to vitamin B12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can also be triggered by various diseases.
One such candidate is pernicious anemia, which sabotages the body's ability to absorb vitamin B12.
Atrophic gastritis, in turn, causes degradation of the gastric mucosa and thus reduces absorption capacity. Intestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease, parasites and celiac disease can also cause vitamin B12 deficiency.
This is how much vitamin B12 your body needs
- Infants up to the age of six months: 0.4 micrograms
- Babies from seven to twelve months: 0.5 micrograms
- Infants from one to three years: 0.9 micrograms
- Children from four to eight years: 1.2 micrograms
- Children from nine to thirteen years: 1.8 micrograms
- Teenagers from fourteen to eighteen years: 2.4 micrograms. In pregnancy 2.6 micrograms, lactating 2.8 micrograms.
- Adults: 2.4 micrograms. In pregnancy 2.6 micrograms, lactating 2.8 micrograms.
What promotes a vitamin B12 deficiency and who is at risk
It does not always have to be diseases or an unhealthy lifestyle that lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency.
If you are veganyou have a higher risk of not absorbing enough vitamin B12. The reason is that the nutrient can be obtained almost exclusively from animal, non-plant sources.
I do not eat meat. Now and then fish. But meat at most 2x per year and of it once indirectly, because there is at our company Christmas party for the second year in a row fire pot. It is called Shabu Shabu in Japanese. This is a broth that you eat like fondue. So everyone can put in what they want.
And then meat also ends up in the pot with the others. Because there is only one pot, I eat meat indirectly.
In short: I really eat meat very very rarely. And that does have an impact on the vitamin B12 budget. Because if you look at the foods that contain B12, it quickly becomes clear: Besides meat, there are only a few foods with B12 that you really eat regularly.
That's why I regularly take B12 as a dietary supplement. It is best to have your vitamin B12 level checked by a doctor beforehand.
Good sources of vitamin B12 are meat, milk, eggs and cheese. However, vegetarians who do not consume enough cheese, milk or eggs can also be affected by a deficiency.
If you are vegetarian or vegan, you should supplement your intake of fortified foods or vitamin B12.
Why a vitamin B12 deficiency is dangerous
Do not ignore the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. This could trigger chronic and serious problems.
The central nervous system and the brain are particularly affected by a severe deficiency. Once nerve damage has occurred, it may be irreversible.
The longer the neurological symptoms are ignored, the lower the chance of recovery.
Infants in the womb can also be affected by an inadequate supply of vitamin B12 to the mother. Possible consequences for the child are reduced growth, apathy, no desire for food and various developmental disorders.
Follow-up with vitamin B12 supplements will correct most of these problems, but may some developmental or perceptual disorders persist.
What symptoms are typical of vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency can build up slowly and insidiously. Symptoms first appear mildly and gradually build up over time. However, they can also show up relatively quickly, which varies from case to case.
Because there is a wide range of symptoms, the cause - vitamin B12 deficiency - can also be easily confused with other diseases or deficiency symptoms.
Common symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
- Numbness, tingling, or other strange feelings in the hands, feet, or legs
- Problems with walking, such as staggering or balance problems
- Yellow skin / jaundice
- Hallucinations and paranoia
- Exhaustion
- Weakness
- Memory loss
- Thinking disorders and problems with logical reasoning
- Anemia
So you are just exhausted, have no power and feel very tired. But that can also be due to this, that you sleep too little have!
How to do a vitamin B12 deficiency test
An experienced physician can correctly classify the symptoms and diagnose a vitamin B12 deficiency with an examination. The deficiency can be confirmed with blood and urine samples.
Early diagnosis followed by treatment is important. Severe, untreated deficiency can lead to neurological problems and blood disorders.
Precisely because the symptoms may overlap with those of other diseases and symptoms, various tests and analyses should be considered by the physician.
A blood count shows a vitamin B12 deficiency
The complete blood count checks the number and size of your red blood cells. If you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, your red blood cells will look abnormal. They appear much larger and more deformed than healthy red blood cells.
Holo-TC test for deficiency symptoms
The Holo-TC test is the earliest indicator of a possible vitamin B12 deficiency. It is considered more reliable than the complete blood count. The Holo-TC test checks the number of active vitamin B12 and not the total vitamin B12 present.
Schilling test measures the vitamin B12 content
The Schilling test uses a radioactive form of vitamin B12 for intrinsic factor testing.
Methylmalonic acid content (MMA)
The test evaluates the methylmalonic acid content in blood or urine. If the level of vitamin B12 is too low, the methylmalonic acid level increases in relation to vitamin B12.
Intrinsic factor antibody
The intrinsic factor is a special transport molecule that vitamin B12 needs to be absorbed by the stomach. If appropriate antibodies are present, they activate the immune system to attack the intrinsic factor. In pernicious anemia, these antibodies are present in the blood.
What you can do against a vitamin B12 deficiency
Forewarned is forearmed, as the old saying goes. To prevent complications and trouble caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency, optimal nutrition is the be-all and end-all.
You can also combat vitamin B 12 deficiency with other methods.
If you have pernicious anemia or problems absorbing vitamin B12, you can get vitamin B12 shots as a first measure.
After that, according to a doctor's judgment, you can continue with high-dose vitamin B12 supplements, or use an appropriate nasal spray.
Older people with an undersupply, should take the vitamin daily in tablet form. Most of the time, this type of supplementation solves the problem. However, nerve damage due to long-term, chronic undersupply could be irreparable and permanent.
Prevent vitamin B12 deficiency with food
There is a whole range of foods to optimally cover the vitamin B12 requirement. The lonely front-runner among the vitamin B12 suppliers is beef liver.
The top 5 sources of vitamin B12
Beef liver contains a lot of vitamin B12
100 grams of beef liver contain about 70.6 micrograms of vitamin B12, which is a whopping 1176% of the recommended daily intake.
Beef liver is an often unrecognized superfood that used to be eaten much more often. 100 grams also contain other nutrients with high to very high values of the recommended daily intake: 714% copper, 634% vitamin A, 201% riboflavin, 88% niacin and 71% vitamin B5.
However, beef liver should by no means be consumed daily. Once a week is recommended as sufficient.
The reason is the very high content of vitamin A. This fat-soluble vitamin is deposited in the human liver and accumulates over time. Toxic levels can soon result from this and lead to unpleasant to dangerous side effects.
Sardines are good suppliers of vitamin B12
100 grams of canned sardines contain about 149% of the recommended daily intake. Our tip: Just keep incorporating sardines into your food.
This certainly tastes much better than beef liver :)
Mackerel as a source of B12
100 grams of mackerel contains about 145% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin B12 and provides you with a good dose of vitamin D.
Enriched cereals
340 grams of fortified cereals contain about 208% of the recommended daily intake.
Lots of vitamin B12 in salmon
100 grams of salmon contains about 54% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin B12 and is also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Our conclusion
A deficiency of vitamin B12 can lead to undesirable symptoms. If you suspect a vitamin B12 deficiency, a doctor can perform tests.
If a doctor confirms a deficiency due to too little vitamin B12, various measures can be taken to correct it. You can take vitamin B12 injections, tablets and sprays and change your diet accordingly.
Vitamin B12 needs can be easily met through a balanced diet that includes red meat - remember beef liver - and other animal products. Vegetarians and especially vegans can cover their needs by taking supplements.
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