How Much Vitamin B12 Do We need



Everyone knows that a good diet consists of a balanced mixture between your caloric output and input, there needs to be a good amount of carbohydrates, protein and fats depending on your body’s needs.  But how much vitamin B12 do we need?    However, one of the most overlooked aspects of a diet is the micro-nutrient content. Vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, Magnesium, and Vitamin C are critical for one’s general well being and health.

One of the most important Vitamins one should look into is the Vitamin B12, also known as Cobalain. To make this quick, simple and easy , we have done some of the leg work for you.

It’s an essential vitamin that your body cannot function without and cannot make on its own, so it’s a highly important vitamin that needs to be a staple on your diet demands today, tomorrow and the day after.


Q. What is the purpose of B12:
Cofactor in DNA synthesis


Vitamin B12 is a very important component in the diet with many uses, it can help with red blood cell formation, help regulate hormones, help battle depression, and can even give you a quick energy boost when you take it.  Vitamin B12 is actually highly important as a cofactor in DNA synthesis, when the vitamin is used as an enzyme, it ends up being involved in converting the amino acid homocysteine to methionine, and the latter is needed for DNA methylation, this is why vitamin B12 is crucial for DNA synthesis.


Q. What does it do:
Helps the body produce red blood cells 


The vitamin is also a key player in helping the body produce proper red blood cells. Without proper B12 intake, red blood cells end up looking deformed which causes them to have an issue when supplying the body with nutrients or oxygen. Vitamin B12 helps your body produce more red blood cells that are in the proper size which is round and small enough to get into the bone marrow. This is why injecting vitamin B12 is an effective short term solution for people who suffer from anemia. It gives the body a boost in forming red blood cells to keep the body properly functioning.


Q. What happens without it:
Prevents blood cells from developing properly 


When on a diet that is low in vitamin B12, your body will have a hard time producing the proper amount and shape for the red blood cells. This can cause a variety of issues in the whole body since an insufficient amount of red blood cells can cause the person to faint, and not function properly, and irregular red blood cells can prevent the body from supplying oxygen or driving nutrients and oxygen to the major organs.


B12 Deficiency

Since your body does not make Vitamin B12, it becomes critical that you keep a close eye on Vitamin B12 deficiency since it’s is a very common phenomenon all around the world. You can assess your B12 deficiency by visiting the doctor and having a medical team do blood work on a sample. This can cause you to experience many issues such as tingling. Adults needs roughly 2.4 micrograms with pregnant women needing more than that amount.



Food source rich with B12 

Vitamin B12 is a commonly found item in animal sources such as meat, liver, eggs, turley, and salmon. You can also find B12 in foods that have been fortified in animal foods such as vegetable stew with bone broth or vegetable soup that has been cooking with meat. Milk, cheese, and cereal are also foods with a high B12 content.

However, one should pay attention for B12 overdose as some research suggests a higher probability of red blood cell clots in the blood stream with people who over consume more than two times their recommended daily intake. Nevertheless, consuming more than the recommended daily intake itself will come with a challenge.


 Non Meat Food Source Rich With B12

Though vegans are more likely to have B12 deficiency, there are many options one could opt for when they want to optimize their body with balancing their B12 intake without having to eat meat for health or moral reasons such as:

1. Yogurt
2. Eggs
3. Low-fat milk
4. Nutritional yeast

Getting adequate amounts of B12 is also possible with a plant based diet without having to consume animal or animal product with a complete vegan diet, this can be possible with eating foods like:

1. B12 fortified foods
2. Breakfast cereals
3. Marmite
4. Nutritional yeast


9 Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency 

Though it is advised that you should assess your B12 intake through a medical procedure which involves analyzing a sample of your blood. There are some signs and symptoms that you can easily notice if you have B12 deficiency:

1. Feeling weak all day long
2. Lightheadedness when moving
3. Loss of appetite
4. Diarrhea or constipation
5. Depression, anxiety, or having frequent panic attacks
6. Vision impairment
7. Numbness or tingling
8. Muscle spasms
9. Shortness of breath


Having A Balance Level Of Protein

70% – 90% percent of calories are derived from complex carbohydrates, this means that diets are usually filled with amounts of carbohydrates that are not needed. Our bodies can survive without eating carbohydrates directly, but they cannot survive properly without eating protein or fats.

One of the reasons why we can’t survive without protein or fats is because our bodies constantly need to form DNA, blood cells and red blood cells, move around, lubricate tendons and have a functioning brain. These things however would be almost impossible on a low protein-low fat diet. Vitamin B12 as demonstrated is a highly critical substance that our bodies need to function, B12 is also found a lot in meat as some even call it the meat vitamin. This is the same reason why people who go vegan experience a lot of dizziness and weakness.

Supplementing with B12 is fine and it will be mostly enough to fulfill what the body needs though it is unnatural to the body metabolically. Some people recommend half a gram of protein per pound of body weight, and one gram of protein per pound of body weight optimally. Having balanced levels of protein will help regulate hormones, build muscles, strengthen bones, improve memory, and strengthen tendons.


Percentage Of Calories Derived From Protein

8%          Rice                   
12%        Corn          
10%        Baked Potato   
24%        Pinto Beans     
43%        Broccoli             Cruciferous Family
33%        Cauliflower Cruciferous Family
17%        Zucchini            Marrow Family
9%          Orange             
8%          Strawberries

Here we are to the end and I wonder if you are better informed on how much vitamin B12 do we need.




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