Vitamin B12 - cyanocobamin and cobolamin - information page
Vitamin B 12, known as cyanocobalamin, cobolamin and also known as the energy vitamin is a very widely researched vitamin, and used in supplementation to a very large degree.
This complex structured compound with its cobalt content forms part of the B group vitamins
Cobolamin is needed in the manufacture and maintenance.It also stimulates appetite and promotes growth and the release of energy. For older adults, it can provide an energy boost, assist in preventing mental deterioration and improves cognitive function. Research has also demonstated that Vitamin B12 may boost immune function, help clear infections and provide protection against allergies. This vitamin is also used in the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. More recently, scientists have found a link between the lack of vitamin B12 and osteoporosis, particularly in elderly women.
Deficiency of vitamin B12
When deficiency occurs, it is more commonly linked to a failure to effectively absorb B12 from the intestine rather than a dietary deficiency. Absorption of B12 requires the secretion from the cells lining the stomach of a glycoprotein, known as intrinsic factor. The B12-intrinsic factor complex is then absorbed in the ileum (part of the small intestine) in the presence of calcium. Certain people are unable to produce intrinsic factor and the subsequent pernicious anaemia is treated with injections of B12.
Vitamin B12 can be stored in small amounts by the body. Total body store is 2-5mg in adults. Around 80% of this is stored in the liver. Consuming alcohol, laxatives or antacids regularly can rob the body of its store of vitamin B12.
Many older people, particularly women, may not be getting enough B12 in their diets because they tend to have more trouble absorbing the nutrient due compared to younger people
Vitamin B12 is excreted in the bile and is effectively reabsorbed. This is known as enterohepatic circulation. The amount of B12 excreted in the bile can vary from 1 to 10ug (micrograms) a day. People on diets low in B12, including vegans and some vegetarians, may be obtaining more B12 from reabsorption than from dietary sources. Reabsorption is the reason it can take over 20 years for deficiency disease to develop in people changing to diets absent in B12. In comparison, if B12 deficiency is due to a failure in absorption it can take only 3 years for deficiency disease to occur.
Some symptoms of a deficiency will include a sore tongue, weakness, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, back pain and apathy. It might further result in loss of balance, decreased reflexes, tingling of the fingers, ringing in the ears etc.
A severe deficiency may result in pernicious anemia, also called Addisonian pernicious anemia. More recently, high homocystein levels have been recognized as a more reliable warning sign of heart disease than cholesterol levels.
Another problem that appears in deficiency is the eroding of the myelin sheath - the fatty sheath of tissue which insulates the nerve fibers in your body.
Dosage
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin B12 is a mear 3 mcg per
day for both men and women, however much larger therapeutic doses (up to
800 mcg. per day) of this important vitamin have proven to be safe.
Toxicity levels have not been established and this supplement is considered
very safe. In some cases, people taking large vitamin B12 injections may
experience skin problems. In all reported cases, however, the symptoms disappear
once the injections are stopped.
Other interesting points
Vitamin B12 is found in few plants. Spirulina is one notable exception.
Those following strict vegan diets are, therefore, at risk of a vitamin
B12 deficiency.
B12 absorption takes some 3 hours, where other B vitamins are absorbed nearly immediately.
Food sources of vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is present in liver, organ meat, muscle meat, shellfish, eggs,
cheese, fish, and can be manufactured in the body. Although milk contains
B12, processing of milk may lead to destruction of the vitamin.
Visit New Spirit's Resource Guide for Products that Contain Vitamin B12