What is vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is one of the eight B-vitamins which form the B-complex. Since B12 contains cobalt in the molecular structure it is also called cobalamin. This water-soluble vitamin occurs naturally in some animal products, such as eggs, milk, fish and seafood, but unlike most other nutrients, it is not easily accessible through vegetables and fruits.
Vitamin B12 is produced exclusively in nature by bacteria and single-celled microbes; the only living organisms that have the enzymes needed for synthesis. Vitamin B12 actually has the most complex chemical structure of all vitamins.
Why is it important for your health?
Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin. This means that the body cannot produce it on its own and it must be obtained through food or supplements. B12 is sometimes called the “energy vitamin”, as it plays several important roles in the body’s processes for energy production. Almost all cells in the body need vitamin B12 to function.
Four types of vitamin B12
There are four types of vitamin B12:
1. Hydroxocobalamin
Hydroxocobalamin, also known as vitamin B12a, is produced naturally by bacteria. This is the B12 type that can be found in most foods since they contain bacterial by-products. This type is often used in B12 images. Hydroxocobalamin is easily converted into methylcobalamin in the body.
2. Methylcobalamin
Methylcobalamin is the most bioavailable type of B12 in the body, which means that it is easy for your body to make use of it. Methylcobalamin easily crosses the blood brain barrier without biotransformation to protect the brain and nerve cells. It also helps to convert homocysteine to methionine, which is important since high homocysteine levels are linked to various negative health conditions.
3. Cyanocobalamin
Cyanocobalamin is the type of B12 that is lab synthesized via bacterial fermentation. Thanks to this, it is the cheapest alternative for food supplements. Unfortunately, it is far from the best option and a good reason not to buy the cheapest B12 supplement that you find. To stay stable, the cyanocobalamin needs to contain a cyanide molecule, just like the name suggests.
4. Adenosylcobalamin
Adenosylcobalamin (5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin) is a naturally occurring – but unstable – type of B12. It is not stable in tablet form, but some of the foremost supplements manufacturers have been able to produce it in a stable, liquid formula, such as VeganSafe B12.
What does vitamin B12 do for the body?
Vitamin B12 supports many important functions. The body uses B12 for cell metabolism and cell division. B12 helps cells to produce hemoglobin, an iron-containing protein that transports oxygen throughout the body into red blood cells. In the form of methylcobalamin, the B12 helps the body to synthesize protein, DNA, RNA, lipids and hormones.
• Normal energy conversion.
• Normal function of the nervous system.
• Normal homocysteine turnover.
• Normal psychological functioning.
• Normal formation of red blood cells.
• Normal function of the immune system.
• To reduce fatigue and fatigue.
• Has a role in the cell division process.
Do you need a supplement?
Most people do need a supplement, at least during certain parts of our lives, to make sure that we maintain a healthy B12 level. Vegetarians & vegans are more prone to having a B12 deficiency, but you might be surprised by the large number of omnivores that also develop a deficiency of this essential vitamin.
Early deficiency symptoms: tingling, trouble walking, tingling legs, memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, numbness, coordination disorders and dementia. It is worth noting that symptoms may not surface until five years after the body’s supply has been exhausted. In the longer term, this can lead to very serious symptoms, so the sooner you fix this problem the better.
At Glimja, we try to make sure that we get one type of B12 each day, and we also take top-quality supplements periodically. If you have a deficiency, it might be good to take a concentrated supplement with high B12 alone for a period of time. Otherwise, it can be a good idea with a good B-complex or strong multivitamin that contains enough for daily maintenance.