Vitamin B12 keeps the body's nerve and blood cells healthy by also being responsible for energy production, blood formation, myelin formation and DNA synthesis. Since vitamin B12 is required for a number of vital functions, consuming sufficient amounts of vitamin is extremely important.
Forty percent of people aged 26 to 83 years old are vitamin B12 deficient, according to Natural News. A study from the United States Framingham trial reports that one in four adults in the United States is vitamin B12 deficient.
Vitamin B12 exists in natural forms from food animal sources. It is nearly exclusively found in animal tissues such as beef, beef liver, lamb, poultry, eggs, salmon, shrimp, scallops and snapper.
Unfortunately, pesticides, artificial cleaners, antibiotics and over-sanitization have all contributed to the lack of vitamin B12 in our food. Vegetables and soils that have once harbored microorganisms with ample levels of vitamin B12 are no longer available while animals and plants only offer an indirect source of the vitamin.
Also known as the energy vitamin, vitamin B12 is water-soluble and does not exit the body immediately allowing it to be stored in the liver, kidney and other body tissues. Consequently, the symptoms of being vitamin B12 deficient will not show until a number of years later, Mercola reported.
The time lag has become a serious concern for many people as being vitamin B12 deficient for seven years may lead to irreversible brain damage. Some symptoms of lack of vitamin B12 include mental fogginess, problems with memory, mood swings, lack of energy, muscle weakness and tingling extremities.
Many have also associated the lack of vitamin B12 to anemia, depression, dementia and Alzheimer's. Since the vitamin also plays an important role in DNA synthesis, low levels of the vitamin have also been linked to an increased risk for breast and cervical cancer.
One way to obtain vitamin B12 is to eat nutritional yeast, which is a food yeast grown on a molasses solution. With a distinctly cheesy flavor, nutritional yeast is a great way to add flavor to different meals as well.
Another way to take in vitamin B12 the natural way is to eat mushrooms. Finally, eating organic food without consuming harsh and dangerous chemicals can help ensure that foods and soil maintain their natural nutrients, which include vitamin B12.
