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Product details

About The Vitamin B12 Pure

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin containing the metal element cobalt. It plays a key and unique role in many physiological processes of the human body. The following is a detailed introduction about it:

I. Basic information

Chemical structure: The structure of vitamin B12 is relatively complex. The core of the molecule is a cobalt ion surrounded by a corrin ring, which is connected to different groups to form a variety of active vitamin B12 analogs. Common ones include methylcobalamin and cyanocobalamin. Although their absorption, transportation and function in the body are slightly different, they all have the basic biochemical functions of vitamin B12.

Solubility: As a water-soluble vitamin, it is easily soluble in water, which makes it easy for the human body to absorb and utilize it after ingestion. In addition, excess vitamin B12 generally does not accumulate in the body in large quantities, but is mostly excreted through urine. However, excessive intake of supplements may also cause some adverse effects.

II. Food sources

Animal foods: It is almost only found in animal foods and is a vitamin that vegetarians are more likely to lack.

Meat: Red meat such as beef, pork, and lamb are good sources. For example, beef contains about 1.8 micrograms of vitamin B12 per 100 grams, and pork contains about 0.4 micrograms per 100 grams. These meats provide a considerable intake for the human body.

Eggs: Eggs such as chicken eggs and duck eggs contain a certain amount of vitamin B12, especially the egg yolk, which contains about 0.56 micrograms per 100 grams of egg yolk. Daily consumption of eggs can stably supplement the human body with this vitamin.

Milk and its products: Milk contains about 0.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 per 100 milliliters, and the content in dairy products such as cheese is higher. For people who often drink dairy products, this is also one of the important ways to obtain vitamin B12.

Fish and seafood: For example, salmon, tuna and other fish, as well as shrimp, crab and other seafood are rich in vitamin B12. Every 100 grams of salmon contains about 4.8 micrograms. These foods are not only nutritious, but also provide the human body with high-quality protein and other beneficial nutrients. They are also a good source of vitamin B12.

III. Physiological function

Participate in the hematopoietic process: Vitamin B12 works synergistically with folic acid and plays a vital role in the formation and maturation of red blood cells. It is an important coenzyme in the synthesis of cell DNA. When it is deficient, it will lead to megaloblastic anemia, the shape of red blood cells becomes abnormally large and immature, and the hemoglobin content is reduced, which in turn affects the transportation of oxygen and the normal oxygen supply to various parts of the body. Patients may have symptoms such as pale complexion, dizziness, fatigue, palpitations, and shortness of breath.

Maintain the normal function of the nervous system: In terms of the nervous system, it participates in the synthesis and maintenance of nerve myelin sheaths. The nerve myelin sheath is like an “insulating layer” wrapped around the outside of the nerve fiber, which can ensure the rapid and accurate transmission of nerve signals. Once vitamin B12 is deficient, the myelin sheath of the nerve may be damaged or lost, causing lesions in the nervous system, manifested as a series of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as numbness of hands and feet, paresthesia, unsteady walking, memory loss, depression, and mental confusion, which have a serious impact on people’s daily life and physical and mental health.

Participate in homocysteine ​​metabolism: Vitamin B12 is an indispensable coenzyme in the metabolic pathway of homocysteine ​​conversion to methionine in the body. Homocysteine ​​is a sulfur-containing amino acid. If its level in the body is too high, it will increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, cognitive impairment and other diseases. Vitamin B12 helps maintain homocysteine ​​at a normal level by participating in this metabolic process, reducing the risk of disease and ensuring the metabolic health of the human body.

IV. Deficiency and excess manifestations

Deficiency manifestations:

Megaloblastic anemia: The volume of red blood cells increases, the shape is abnormal, and the hemoglobin content is insufficient. Patients may have typical anemia symptoms such as pale complexion, dizziness, fatigue, palpitations, and shortness of breath, which affect physical health and normal life.

Nervous system damage: can cause numbness, paresthesia, tingling, and burning sensations in the hands and feet, as if the hands and feet are wearing gloves or socks and feel insensitive; unsteady walking and ataxia may also occur, affecting normal limb movement; in addition, neuropsychiatric symptoms such as memory loss, depression, and mental confusion are also relatively common, which will gradually affect the patient’s quality of life and cognitive and social functions.

Hyperhomocysteinemia: Homocystine accumulates in the body due to lack of vitamin B12 metabolism, leading to increased levels in the blood, which in turn increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and stroke, as well as neurological diseases such as cognitive impairment.

Overdose symptoms: Generally, it is difficult to overdose on vitamin B12 through a normal diet, but long-term and large-scale use of vitamin B12 supplements (exceeding normal physiological needs) may cause some adverse reactions, such as skin problems such as acne and eczema, and may also lead to a decrease in potassium ion levels in the blood, hypokalemia, fatigue, arrhythmia and other symptoms, but such overdose is relatively rare.

V. Applicable population and recommended intake

Applicable population:

Vegetarians and vegans: Since vitamin B12 is mainly derived from animal foods, this group of people lacks natural sources of this vitamin in their diet, and it is easy to be deficient in vitamin B12, so it is necessary to regularly ensure its intake through supplements and other methods to maintain the body’s normal metabolic function and health.

Elderly people: With the increase of age, the body’s absorption function, especially the gastrointestinal absorption capacity of vitamin B12, will decline. In addition, the elderly themselves have a relatively high risk of cardiovascular disease, nervous system diseases, etc., so appropriate supplementation of vitamin B12 can help prevent the occurrence of deficiency, reduce the risk of related diseases, and improve the quality of life.

Pregnant women and breastfeeding women: Their demand for vitamin B12 will increase during this special physiological period. Adequate vitamin B12 intake helps the normal growth and development of the fetus and its own nutritional maintenance, such as ensuring the healthy development of the fetal nervous system, so it is necessary to ensure sufficient intake.

Recommended intake: The recommended intake for people of different ages and physiological states is different. The recommended daily intake for normal adults is about 2.4 micrograms. The recommended daily intake for pregnant women during pregnancy increases to about 2.6 micrograms. The recommended daily intake for breastfeeding women is about 2.8 micrograms. The elderly can supplement according to the adult standard according to individual absorption conditions.

VI. Precautions

Drug interactions: Some drugs can affect the absorption, metabolism or utilization of vitamin B12, such as proton pump inhibitors (such as omeprazole, lansoprazole, etc., which are often used to treat diseases such as gastric acid reflux and gastric ulcers). Long-term use of such drugs will inhibit gastric acid secretion, and gastric acid is an important condition for vitamin B12 to be released from food and combined with intrinsic factor, so it is easy to cause poor absorption of vitamin B12; in addition, metformin (a commonly used hypoglycemic drug) will also interfere with the absorption of vitamin B12. Diabetic patients who take metformin for a long time often need to pay attention to the supplementation of vitamin B12 and regularly test the level of vitamin B12 in the body.

Food cooking effect: During the food cooking process, high temperature and long-term cooking methods have relatively little effect on the content of vitamin B12, but overcooking may still cause a certain degree of loss. For example, if meat is stewed for a long time, the vitamin B12 content in it will be slightly less than that of raw meat, but compared with some other water-soluble vitamins, its stability is still relatively high.

In short, vitamin B12 is very important for human health. People should ensure its normal intake through a reasonable diet. If special groups need additional supplements, it is recommended to do so under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist.