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Vitamins And Supplements: B12, Absorbtion, Deficiency And Liquid B12
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Published: April 12, 2007
In society today, many people have become accustomed to examining the nutritional information posted on the packaging of the foods they consume. Some may be counting calories or watching their carbohydrate intake. Some are concerned with fat content. How many are making themselves aware of their vitamin B12 intake?
Vitamin B12 (also known as cobalamin) may not be the most popular supplement to look for in the nutritional information section because most people actually get enough of the vitamin by eating foods that they enjoy. That is a good thing because B12 is essential to the maintenance of nerve cells and red blood cells and it also helps in the production of DNA. Eating fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, dairy products, and fortified cereals often provides a person with the necessary daily intake. The amount of B12 that is recommended for daily intake varies by age and whether or not a woman is pregnant or lactating. The ranges fall between .9 and 2.8 micrograms a day with pregnancy and lactation causing an increase in need.
There are some people who do not receive an adequate amount of vitamin B12 from their diets. A vitamin B12 deficiency may develop through inadequate nutrition or a body's inability to absorb B12. Gastrointestinal disorders are the cause of B12 deficiencies as well, though less often. Studies have shown that 15 percent of adults over the age of 65 received results from laboratory testing that indicated a vitamin B12 deficiency, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. This puts the elderly, along with strict vegetarians and people on certain medications, in a high risk category for developing deficiencies.
The most common symptoms of B12 deficiency are anemia, fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Tingling hands and numbness are also side effects. A B12 deficiency may also affect one's balance, cause depression, confusion, dementia ,and soreness of the mouth or tongue, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. The symptoms can also be associated with other medical conditions, so it is important to have a medical provider conduct a thorough evaluation to determine the actual cause of the symptoms.
People who find themselves in one of the high risk factor groups for developing a B12 deficiency or those who suffer from inadequate vitamin B12 absorption may find vitamin B12 supplements useful. Vitamin B12 supplements combat deficiency and its symptoms. Cyanocobalamin is the form of B12 most often used in supplements. B12 is not always the main ingredient in supplements, it is also often included in many energy vitamins as well.
Some supplement takers find that vitamin pills can be rather large. Liquid vitamin B12 provides an alternative to swallowing an over-sized pill. Liquid vitamin B12 is believed to even be more effective than supplements in pill form because of easier absorption and digestion of vitamins in liquid form. General Nutrition Center (GNC) brand liquid vitamin B12 is available online or in GNC stores nationwide. GNC is the largest nutritional supplement store and it carries both vitamin B12 supplements in pill form as well.
Whether B12 is consumed through daily nutrition or as an ingredient in an energy vitamin, B12 is a vital element of good health. Even though most people are not at risk for B12 deficiency, few can be released from the responsibility of ensuring they receive the nutrition that is essential to obtaining enough B12 to live a life without the complications of a deficiency, whether they take it in supplement form or not.
Sources:
Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. 26 April 2006. 11 April 2007. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12.asp
Drugs & Supplements: Vitamin B12. MayoClinic.com. 1 Aug. 2005. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. 11 April 2007. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-B12/NS_pa tient-vitaminb12.
Oh, Robert C. & Brown, David L. “Vitamin B12 Deficiency.” American Family Physician. 1 March 2003. American Academy of Family Physicians. 11 April 2007. http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030301/979.html
Vitamin B12 (also known as cobalamin) may not be the most popular supplement to look for in the nutritional information section because most people actually get enough of the vitamin by eating foods that they enjoy. That is a good thing because B12 is essential to the maintenance of nerve cells and red blood cells and it also helps in the production of DNA. Eating fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, dairy products, and fortified cereals often provides a person with the necessary daily intake. The amount of B12 that is recommended for daily intake varies by age and whether or not a woman is pregnant or lactating. The ranges fall between .9 and 2.8 micrograms a day with pregnancy and lactation causing an increase in need.
There are some people who do not receive an adequate amount of vitamin B12 from their diets. A vitamin B12 deficiency may develop through inadequate nutrition or a body's inability to absorb B12. Gastrointestinal disorders are the cause of B12 deficiencies as well, though less often. Studies have shown that 15 percent of adults over the age of 65 received results from laboratory testing that indicated a vitamin B12 deficiency, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. This puts the elderly, along with strict vegetarians and people on certain medications, in a high risk category for developing deficiencies.
The most common symptoms of B12 deficiency are anemia, fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Tingling hands and numbness are also side effects. A B12 deficiency may also affect one's balance, cause depression, confusion, dementia ,and soreness of the mouth or tongue, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. The symptoms can also be associated with other medical conditions, so it is important to have a medical provider conduct a thorough evaluation to determine the actual cause of the symptoms.
People who find themselves in one of the high risk factor groups for developing a B12 deficiency or those who suffer from inadequate vitamin B12 absorption may find vitamin B12 supplements useful. Vitamin B12 supplements combat deficiency and its symptoms. Cyanocobalamin is the form of B12 most often used in supplements. B12 is not always the main ingredient in supplements, it is also often included in many energy vitamins as well.
Some supplement takers find that vitamin pills can be rather large. Liquid vitamin B12 provides an alternative to swallowing an over-sized pill. Liquid vitamin B12 is believed to even be more effective than supplements in pill form because of easier absorption and digestion of vitamins in liquid form. General Nutrition Center (GNC) brand liquid vitamin B12 is available online or in GNC stores nationwide. GNC is the largest nutritional supplement store and it carries both vitamin B12 supplements in pill form as well.
Whether B12 is consumed through daily nutrition or as an ingredient in an energy vitamin, B12 is a vital element of good health. Even though most people are not at risk for B12 deficiency, few can be released from the responsibility of ensuring they receive the nutrition that is essential to obtaining enough B12 to live a life without the complications of a deficiency, whether they take it in supplement form or not.
Sources:
Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. 26 April 2006. 11 April 2007. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12.asp
Drugs & Supplements: Vitamin B12. MayoClinic.com. 1 Aug. 2005. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. 11 April 2007. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-B12/NS_pa tient-vitaminb12.
Oh, Robert C. & Brown, David L. “Vitamin B12 Deficiency.” American Family Physician. 1 March 2003. American Academy of Family Physicians. 11 April 2007. http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030301/979.html
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