Vitamin B12 is also known as cobalamin. It is one of the eight B vitamins, and is an essential vitamin needed for various body functions. It is the biggest and most structurally complex vitamin; in addition, it contains cobalt, which is a rare biochemical element. Since the human body cannot produce vitamin B12 in and of itself, it must either be ingested or converted from other chemical compounds.
Vitamin B12 is part of the proteins people eat, most significantly animal proteins. Stomach acid causes the vitamin B-12 to separate from the proteins it is attached to so the body can absorb it. Persons who are strict vegetarians, over the age of 50 years old, or on medications that reduce the body’s production of stomach acid may need to take more vitamin B12 than the average person.
Some common functions of vitamin B-12 are:
- Assists in normal nerve cell function
- When taken with folate, may reduce homocysteine levels in the blood
- Assists in the production of SAMe and DNA
Good sources of vitamin B12 in the diet are red meat, kidneys, cheese, liver, eggs, brewer’s yeast, salmon, trout, tuna, sardines, and whey. If you do not eat meat, eggs, or dairy products, are older than 50 years old, take medicines that control the production of stomach acid, or if you have had stomach or gall bladder surgery, you may need to take a vitamin B12 supplement, or a good B-complex vitamin to ensure that your body gets all the B-12 it needs. Insufficient intake of this vitamin B12 can lead to health issues such as anemia, so be sure you get enough in your diet.
However, the real question that you are probably asking yourself is whether it actually makes sense to start taking a vitamin B12 supplement on a daily basis. Considering how important vitamin B12 is to so many different functions in your body, the question you should be asking is, can you afford not to take a B12 supplement? The bottom line is, taking vitamin B12 can have tremendous benefits for your health can well-being, and for the cost it’s inexpensive insurance for the average person.
Find out more about vitamin B12 and order super-potent
Trivita sublingual B 12 at the
Trivita vitamins information website. M. David Massie is an author and health writer living in Austin, TX who enjoys taking TriVita's sublingual B12 vitamin regularly.
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