Vitamin B12 is one of the top 5 important supplements in a balanced diet. Your system requires B12 in order to prevent anemia and produce red blood cells.
Primarily, B12 is found in animal products such as cheese, eggs and milk. For those of you that are Vegan, you should look for food enriched with B12 or take a high quailty supplement.
What are the signs of being deficient in vitamin B12?
Not consuming adequate amounts of the foods listed above and experiencing shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness, nausea, loss of appetite, numbing sensations, low energy, it’s quite possible you may have a deficiency.
It may take years before signs or symptoms of this deficiency to manifest in your body. Being deficient in vitamin B12 can lead to pernicious anemia and can eventually turn into Alzheimers, loss of memory, confusion and dementia.
The preferred type of vitamin B12 for seniors is sublingual. Additionally, malaborption is another reason for being deficient. To assist with absorption and optimize your benefits from taking Vit B12, you should also add folic acid and vit C. These vitamins work synergistically with Vit B12.
How do you know what the optimal amount is to prevent a deficiency in vitamin B12?
After referring to the National Institute of Health and doing some personal research, I’ve concluded the following.
-.4 mcg- 0-6 months
-.5 mcg- 7-12 months
-.9 mcg- 1-3 years
-1.2mcg- 4-8 years
-1.8mcg- 9-13 years
-2.4mcg- age 14-older
-2.6mcg- pregnant adolescent females
-2.8mcg- lactating females
-25-100mcg-Adults over 50 (excluding those eating fortified foods)
Dosages may vary slightly from experts in the field, but two parts were clear: Our bodies were built to absorb low levels of vitamin B12 at dosages between .1mcg-1mcg per meal.
Vitamin B12 absorption can be affected by environmental factors and respond to the toxic invasion. Consuming chlorinated water regularly, for instance is one example of an environmental factor that can lower or diminish absorption of the vitamin.
Consuming plants and animals that have been treated with pestides and other toxins can also be another source for causing B12 deficiency.