B12 deficiency – prevent first effects through food

• Vitamin B12 deficiency – the symptoms
• Why vitamin B12 is so important for the body
• In which groceries contains a lot of vitamin B12

if you under Vitamin B12 deficiency suffer, it can be quite harmful to your health. Because vitamins are essential substances vital functions control in our body. Therefore, it is clear that a vitamin deficiency has negative effects on our health. A Vitamin B12 deficiency develops slowly and therefore often goes unnoticed for a long time.

Vitamin B12 deficiency: You should pay attention to these symptoms

Vitamin B12 is not a single vitamin, but a group of compounds that all have the same effect. They are also referred to as “cobalamins”. These substances are essential for the body. Both at the formation of bloodas well as new genetic material (DNA) the cobalamins play a central role. They also have a positive effect on cell division and the breakdown of certain fatty acids, explains the German Society for Nutrition (DGE).

The main storage of vitamin B12 is in the liver. Since there vitamin B12 reserves for three to four years stored, develops a Vitamin B12 deficiency only gradually. The deficiency can remain symptom-free for a long time and is usually only noticed when nerves have already been damaged. Still, there are symptoms to look out for.

The following symptoms indicate a vitamin B12 deficiency:

• burning tongue
• permanent fatigue
• lack of concentration
• memory loss
• Headache
• dizziness
• paleness
• confusion
• mood swings

Blood formation and nerves: You need vitamin B12 for this

The symptoms mainly go to one anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency. Because only with sufficient vitamin B12 can they red blood cells are formed. The vitamin activates certain enzymes that are later hemoglobin being transformed. Hemoglobin, in turn, is the protein responsible for oxygen transport in the blood is responsible. So if the body doesn’t get enough B12, a whole chain reaction starts: We have too little hemoglobin and therefore too few red blood cells. So can one anemia – also anemia called – develop. The symptoms associated with this are persistent Tiredness and weakness, paleness, dizziness or a higher heart rate. However, anemia can also be caused by other deficiency symptoms, such as iron deficiency. So how can this be distinguished?

This is where another function of B12 comes into play: in addition to its important role in blood formation, vitamin B12 also takes care of the Protection of our nerve cells. Vitamin B12 is involved in the formation of the nerve sheath, the so-called myelin sheath. This forms a kind of insulating layer around the nerve fibers and thus guarantees rapid transmission of sensory perceptions and stimuli.

Does the body suffer from a vitamin B12 deficiency, this myelin layer can no longer be sufficiently preserved and is gradually destroyed. As a result, the transmission function of the nerves is impaired and slowed down. But the protective layer around the nerve fibers is also missing, which causes further damage.

Nerve damage from vitamin B12 deficiency manifests itself as follows:

• Tingling in hands and feet
• Numbness or pain in the limbs up to paralysis
• muscle weakness
• Coordination problems and unsteady walking
• sensory disturbances
• reflex disturbances
• visual disturbances

Here, the deficiency can already have led to chronic damage to the nervous system. Some people with vitamin B12 deficiency also complain of depression and other psychological problems.

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Proper nutrition: These foods contain vitamin B12

For one, the cause of a Vitamin B12 deficiency attributed to reduced intake. Vitamins are essential fabrics. So they cannot be produced by the body itself, but must be regularly exchanged food be supplied. The main suppliers for this are animal products such as eggs, milk. seafood, salmon and meat, which is why vegetarians and especially vegans must be careful to absorb this vitamin differently. According to the DGE, it is not possible to meet the need for vitamin B12 through plant-based foods.

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According to the DGE, the daily requirement for vitamin B12 is around 13 for adolescents and adults four micrograms. For comparison: 100 grams of mountain cheese contains around 0.81 micrograms of vitamin B12. Meat and fish have a particularly high proportion of the vitamin. In salmon about are between two and three micrograms of vitamin B12 per 100 grams contain. Another cause of vitamin B12 deficiency is in the stomach. A special protein is required for the body to be able to absorb vitamin B12 from food at all. It is the so-called intrinsic factor, which is formed in the stomach. For chronic Gastric and intestinal diseases or after surgical interventions this mechanism may be disrupted. Despite the right diet, a deficiency can occur.

In the pregnancy or with increasing age the need for vitamin B12 increases. This and also the long one Taking diabetes medication and long-term, unhealthy alcohol consumption can also be causes of a vitamin B12 deficiency. Particular care should be taken when taking medication for a long time increased gastric acid production required.

Prevent vitamin B12 deficiency – this is how it works

As soon as the first signs of nerve damage appear, Vitamin B12 deficiency usually still reversible, i.e. remediable. After months or years, however, the damage can also be irreversible. That’s why you should see a doctor at the first symptoms that indicate damage to the nerves, who can, for example, Vitamin B12 Test can perform.

Consult your doctor on how to prevent nerve damage with an adequate intake of vitamin B12. He will explain to you whether and which B12 supplements you should take. Dietary supplements should never be consumed simply on suspicion. Instead, the dosage should be clarified with a doctor beforehand and accompanied therapeutically.