Three weeks ago I was writing on the topic of collagen deficiency, and suggested adding bone broth to your diet as a fix for it. Two weeks ago, the problem of L-glutamine deficiency got me writing more about bone broth as a fix for that. Last week I moved on to Zinc deficiency, and since we seem to be talking about nutrient deficiencies, let’s carry on with Vitamin B12
Why Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is important for:
- Red blood cell production
- Metabolism
- Nerve function
- DNA formation and
- Energy production
It is also important for reducing the levels of homocysteine in your body, which is good, because high levels of homocysteine are associated with Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and stroke.
In short, it’s kind of important.
There is also some evidence that it is involved in mood regulation and memory. Not much, and nothing conclusive, but it is believed that B12, while it won’t help with depression, helps prevent the recurrence of depression.
So I guess I’ll be adding it to my daily regimen. I mean, it may do nothing, but it might help prevent a relapse.
Good News About Vitamin B12
The good news about B12 deficiency is that there are so many dietary sources of it, you are only really at risk if you’re fool enough to be a vegan, an alcoholic, have had weight loss surgery, or unlucky enough to have a gastrointestinal disorder like Celiac or Crohn’s, had a bowel resection, or you are over 50 (dammit).
The more good news about B12 is that it is water soluble;, anything your body doesn’t require is simply flushed out. That means there is no maximum recommended daily level of intake.
Caution
Too much B12 can cause complications if you have kidney disease, and there is an association between too much during pregnancy and autism.
In short, Vitamin B12 is important, you need it every day, you can’t really get too much of it, and you’re only really at risk of deficiency if you’re a drunk or a damned vegan.
