Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that helps your body to work properly.
It's naturally found in several foods.
Read ahead!
Also known as cobalamin, vitamin B12 is one of the most important B vitamins for your body. It's water-soluble, meaning that your body cannot produce or store this vitamin. Hence, you need to depend solely on your diet to get the required amount of vitamin B12.
The best sources of vitamin B12 are milk, cheese, yogurt, tuna, lamb, etc. Also, as research has found, the recommended daily intake for adults is 2.4 mcg.
Without further ado, let's get a look at the benefits it offers to your health.
Vitamin B12 plays a significant role in the production of red blood cells in the human body. This boosts blood supply throughout the body, keeping you active (both physically and mentally). So, a deficiency in this vitamin may result in lower production of red blood cells. This can lead to jaundice, anemia, fatigue, and several other issues.
Regular intake of vitamin B12 is essential for the maintenance of bone mineral density in your body. This improves bone strength and also helps reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis.
A study done in December 2021 found that people with a vitamin B12 deficiency tend to have fragile bones, and the issue can get worse with time if not treated immediately.
As previously mentioned, vitamin B12 aids in blood supply throughout the body. This promotes oxygen and nutrient-dense blood to reach hair roots, which further improves hair growth to some extent. Also, it maintains the skin's natural color by producing enough red blood cells in the body. Vitamin B12 deficiency is a major cause of hair loss, discolored patches, skin hyperpigmentation, etc.
Vitamin B12 helps improve the functioning of your brain. It benefits the nervous system and further prevents brain atrophy which refers to the loss of neurons in your brain. It also significantly reduces your risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Moreover, it helps stimulate your brain to release more serotonin, which is a chemical that controls mood. Studies have found that a deficiency in vitamin B12 can lead to clinical depression in the long run.
As research has found, vitamin B12 helps lower the levels of homocysteine in your bloodstream. This further reduces your risk of age-related macular degeneration to a significant extent.
Macular degeneration is a common and highly contagious eye disease. People with proper vitamin B12 levels have around 35% lower risk of this issue, as a study of 5000 women above 40 years old has indicated.
Besides these, it also boosts energy levels, prevents birth defects, and promotes heart functions.
