Why is vitamin B12 important?

Vitamin B12 is one of eight B vitamins that have a vital role in keeping your body healthy. If you don’t get enough of it, it can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms and even affect your brain and nervous systems, so it’s important to keep your levels topped up. Here, we explore the benefits of this important vitamin, what happens when you’re not getting enough of it, how to find out if you’re likely to have a deficiency and which foods you can incorporate into your diet to boost your B12 levels.

What is vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is also known as cobalamin. It’s one of eight B vitamins that play an essential part in keeping you healthy: thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6, biotin (vitamin B7), folic acid (folate) and vitamin B12.

They each have their own role in helping your body to run smoothly but B12 is arguably the most important; from fighting fatigue and producing energy to supporting the function of nerve calls,  making red blood cells and DNA formation.

What does B12 help with?

• Energy

B12 contributes to the production of red blood cells which carry oxygen all around our bodies, from your lungs into all your vital organs: brain, lungs and muscles. If these organs do not receive enough oxygen, they’ll slow down and you’ll experience fatigue and tiredness.

• Digestion

It also helps with the digestion and absorption of macronutrients. Fats, proteins and carbohydrates are all metabolised by B12 into energy so without the right amount of this essential vitamin in your diet, vital nutrients will not pass through your body and absorb into the blood, causing deficiencies.

• Stress

B12 contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system, so can aid with the reduction in the effects of stress and anxiety on the body. It's needed for the proper development and functioning of the brain which may also aid with ailments such as stress and anxiety.

An increasing amount of evidence shows how B vitamins can help to tackle stress by boosting your brain chemistry and balancing out neurotransmitters for optimum brain function1.

Research by Swinburne University, Australia, in 2014 revealed a 20% reduction in work-related stress in those consuming higher levels of B vitamins2. A previous study published in the British Medical Journal found that folate (a B vitamin) can help improve mood3, while a review by Swansea University confirmed that high doses of B vitamins may be effective in improving mood states4.

What is vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 deficiency is more common in older adults, affecting around one in 20 people aged 65-74 and one in 10 people aged 75 or over5. But given the wide range of symptoms and the gradual rate at which they can appear, the condition can often be overlooked or confused with something else.

Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia can cause a wide range of symptoms that usually develop gradually, but can worsen if the condition is left untreated:

• Rapid breathing or shortness of breath
• Headaches
• Indigestion
• Loss of appetite
• Palpitations
• Problems with your vision
• Feeling weak or tired
• Diarrhoea
• A sore or red tongue, sometimes with mouth ulcers
• Problems with memory, understanding and judgement

Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms that affect your brain and nervous system (neurological symptoms), including:

• Numbness
• Muscle weakness
• Psychological problems, which can range from mild depression or anxiety, to confusion and dementia
• Problems with balance and coordination
• Pins and needles
• Incontinence

Vitamin B12 and a plant-based or vegetarian diet

Vitamin B12 is arguably the most challenging micronutrient for vegetarians and vegans to consume in adequate amounts due to its primary sources being animal-derived products like meat, dairy, and eggs. Unlike other essential nutrients that can be found in a variety of plant-based foods, B12 is almost exclusively present in animal products, making it difficult for those on plant-based diets to obtain sufficient levels. As a result, vegetarians and vegans are at a higher risk of B12 deficiency, which can lead to serious health issues, including anaemia, neurological problems, and impaired DNA synthesis. To mitigate these risks, it's crucial for individuals following plant-based diets to consider fortified foods or supplements to ensure they meet their B12 needs.

How can I boost my levels of vitamin B12?

Your body doesn’t make Vitamin B12, so it’s important to get it from a balanced diet. Unlike many other vitamins and minerals, you don’t store B vitamins in your body – they’re water-soluble, so they’re flushed out within hours if they’re not used.

Luckily, there are plenty of foods that can be added to your diet to make sure you’re getting enough of this vital vitamin. Beef, pork, eggs, milk, cheese, fish and shellfish are all good sources of Vitamin B12 and it’s also added to some soy and rice milk products.

How can I find out if I’m getting enough vitamin B12?

If you are worried that you’re not getting the levels of Vitamin B12 that you need from your diet, My Health Checked has two tests that could help.

By taking the Vitamins & Minerals DNA Test at home, you can find out if you are genetically predisposed to a deficiency in Vitamin B12 - as well as Vitamins A, C & D, or in a wide range of minerals including calcium and iron.

The test can’t provide a diagnosis but through detailed DNA analysis conducted by expert scientists in our approved laboratories, it can help you understand if you are more likely to have an issue with absorbing and metabolising vitamin B12, based on your individual genetic profile.

Alternatively, if you want to go one step further and get an analysis and doctor’s report, our Vitamins & Minerals Profile Blood Test will assess your levels of Vitamin B12 - as well as Vitamin D, Folate, Iron and C-Reactive Protein - and indicate whether you may have a deficiency.

Simply take a blood sample at home and send it off to our UK-based laboratory for analysis by our expert scientists. You’ll get clear, detailed results within days, along with tailored, actionable advice on how to change your lifestyle or diet to reduce your symptoms or improve your overall health.

References

1. Calvaresi E, Bryant J. B Vitamins, Cognition, and Aging: A Review. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/56/6/P327/610645
2. Stough C, et al. Reducing occupational stress with a B-vitamin focussed intervention. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4290459/
3. Reynolds EH. Folic acid, ageing, depression, and dementia. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1123448/
4. Long SJ, Benton D. Effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation on stress, mild psychiatric symptoms, and mood in nonclinical samples: a meta-analysis. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23362497
5. NHS. Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b12-or-folate-deficiency-anaemia/