What is Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is an essential water-soluble nutrient and part of the B vitamin family, which includes eight different vitamins. While all B vitamins play unique roles in maintaining your health, B12 is particularly well-known. Your body cannot produce B12 on its own, so you need to obtain it through food or supplements.
Are You at Risk for a Vitamin B12 Deficiency?
Getting enough B12 is generally straightforward, thanks to a variety of foods and supplements that can meet your daily requirements. However, ensuring your body absorbs B12 efficiently is a bit more challenging. While tracking your daily B12 intake is a good start, absorption can vary from person to person.
The richest source of B12 can be found in meat and other animal products, which explains why vegans are more prone to a B12 deficiency. Fortunately, many grains, such as certain breakfast cereals, are fortified with B12. Additionally, there are vegan B12 supplements that provide active forms of the vitamin, which your cells can readily use after absorption through the digestive tract.
Ultimately, the only surefire method to determine if you have a B12 deficiency is to have your B12 levels checked by a trusted healthcare provider. However, there are some common warning signs of deficiency, including yellowish skin, muddled thinking, and a slower metabolism.
How B12 Supports Energy
One of the most noticeable symptoms of a B12 deficiency is a constant lack of energy. This persistent fatigue can significantly impact your mental and physical well-being and, over time, could lead to more severe health issues. B12 works at a cellular level to combat energy loss, helping your body maintain consistent, healthy energy levels.
B12 supports your energy levels in several ways. It helps in the formation of hemoglobin inside red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from your lungs to every cell in your body, including your muscles and brain. When your body lacks sufficient B12, hemoglobin production decreases, making it harder for your body to function efficiently with less oxygen. This can lead to feelings of tiredness and fatigue. In some cases, a severe B12 deficiency can also result in pernicious or macrocytic anemia, conditions where the body struggles to produce enough red blood cells or produces red blood cells with low hemoglobin concentration. Even before anemia sets in, a lack of B12 can impair muscle function and exercise performance.
B12 also helps regulate energy by assisting in food metabolism. When you consume food, your body needs to break it down into usable energy. B12 plays a crucial role in converting fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into energy your body can use. Without adequate B12, some of these nutrients may go unused and simply pass through your system.
How B12 Supports Metabolism
B12 is essential for maintaining a healthy metabolism, and all vitamins and minerals play some role in metabolic processes. Some act as cofactors for enzymes. B12, in particular, is a coenzyme needed for the production of succinyl-CoA, a key component of the Krebs cycle that breaks down sugar to harvest energy.
If your body can’t break down glucose properly, it can lead to high blood sugar, which carries its own set of health issues. B12 is also involved in the metabolism of fats and proteins. While B12 won’t enhance the metabolism of individuals with normal levels, supplementation can be highly beneficial for those who are deficient.
How to Get Your Energy & Metabolism Back to Normal
If you’re struggling with low energy or a slow metabolism due to a B12 deficiency, there are ways to address this issue. The solution is to increase your intake of vitamin B12. Consult your healthcare provider to rule out factors such as harmful organism overgrowth or poor digestion that may impede B12 absorption. Overgrowth of harmful organisms in the gut can interfere with B12 absorption by separating the vitamin from the carrier molecule that protects it in your digestive system.
To rebalance your gut and improve B12 absorption, consider strategies like a colon cleanse and a gut reset. Taking a probiotic supplement can also help, as it supports the healthy bacteria in your digestive system which are crucial for nutrient absorption, including B12. Probiotics are especially beneficial for older adults who often lack the necessary acids to absorb B12 effectively.
Global Healing offers a high-quality, vegan-sourced B12 supplement. Our Vitamin B12 is a blend of methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin, and hydroxocobalamin, ensuring you receive the most effective form of this essential nutrient.
