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Vitamin B12: What is it, and why is it important?
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Vitamin B12 is an essential compound for healthy living. And, while most people get sufficient levels of B12 from meat and dairy, it's all too easy to let levels drop and miss out on the vitamin’s vast benefit. Keep reading to find out the importance of vitamin B12 and how it synergies with CBD for a well-rounded approach to well-being.
Contents:
What is vitamin B12?
Like many other vitamins, B12 (also called cobalamin) is not produced naturally by the body, making supplementation a must. Fortunately, that supplementation comes in many forms, including fortified and animal foods such as:
• Meat
• Eggs
• Dairy
• Fish
• Breakfast cereals
A balanced and healthy diet should provide all the vitamin B12 one needs. However, because most plant-based foods are devoid of vitamin B12, it's crucial that vegans and vegetarians keep their levels topped up with alternative food sources, capsules, or tablets.
What are sources of vitamin B12 for vegetarians and vegans?
Don't worry if you're following a vegetarian or vegan diet and don't want to miss out on vitamin B12. We've put together a list of suitable sources below:
• The inclusion of some animal products in a vegetarian diet means you can try shellfish, eggs, and whole milk as healthy sources of B12.
• Vegan diets are entirely devoid of animal products, meaning the best sources of B12 are marmite (or similar yeast spreads), fortified cereals, and plant-based meats.
A final watch-out for vitamin B12, regardless of diet, is that some people have difficulty absorbing the compound from food, usually because of pre-existing conditions. Difficulty absorbing vitamin B12 is especially prevalent in older people, which makes supplementation all the more important.
What are the health benefits of vitamin B12?
With all this importance placed on getting enough B12, you're probably wondering what exactly the vitamin does. Vitamin B12 supports the following functions:
Nerve tissue health
You'll find nerve tissue in the brain and spinal cord. Not only does it help coordinate the different functions in our body, but it helps our brain process thoughts and emotion.
Brain function
Our brain needs little introduction—without it, we wouldn't be able to think, feel, or even breathe! It's split into four lobes, each responsible for a different set of biological functions.
Production of red blood cells
Red blood cells carry oxygen from our lungs (when we inhale) to the rest of our body, returning with carbon dioxide (for us to exhale). A low red blood cell count can have debilitating effects, including weakness and fatigue.
Regulate DNA
Our DNA is the biological code that makes us who we are. However, it's mutations in DNA that can often lead to severe health conditions. Regulating DNA helps reduce this risk and allows the body to adapt to its environment more easily.
What is vitamin B12 deficiency, and what are the consequences?
As we've highlighted, a vitamin B12 deficiency can occur if your diet is lacking in natural sources (fortified and animal foods). It can also happen because your body isn't very efficient at processing the compound, causing you to need more than your diet provides.
While short drops in vitamin B12 are nothing to worry about, the impact can start to build over time. Symptoms of prolonged vitamin B12 deficiency include:
• Fatigue
• Problems with memory
• Depression
• Confusion
• Loss of appetite
• Unintentional weight loss
The impact of vitamin B12 deficiency overlaps with several other conditions, so it's essential you consult a doctor if you start to experience any of the symptoms outlined above.
What is the recommended intake of vitamin B12?
The good news is, adults don't need much vitamin B12 to reap its benefits (approximately 2.4μg per day). These needs fluctuate depending on your circumstances and overall health, but a couple of micrograms a day is more than sufficient for most adults.
These values do increase slightly if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, but to put that dosage in perspective, most people will easily meet the recommendation just by eating a few eggs, some cheese, and a bowl of cereal every day.
Am I getting enough vitamin B12?
A balanced diet isn't always possible, especially when work or social commitments take precedence. It's in these circumstances that supplementation becomes crucial. Specific demographics may also struggle with getting enough vitamin B12 from their habitual diet.
Impacted groups include:
• Older adults
• People diagnosed with pernicious anaemia
• Individuals who've undergone weight loss or gastrointestinal surgery
• Vegans
• Vegetarians
The good news is, if you're worried about getting enough vitamin B12, it doesn't hurt to add capsules or tablets to your wellness regime. The compound appears incredibly safe and isn't thought to be toxic, even in amounts up to 1,000μg per day. Remember, the adult recommendation is at least 2.5μg of vitamin B12 a day, so feel free to indulge in supplements or an extra steak if you want!
CBD and its interaction with vitamin B12
With the importance of adequate vitamin B12 intake covered, we can now look at its potential synergy with CBD (cannabidiol). Just like vitamin B12, CBD works with the body to support various biological processes.
Unfortunately, there isn't any evidence on an interaction—good or bad! However, we know individually that both compounds appear non-toxic, well-tolerated, and lacking in serious side effects.
From a wellness perspective, taking vitamin B12 and CBD together could provide a multifaceted boost to well-being. With that focus in mind, Cibdol has developed CBD and vitamin B12 capsules, a convenient and straightforward way to give your body elements it can't produce naturally.
The capsules contain the recommended daily dose of vitamin B12 and 20mg of golden-grade CBD extract. With the softgel capsules perfectly suitable for vegans and vegetarians, it's the hassle-free way to supplement vitamin B12.
At Cibdol, we know how important health is to our customers, which is why we're always looking for new ways to synergise the balancing effect of CBD with other vitamins and minerals. CBD Vitamin B12 Formula (600mg) is another example of our commitment to improved well-being for all.
If you want to try vitamin B12 and CBD capsules for yourself, or any of the formulas we've created, why not head to the Cibdol store? Or, if you want to learn more about the potential of CBD and its balancing effect on the body first, browse our CBD Encyclopedia for more information.