Foods High in Vitamin B12 | Health Benefits of Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12

Water Soluble

Health benefits of Vitamin B12:

Contributes to your mental health, immune system function, healthy cell division and to reducing tiredness and fatigue

The Worlds Science

See the bottom of this page for the ingredients highest in vitamin B12.

What is vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is water soluble and has the largest and most complex chemical structure of all the vitamins1.

It contains an atom of the element cobalt at its centre. It is naturally present in meat and fish and is also available as a dietary supplement.

Why does it matter to me?

Vitamin B12 is required for proper red blood cell formation, neurological function (nervous system), and DNA synthesis (structure).
It may also play an important role in reducing the risk of progressive neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, birth defects, heart disease and certain forms of cancer2.
Studies have shown that an adequate intake of vitamin B12 along with folate may be beneficial in the prevention of birth defects2.
Vitamin B12 is used by cells in the replication of DNA which is essential to maintain cellular health3.
It plays an important role in turning fats and proteins to energy4 and contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
It's required by the body to form the protective coating around our nerves3.

Watch out for..

Although humans have a rich amount of gut bacteria, present mainly in the large intestine, the human B12 uptake system is present in the small intestine. Therefore, humans do not acquire B12 from their gut bacteria and must rely on B12 to be present in their diet.

What happens if I don’t get enough?

Vitamin B12 deficiency is estimated to affect 10%-15% of individuals over the age of 60 but some say that the figure is much higher and affects all ages.5

Celiac disease may result in Vitamin B12 deficiency.6

Vitamin B12 deficiency has been linked to depression in a number of studies.7

Natural vitamin B12 is bound in protein and needs stomach acid to free it up, stomach acid secretion can decrease with age and the use of stomach acid reducing medications. This may lead to a need for supplementation as B12 supplements are not bound by protein.8

Vitamin B12 research

There are several clinical trials currently underway to further investigate the role that vitamin B12 deficiency might play is the development of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and certain forms of cancer.

A very current area of research is into the relationship between B12 deficiency and gastritis and gastric cancer.

Review date: 2/9/2022

Next review date: 2/9/2023