Vitamin Benefits » Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Super Sublingual Vitamin B12

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:06:03 +0000

Introducing www.naturalhealthproductsstore.com

Super sublingual vitamins B 12

Before you start looking for affordable supplements vitamin B-12 you should know more about this essential vitamin B-12, its benefits and where to find affordable vitamin B-12.

Vitamin B-12 is a water-soluble vitamin needed for normal nerve cell activity. Vitamin B-12 affects the development and maintenance of red blood cells, nerve cells, and normal myelination (covering) of nerve cells. It also aids in the production of DNA and RNA. Vitamin b12 helps improve your energy, memory, focus and mood. This is a quick insight of benefits of super essential vitamin B-12. It is crucial for our health not to have vitamin B12 deficiency.

Ask yourself following questions to determine if you may have the signs of B-12 deficiency:

Do I lack energy and feel tired much of the time? Do I feel depressed or blue much of the time? Have I been under a lot of stress lately? Do I have brain fog or difficulty concentrating?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, chances are you’re experiencing a B-vitamin deficiency and have to take immediate steps to remedy it. Don’t wait! Neglecting this health risk can lead to other serious conditions.

There are many things in today’s world that can lead to vitamin B-12 deficiency. If you experience Fatigue, Muscle Weakness, Shortness of Breath, Dizziness, Numbness, Heart Palpitations, Poor Appetite you should be concerned. On top of this body’s ability to absorb vitamin B-12 starts decreasing as early as age 40 and continues to decrease with each passing year.

Those can be symptoms of vitamins B-12 deficiency. Solution is available in affordable sublingual vitamin B-12. Natural Health Products Store is the preventative care solution for you. Our mission purpose to search, find and bring to consumer health products that are of the highest quality and effectiveness.

Super Sublingual vitamin B-12 is unique, physician-approved blend containing the optimal balance of essential B vitamins.

When you are taking a vitamin B-12 make sure you chose a sublingual form of B-12. This is perhaps the most important consideration when choosing a B-12 supplement. This exclusive B-12 delivery system enables your body to absorb B vitamins directly into the bloodstream by dissolving under the tongue.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the average daily U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for people age 14 and older is 2.4 mcg; for adult and adolescent pregnant females, 2.6 mcg; and for adult and adolescent lactating females, 2.8mcg. People over 50 years of age should consume vitamin B-12-fortified foods, or take a vitamin B12 supplement – 25-100 mcg per day has been used to maintain vitamin B12 levels in older people. There are no rules about the best time of day to take supplements

Many researchers believe that people cannot rely on vegetarian sources to provide predictably sufficient quantities of vitamin B-12. So there are affordable supplements on a market, such as super sublingual vitamin B12. To learn about more ways Super Sublingual B-12 helps improve mood, energy and alertness visit www.naturalhealthproductsstore.com. and bring vitality and vigour back into your life.

Live well now for healthier tomorrow.

By: naturalhealthproductsstore

Which Foods Contain Vitamin B12?

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:20:01 +0000

As an essential B vitamin, vitamin B12 is of special interest to vegetarians, not only because it is required by the body but because it is not found in any significant amounts in plant foods. In fact, the only food high in vitamin B12 appears to be mollusks and clams, red meat, some species of fish, eggs, and the like.

A deficiency in vitamin B12 can lead to several conditions ranging from light to serious because lack of vitamin B12 causes detrimental changes in certain body functions. Perhaps the primary benefit of vitamin B12 lies in the metabolism of fat and carbohydrates, although the vitamin also plays a significant role in the metabolism of red blood cells.

Vitamin B12 also helps promote the maintenance of the myelin sheath surrounding the nerve cells to protect them from damage. Thus, vitamin B12 deficiency often leads to asthma, anemia, and neurological disturbances, such as senile dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

How can you prevent vitamin B12 deficiency?

The most obvious solution to preventing vitamin B12 deficiency is to eat food high in vitamin B12. Countless reports from around the world show that many long-term vegetarians (vegetarians who do not use any eggs, meat, fish, poultry, or dairy products) are especially susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiency. Since they cannot eat the regular food high in vitamin B12 that other people eat, they often resort to supplements.

Besides lack of adequate consumption of food high in vitamin B12, another factor that may lead to a deficiency in this vitamin is lack of adequate absorption. Despite the fact that the body does not need to consume a lot of food high in vitamin B12, the vitamin is actually difficult to absorb. For this reason, even with a diet of food high in vitamin B12, people may still suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency.

Poor absorption of the vitamins found in food high in vitamin B12 can be due to an underlying conditions, including a lack of B12 in diet because of poor food selections, a lack of intrinsic factor secretion due to aging, gastritis, or the partial removal of the stomach by surgery (gastrectomy), lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, especially in the elderly, or ileal resection or ileitis.

Although vitamin B12 is made by bacteria and fungi, they are not normally found in yeasts or higher plants. Most of the friendly bacteria reside in large quantities in the gastrointestinal tracts of animals and humans and because of this, food high in vitamin B12 are mostly meat products.

By: Antwan Richardson

An Overview of Vitamin B12

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:51:38 +0000

As a part of the vitamin B complex, vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin. However, vitamin B12 is unique among all the water-soluble vitamins in that it is not excreted quickly in the urine. Rather, vitamin B12 is accumulated and stored in the liver, kidney, and other body tissues. As a result of this storage factor of vitamin B12, a deficiency in this vitamin may not manifest itself or show its symptoms until after five or six years of diet with inadequate supply of vitamin B12.

Another reason for the uniqueness of vitamin B12 lies in the fact that only smaller amounts of this vitamin is required and the body already makes full use of it. For instance, ten micrograms of B12 spread over a day seems to be able to provide adequate supply for the body to use.

Vitamin B12 is also called cobalamin owing to the fact that it contains the metal, cobalt.

What are the Health Benefits of Vitamin B12?

The main benefit of vitamin B12 in food is to function as a methyl donor. By working with folic acid, it plays an important role in the synthesis of DNA (the genetic material of all cells). It also appears to promote and maintain the normal function of healthy nerve cells and red blood cells.

Vitamin B12 in food is also vitally important in maintaining the health of the insulation sheath or the myelin sheath that surround all nerve cells. Thus, lack of vitamin B12 in the body may sometimes result in neurologically related conditions.

What is Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

A common problem, vitamin B12 deficiency affects the general population, especially the elderly. There are two types of sufferers from vitamin B12 deficiency. The first group is comprised of asymptomatic vitamin B12 deficiency and the other one is composed of hematologic vitamin B12 deficiency.

The type of deficiency you have may depend on how your body absorbs the nutrients from foods. The body’s method of absorbing vitamin B12 from foods is complex. And that is why a defect in the absorption process can become a cause of vitamin B12 deficiency. Often, the absorption of vitamin B12 occurs in the stomach where the release of gastric acid and pepsin help release cobalamin from animal proteins. Vitamin B12 absorption may also occur in the mouth where it binds preferentially to salivary R protein.

Pancreatic enzymes and an alkaline pH may also react with vitamin B12 and contribute to its rate of absorption. These two compounds digest the R protein-cobalamin complex but before it is absorbed, vitamin B12 first binds to intrinsic factor (IF) secreted by the intestines to form an IF-cobalamin complex.

One cause of vitamin B12 deficiency is certain medical conditions that affect vitamin B12 absorption. These conditions include low consumption of vitamin B12 because of eating foods that lack vitamin B12. The cause of this vitamin B12 deficiency is veganism, or those strict vegetarians that eat only plants and vegetables that do not contain any cobalamin.

The failure to digest food protein is also a leading cause of vitamin B12 deficiency. This may be caused by the decreased release of gastric acid, which is in turn caused by an underlying health condition.

As briefly mentioned earlier, absorption of vitamin B12 by the body is accomplished when all the factors – that is, the compounds necessary are present. Vitamin B12 combined with salivary R protein need to bind with intrinsic factors in the small intestine in order for the vitamin to be properly absorbed. If there are no intrinsic factors, then absorption fails and thus, this shortage of a vital compound can be a cause of vitamin B12 deficiency. Conditions that lead to absence of intrinsic factor include pernicious anemia and gastrectomy.

The most obvious solution to preventing vitamin B12 deficiency is to eat food high in vitamin B12. Countless reports from around the world show that many long-term vegetarians (vegetarians who do not use any eggs, meat, fish, poultry, or dairy products) are especially susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiency. Since they cannot eat the regular food high in vitamin B12 that other people eat, they often resort to supplements.

Besides lack of adequate consumption of food high in vitamin B12, another factor that may lead to a deficiency in this vitamin is lack of adequate absorption. Despite the fact that the body does not need to consume a lot of food high in vitamin B12, the vitamin is actually difficult to absorb. For this reason, even with a diet of food high in vitamin B12, people may still suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency.

Poor absorption of the vitamins found in food high in vitamin B12 can be due to an underlying condition, including a lack of B12 in diet because of poor food selections, a lack of intrinsic factor secretion due to aging, gastritis, or the partial removal of the stomach by surgery (gastrectomy), lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, especially in the elderly, or ileal resection or ileitis.

Although vitamin B12 is made by bacteria and fungi, they are not normally found in yeasts or higher plants. Most of the friendly bacteria reside in large quantities in the gastrointestinal tracts of animals and humans and because of this, food high in vitamin B12 are mostly meat products.

Food rich in vitamin B12 are very important because vitamin B12, along with B6, is a major contributing factor to the promotion of the body’s metabolism of folic acid. In addition, foods rich in vitamin B12 also contain vital nutrients that play a range of important roles in countless activities, including cellular repair, digestion, the immune system and the production of energy.

Correction of deficiency simply means increasing the amount of vitamin B12 that you take. Treating underlying disorders that cause vitamin B12 deficiency in conjunction with the intake of vitamin B12 supplements is also another approach to correcting the deficiency. Moreover, vitamin B12 supplementation seems to alleviate the symptoms of folic acid deficiency. This is, of course, granted that folate supplements are also provided to the patient. The reason for this is that there may be unsuspected B12 deficiency along with the lack of folate and the sudden availability of folate may use up the remaining B12, which is known to potentially be harmful to the nerves of the spinal cord.

What is the Normal Dosage of Vitamin B12?

The recommended intake of vitamin B12 is actually very low. The body only needs about 2 micrograms of this vitamin in order to make full use of all its benefits. However, despite this, many still suffer from deficiency due mostly to poor absorption of the vitamin.

What Foods are Rich in Vitamin B12?

Food containing vitamin B12 are mostly animal-derived foods. A diet of food containing vitamin B12, such as dairy products or eggs provides adequate vitamin B12. For vegetarians, fortified food containing vitamin B12 are also available. These include Nutri-Grain, some brands of nutritional yeast, or some soy analogs.

The best way to discover other food containing vitamin B12 is to read labels of products in the supermarket. Due to an alarming number of vitamin B12 deficient cases, many foods are now fortified with vitamin B12 to counteract the deficiency.

Besides animal products and yeast extracts, there are other sources as well that can be considered as food rich in vitamin B12. These are: asparagus, bananas, broccoli, brown rice, cheese, dried apricots, died dates and figs, eggs, fish, milk, nuts, potatoes, poultry, pulses, red meat, spinach, wheat germ, wholegrain cereals, yeast extract (e.g. marmite), and yogurt.

Vegetables and plants are not one of the food rich in vitamin B12, with very little exception. As a result, many vegetarians and especially vegans stand the risk of deficiency in this vitamin. Vegetarians who consume eggs and dairy produce will obtain sufficient B12 since these foods contain enough vitamin B12 to prevent deficiency. However, if neither is consumed, especially with regards to strict vegetarians or vegans, B12 supplements need to be considered.

Tempeh and sea vegetables, such as spirulina and nori, may also be food containing vitamin B12. However, their B12 content often varies so do not rely on them as good sources of vitamin B12. After analysis, it has been found that the B12 content in sea vegetables appear to be caused by the presence of compounds that are structurally similar to B12, known as B12 analogues.

Supplementation is also recommended for those who do not consume dairy products, eggs, or fortified foods regularly. However, some researchers have found that B12 supplements such as spirulina may in fact increase the risk of B12 deficiency disease than alleviate it. This is because the B12 analogues in spirulina often compete with B12 and inhibit metabolism.

Specific examples of vitamin B12 food sources include animal foods such as fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products. Another good vitamin B12 food source is fortified breakfast cereals, which is a particularly valuable source of vitamin B12 for vegetarians. Because plants and vegetables can never be considered as vitamin B12 food sources, vegetarians stand more chance of suffering from deficiency of this vitamin. To compensate for the loss, vitamin B12 food sources fortified with the vitamin are made available for them.

Other vitamin B12 food sources are mollusks and clams (mixed species, cooked). Three ounces of these contain as much as 84.1 micrograms of vitamin B12, equivalent to 1400 Daily Value (DV).

One slice of braised liver or beef is also a good vitamin B12 food source, containing as much as 47.9 micrograms of vitamin B12, equivalent to 780 DV. Trout, rainbow, salmon, sockeye, and fortified breakfast cereals have vitamin B12 ranging from 6.0 to 2.4 micrograms.

Even fast food, such as cheeseburger and taco, contains a good amount of vitamin B12. And yogurt, haddock, tuna, milk, pork, egg, American pasteurized cheese food, and chicken contain vitamin B12 as well.

What about Vitamin B1 and B6 in relation to Vitamin B12?

Originally thought to be one single vitamin, Vitamin B is actually a complex of several chemically distinct vitamins. The name arises from the fact that these vitamins happen to often coexist in the same foods. Later research, however, found otherwise.

The B Vitamins often include B1 B12 B6 Vitamins, B2 B3 B4 B5 B7 B8 and B9. B1 B12 B6 vitamins are sometimes called thiamine, pyridoxine and pyridocamine, and cyanocobalamin, respectively. Each of these vitamins has distinctive effects on the body, especially on the process called metabolism. B1 B12 B6 vitamins specifically bolster the metabolic rate of the body, maintain healthy skin and muscle tone, and enhance the immune and nervous system. B vitamins also help promote cell growth and division, including that of red blood cells that help prevent anemia.

B1 B12 B6 vitamins are water soluble, just as all B vitamins are. They are dispersed throughout the body and an essential nutritional requirement to help the body perform its normal functions. B1 B12 B6 vitamins must be replenished daily and any excess is excreted in the urine. So far, no study has yet to show of any adverse side effect due to over-consumption of B1 B12 B6 vitamins.

The combinations of B1 B12 B16 vitamins often help combat the symptoms of behavioral diseases. That is why the B1 B12 B6 vitamin combination is often used to treat stress, depression, and even cardiovascular diseases.

Otherwise known as Vitamin B1, thiamine is a colorless compound that is soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol. It is the essential component of the coenzyme Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) for pyruvate dehydrogenase, g-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and transketolase. These enzymes help in the metabolism of compounds, such as carbohydrates, synthesis of NADPH and the pentose sugars, deoxyribose and ribose.

Vitamin B6 is made up of two major forms – pyridoxine and pyridoxamine. When these two compounds are found in the liver, they take on the form of phyridoxal 5′-phosphate or PLP which is a cofactor in many reactions of amino acid metabolism. The release of glucose from glycogen is also made possible with the presence of PLP. In addition to that, Vitamin B6 is needed for more than 100 enzymes involved in protein metabolism, as well as red blood cell metabolism.

Cyanocobalamin is the principal Vitamin B12 form found in foods and nutritional supplements. Out of all the B Vitamins, B12 is the most chemically complex. Its structure is based on a corrin ring, which, although similar to the porphyrin ring found in haem, chlorophyll, and cytochroms, has two of the pyrrole rings directly bonded to it.

Conclusion

A shortage in the supply of vitamin B12 in food that you eat will lead to deficiency. And a deficiency in this vitamin often leads to countless diseases, such as asthma, anemia, and various neurological disturbances, including senile dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Often, the best way to stop the onset of a disease is to prevent it from happening in the first place. The same applies to vitamin B12 deficiency. Because symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency rarely show themselves during the early stages, it is difficult for doctors to diagnose the deficiency. That is why it is all the more important for you to pay attention to your own consumption of the vitamin. Foods rich in vitamin B12 should always be a part of your diet, no matter if you are a meat-eater or a vegetarian.

By: Antwan Richardson

Vitamins – A Vital Part of HIV Nutrition

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:33:07 +0000

An integral part of any HIV treatment program should be aimed at drawing attention and stressing on nourishment. Highlight of that specific aimed should be emphasized on Vitamins for HIV. This is fundamental to help people with HIV to improve and perk up their general health and help them cope with the side effects of their treatment and rehabilitation.

HIV patients often lack specific vitamins including Vitamins A, B1, B6, B12, C, E, and folate. Vitamins A, B, and E are effective in strengthening the immune system of a person, which is very much vital for HIV patients because a strong immune system can resist the development of further complication and infection.

Foods rich in Vitamin B1 include meat, liver, nuts and grains; while beans, vegetable and banana are rich in Vitamin B6. Eating soy products will provide supply of Vitamin B12. It is a common knowledge that citrus fruits and green leafy vegetables are loaded with Vitamin C. This is one of the most essential vitamins for HIV patients because of the well-known antioxidant accomplishment of Ascorbic Acid. It is effective in clearing out cell and tissue-damaging particles.

Other vitamins for HIV:

HIV And vitamin B12

Research has shown that HIV-positive individuals are most likely Vitamin B12 deficient.

As such, their bodies become more prone to infections. Vitamin B12 deficiency could lead to fatigue, neuropathy, depression, rashes, and anemia.

On the other hand, taking an increased dosage of Vitamin B12 helps in the inhibition of lymphocytes and monocytes.

Vitamin A as a cure for HIV

Vitamin A and its food form, Beta-carotene help in boosting the formation of helpful body chemicals that fights off the ill effects of HIV.

Therefore, people that are HIV-positive should make it a point to take increased dosage of Beta-carotene or Vitamin A.

However, there are studies showing that certain HIV-positive patients produce some negative effects when subjected to high dosage of Vitamin A. Therefore, it is important that patients consult with their doctors first so that the actual benefits of Vitamin A are assessed right on.

Multivitamins as a Treatment for HIV

HIV is a condition that affects the entire body of a person. And since it attacks the body’s immune system and doesn’t have a cure yet, doctors have decided that aggressive nutrition is what’s required.

HIV-positive patients are required to take in substantial vitamins and minerals in their body to help in the fight against the ill effects of AIDS.

It is however crucial to note that excessive vitamin intake can also be harmful. Vitamins should only be taken in recommended dosages especially vitamins in pharmaceutical form like pill or syrup and not from natural sources. Vitamin deficiencies in HIV patients put them at a greater risk of HIV disease advancing to AIDS and later on become more intense which may lead them to death. Because of this, it has been emphasized that requirements of vitamins for HIV patients should be higher than the average requirement for normal and healthy persons.

Vitamin supplements can make up for deficiencies in vitamins of HIV patients. Intake of multivitamin supplements can provide positive effects in the condition of people living with HIV.

By: John Pen

We all Need these Vitamins – Vitamin B12 and Folacin

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:22:40 +0000

During the last years the vital importance of vitamin B12 and folacin (folid acid) for our health has become more obvious. Perhaps you have also heard that folacin is important during pregnancy. Deficiency can cause severe damages to the fetus. In the USA and other countries one has added synthetic folacin to prevent damages to the fetus.

Also B12 is of importance as both vitamins are interacting to have an effect. Both vitamins have great importance even in other cases. The risk of developing dementia are for example bigger if you suffer from a deficiency of one of these vitamins.

Vitamin B12 and folacin are important for every cell of the body. B12 and folacin interact in vital functions of all cells. For example they are necessary for the cells to divide and grow in a normal way. That is why they are of great importance for the growing foetus.

The first symptoms of deficiency can also come from the cells that divide too fast, for example blood cells and the cells of mucous membrane. The symptoms will result in a type of anemia often combined with a read tongue and shear mucous membranes in the mouth.

Both vitamins are also necessary for the nerve system to function well, for the nerve cells and for the signal substances that transmit the nerve impulses. If not treated this kind of deficiency can cause permanent damages of the nerves.

A deficiency may occur as a result of an inability to absorb B12 from food and in strict vegetarians who do not consume any animal foods. As a general rule, most individuals who develop a vitamin B12 deficiency have an underlying stomach or intestinal disorder that limits the absorption of vitamin B12.

Sometimes the only symptom of these intestinal disorder is subtly reduced cognitive function resulting from early B12 deficiency. Anemia and dementia follow later.

Characteristic signs, symptoms and health problems associated with B12 deficiency include anemia, fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite and weight loss.

Deficiency can also lead to neurological changes such as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet. Additional symptoms of B12 deficiency are difficulty in maintaining balance, depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory and soreness of the mouth or tongue.

Many of these symptoms are very general and can result from a variety of medical conditions other than vitamin B12 deficiency. It is important to have a physician evaluate these symptoms so that appropriate medical care can be given.

By: Keith George