Are you getting enough vitamin B12? B12 is crucial for you because it helps your body create red blood cells and even your DNA. It also aids the body’s nerve and blood cells so that they stay healthy.
It’s not surprising, then, that a B12 deficiency can cause numerous issues and illnesses.
B12 Deficiencies
Because vitamin B12 prevents the body from getting certain types of anemia, it’s important to make sure you get enough.
Just as many bodily functions rely on others in order to keep everything working properly, vitamin B12 needs a substance called intrinsic factor. This is a protein the stomach makes and the large intestine needs so that it can absorb vitamin B12. Without intrinsic factor, you can become B12 deficient.
Lack of B12 can also come from pernicious anemia — also called B12 deficiency anemia. This occurs when your immune system accidentally attacks the cells in the stomach that produce intrinsic factor. If you have diabetes or thyroid disease — which are both endocrine-related autoimmune disorders — you could have a larger risk of developing this kind of anemia.
Symptoms of B12 Deficiency
A blood test from your doctor can indicate if you have a B12 deficiency. So can these symptoms: weakness and fatigue, pale skin, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, vision loss, heart palpitations, “pins and needles” sensations, problems with walking, a smooth tongue, and mental health issues such as depression, changes in behavior, or memory loss. (Know that these symptoms can also be indicative of other illnesses or diseases. Be sure to contact your doctor if you experience them.)
To help prevent a vitamin B12 deficiency, it’s important to make sure your body has enough of the intrinsic factor.
How a Supplement Can Help
According to Michael T. Hester, President of Dee Cee Laboratories Inc. in White House, Tennessee, even though vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal products including fish, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products, the absorption rate of B12 in these foods is not guaranteed. Adequate amounts of intrinsic factor (an all-natural glycoprotein) is the only way B12 can be utilized and absorbed. The easiest way to ensure consistent B12 absorption is by taking BioTrinsic, a Dee Cee Labs supplement that contains intrinsic factor.
BioTrinsic has two other benefits, it contains the neurologically active form of B12 — methylcobalamin and it contains folate (folic acid), also known as vitamin B9. Vitamin B12 and folate are two B complex vitamins that the body needs to make normal red blood cells, white blood cells, repair tissues and cells, and synthesize DNA. B12 is also important for normal nerve cell function. A deficiency in folate hinders the utilization of B12, so therefore folate is included in the BioTrinsic formula.
As we age, it may become more difficult to absorb B12. This can be due to many conditions, one of which is autoimmune atrophic gastritis. With this, antibodies will harm otherwise healthy cells in the stomach. These antibodies may also attack the protein intrinsic factor, and without this, the body cannot absorb B12. Being sure that your body has intrinsic factor is crucial for avoiding a B12 deficiency.
The Benefits of B12
When you have the proper B12 levels in your body, Hester says, you will have a healthier nervous system and cardiovascular function; you can avoid having to get B12 shots; and you are not inclined to have health issues related to B12 deficiencies. Taking BioTrinsic can also help keep your B12 levels consistently elevated, says Hester.
Since vitamin B12 cannot be produced by the body, people get it through their diets and/or supplements. Vitamin B12 is most readily found in foods such as eggs, meat, and milk. If you’re vegan, and therefore not eating animal products, you can get B12 through supplements. Folate, which is also used to help your body create DNA and genetic material is more easily absorbed through fortified foods and supplements (the synthetic form of folate is known by the most recognizable name folic acid). BioTrinsic contains both.
“BioTrinsic contains everything needed — methylcobalamin, folate and intrinsic factor — to keep B12 and folate levels elevated. It’s an all-in-one fix for those needing adequate daily intake of these all-important nutrients,” explains Hester.
Resources:
https://www.webmd.com/diet/vitamin-b12-deficiency-symptoms-causes#1
https://www.webmd.com/diet/vitamin-b12-deficiency-symptoms-causes#2-6
https://www.healthline.com/health/atrophic-gastritis
https://www.webmd.com/diet/qa/what-is-the-difference-between-folate-and-folic-acid
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