Editor's note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published on February 27, 2017.
Almost everyone knows that it is important to get adequate amounts of vitamins. Every now and then, new information comes out that shows that some vitamins are more important than previously thought, often because they affect important functions throughout the body.
Because vitamin B12 directly affects the metabolism of every cell in the brain and nervous system, as well as regulating and synthesizing DNA and controlling how blood is formed. In addition, research has shown that vitamin B12 may be much more important to microbial life than previously thought.
Evidence from researchers at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington, suggests that vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, may actually play a “pivotal” role in cell growth and coordination in complex multicellular systems.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), reported two “unexpected findings” from its findings.One According to one publication, vitamin B12 has great influence because it is produced by only a few organisms but is required by almost all organisms.
Chemist Aaron Wright and his team studied microbial “mats” taken from Hot Lake in Washington state, which EurekAlert described as “communities” of microbial layers with many members “living together and trading nutrients like carbon and oxygen in hot, salty water,” a thick layer of water where algae and other microbes grow.2
Investigating the effects of vitamin B12 on important functions
Wright points out that it takes a tremendous amount of energy for microbes to synthesize the 30 biochemical steps involved in making B12, which “means that this substance is performing a very valuable and important function.”three
According to EurekAlert,4 Wright's team created a chemical model of B12 that works just like the original, but gives scientists more options for tracking it in living cells.
They used affinity-based protein profiling to tag the most active molecules, and then used a technique called mass spectrometry to determine which proteins were of most interest, New Hope Network noted.
“The Wright team found that B12 interacts with 41 different proteins in the bacteria and is central to regulating folate, ubiquinone and methionine, which are essential for the microbial cell's ability to produce energy, build proteins, repair DNA and grow.
Research on methionine shows that B12’s influence extends beyond what was previously known. The vitamin also changes the instructions it sends to genes depending on whether it is day or night. This is not surprising in a community of organisms where light is the central driving force.”5
Scientists have been studying B12's role in genes and enzymes involved in DNA and protein development for years, but two scientists, Andrew Goodman of Yale University and Michiko Tagara of the University of California, Berkeley, have now uncovered even more of the vitamin's potential.
Importance of Vitamin B12 in the Diet
Vitamin B12 is bound to proteins in food. When ingested, the hydrochloric acid in the stomach separates the B12, which is then bound to a compound known as intrinsic factor and can be absorbed by the intestines. New cell creation and maintenance, and DNA synthesis make vitamin B12 essential for health.
If left untreated, low vitamin B12 levels can lead to neurological problems and ineffective blood cell production. One sign is a “pins and needles” sensation similar to electric shock waves due to low oxygen levels. Other symptoms include:6
|
dizziness |
Inexplicable fatigue |
Pale complexion |
|
Muscle weakness |
Poor eyesight |
forgetfulness |
|
anemia |
Nervous system damage |
Menstrual cramps |
|
diarrhea |
canker |
Weight loss |
One study found that vitamin B12 deficiency was linked to fractures, with men over age 75 with the lowest B12 blood levels having 70% more fractures, and 120% of these fractures were in the lumbar region.7
To obtain adequate amounts, you must consume and absorb them for optimal metabolism. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the amount of vitamin B12 you need in supplement form is:8
- 0.5 microgram for children 7 to 12 months
- 0.9 micrograms for children 1 to 3 years old
- 1.2 micrograms for children 4 to 8 years old
- 1.8 micrograms for children 9 to 13 years of age
- 2.4 micrograms for those 14 years and older
Pregnant women are recommended to consume 2.6 micrograms of vitamin B12 per day, and breastfeeding women should consume 2.8 micrograms.
Vitamin B12 helps protect against birth risks and other problems.
A 2017 study conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that women with vitamin B12 deficiency had a 21% higher risk of premature birth.9
A study from 11 countries evaluated 11,216 pregnancies and births and showed that this is true. (The Mayo Clinic defines preterm birth as occurring before 37 weeks of pregnancy, or 3 weeks before the expected due date.)10
A Norwegian study found that birth weight was not affected by low vitamin B12 levels, but worldwide, low birth weight and premature birth are still leading causes of infant death.11
Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that complications due to premature birth are the leading cause of death in children under five years of age.12 Dr. Tormod Rohne, formerly of Akershus University Hospital in Norway and lead author of the study, said:
“Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient found only in animal foods such as meat, milk, and eggs. Pregnant women who consume too little animal foods are at greater risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency.”13
As important as getting adequate amounts of vitamin B12 is choosing high-quality foods to maintain optimal levels.
Vegetarians and vegans at high risk for vitamin B12 deficiency also have options
Socioeconomic status, such as poverty, malnutrition, or social upheaval in some parts of the world, may increase the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency in women in these populations, which may affect the duration of pregnancy, birth weight, and subsequent health.
The same goes for vegetarianism, especially veganism. The difference is that the former often eats eggs, fish, and dairy products, while the latter usually does not. Therefore, these people need to be more careful about their nutrient intake.
Nutritional yeast offers one way for vegetarians (or anyone else) to increase their B12 intake through their diet. Raw, organic, grass-fed milk, yogurt, and cheese (which should come from pasture-raised cows that have eaten mostly grass and hay) are additional options that are naturally high in B12.
