Who needs more B12? Most women get the recommended daily amount — 2.4 micrograms (mcg) for most adults, 2.6 mcg for pregnant women, and 2.8 mcg for women who are breastfeeding — in their diets. However, you are at increased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency if any of the following applies: You're age 50 or older.
Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps keep your body's blood and nerve cells healthy and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all of your cells. Vitamin B12 also helps prevent megaloblastic anemia, a blood condition that makes people tired and weak.
Safety and side effects
High doses of vitamin B-12, such as those used to treat a deficiency, might cause: Headache. Nausea and vomiting. Diarrhea.
If you have any of the following health problems, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medication: a certain eye disease (Leber's optic neuropathy), a certain blood disorder (polycythemia vera), gout, iron or folic acid deficiency anemia, low potassium blood levels (hypokalemia).
Vitamin B12 supplements will only improve symptoms such as tiredness and lack of energy if they are caused by low vitamin B12 levels. It may take a few weeks before your vitamin B12 levels and symptoms (such as extreme tiredness or lack of energy) start to improve.
There are very few reasons to take supplements, but getting enough of this vitamin may be one of the most important. Vitamin B12 may not be high on your nutritional radar, yet it is essential to some of the body's most important functions, like forming red blood cells and maintaining nerve function.
Interactions between your drugs. No interactions were found between Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D3. However, this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.
Once you begin treating your vitamin B12 deficiency, it can take up to six to 12 months to fully recover. It is also common to not experience any improvement during the first few months of treatment. If you can, it's a good idea to address what's causing the deficiency.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can have distressing neuropsychiatric symptoms. It can have an etiological role in clinical presentations like depression, anxiety, psychosis, dementia, and delirium, requiring screening of at-risk populations.
Diet. Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.
Low levels of vitamin B-12 can be caused by: Diet. Vitamin B-12 is mainly found in meat, eggs and milk, so people who don't eat these types of foods may need to take B-12 supplements. Some foods have been fortified with B-12, including some breakfast cereals and some nutritional yeast products.
According to health experts at Click Pharmacy, as a general rule of thumb, take your B vitamins in the morning or with a meal. Vitamin B12, for example, should definitely be taken in the morning. This is because it is important for energy metabolism, which may interrupt your sleep if taken at night.
Regardless, research has indicated that a vitamin B12 deficiency can negatively affect those living with hypothyroidism, and that both deficiencies can go unnoticed if the proper tests are not performed.
Can I take magnesium and vitamin B together? Yes, as B vitamins and magnesium don't compete for absorption inside your body. Indeed, many supplements combine them as a way of simplifying how you monitor your intake.
Vitamin B12 is one of the essential B vitamins that help support a healthy nervous system. B12 works by converting the food we eat into sugar and other types of fuel that keep the body running smoothly. B12 is often associated with weight loss because of its ability to boost metabolism and provide lasting energy.
Vitamin B12 is considered an important brain and nervous system micronutrient and is often used for anxiety. It helps to ensure normal function for your nerves, which can help combat physical symptoms of anxiety.
Vitamin B12 helps increase the body's production of melatonin, making it important for regulating sleep-wake cycles. Higher B12 levels have been associated with a lower risk of depression.
You should be able to get all the vitamin B12 you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you take vitamin B12 supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful. Taking 2mg or less a day of vitamin B12 in supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.
However, vitamin B12 may give you the appearance of fuller and thicker hair because the increase in oxygen to hair follicles can help stimulate the replacement of lost strands. Vitamin B12 may also help give your hair an overall healthier appearance since intake of enough B12 is responsible for stronger hair shafts.