Vitamins for B12 Deficiency
Your body needs vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, in order to produce red blood cells and DNA, and it is essential in supporting and maintaining the proper functioning of your neurological and immune systems. Vitamin B12 or cobalamin deficiency is a very serious condition, but is often slow to develop with a gradual onset of symptoms. People who are on a strict vegan or vegetarian diet are at an increased risk for developing a vitamin B12 deficiency because B12 is only found in animal-based foods.
Other causes are drugs prescribed for heartburn, which reduce the amount of acid produced in your stomach — a factor needed in B12 absorption — and conditions such as Celiac and Crohn’s disease which interfere with food absorption. Additionally, your risk of B12 deficiency increases as you age.
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include:
- Cognitive difficulties or memory loss
- Numbness in the hands, feet, or legs
- Weakness and fatigue
- Anemia
- Mobility and balance difficulties
- Swelling and inflammation of the tongue
- Jaundice
The treatments recommended for a serious deficiency in vitamin B12 are taking weekly shots of B12 or daily high doses of B12 pills. If you’re experiencing a mild B12 deficiency, taking a standard supplement or multivitamin can correct the problem.
Which foods are high in B12
Because vitamin B12 only occurs naturally in animal products, the best sources for it include eggs, cheese, milk and other dairy products, meat, shellfish, fish, and poultry. Some soy beverages and soy-based meat substitutes are fortified with B12.
However, because of the possibility of food allergies, many people cannot eat some of the foods that are good sources of B12. Also, some of these foods are high in fat and cholesterol. So, it’s important to find vitamins for B12 deficiency that are safe to use. Green Leaf Sciences offers a plant-based vitamin D3 gummy that is complimented with a full daily dose of methylcobalamin, the most active form of B12 in the human body and the best option for supplementation.
At Green Leaf Sciences, our goal is to provide high quality nutritional supplements and vitamins to practitioners so that they can provide you with a better way to achieve optimal health.
Vitamins with B12
While vitamin B12 deficiency is more common among vegans and vegetarians as well as a segment of the population that experiences digestive issues, and people over the age of 65, more and more people are looking to supplement with vitamins for B12 deficiency.
If you start to experience any of the symptoms caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, the only way to know whether or not you are suffering from a deficiency is to have your doctor order a blood test to determine your B12 level.
If you’re thinking about taking a vitamin B12 supplement, Green Leaf Sciences offers the best vitamins and supplements for vegans and non-vegans alike. We make our plant-based vitamin D3 + B12 in both a capsule and delicious tasting strawberry gummy. Check out our list of practitioners for one in your area.