Vitamin B12 deficiency is on everyone's lips, various companies are promoting dietary
supplements containing the vitamin, but what does a deficiency actually mean
for our health? Why does the organism need this chemical
substance? Which population groups are at risk of undersupply?
Overview
- Vitamin B12 plays a significant role in cell division, blood
formation and the functioning of the nervous system .
- In contrast to what advertising for vitamin B12 supplements
suggests, a deficiency is rather rare, as most people in Germany are
adequately supplied with the substance.
- Healthy people usually do not need supplements containing the
vitamin.
- Since vitamin B12 is increasingly contained in animal products, vegans
are an exception to this, because they also have to take in vitamin B12 in
order to stay healthy.
What do we
need the vitamin for?
Vitamin B12 refers to chemical compounds with
cobalamines and is mostly bound to proteins. Although we only need these
chemical compounds in a negligible amount, they are involved in various
processes in the organism. This includes:
- DNA synthesis
- the formation of blood and cells,
- the provision of folic acid,
- the energy balance of the cells,
- fat metabolism and
- the functions of the nerves.
The vitamin also influences the production of hormones and
neurotransmitters.
Where can you
find vitamin B12?
The vitamin can be found in animal foods such
as meat , eggs , fish and in all dairy products. Small amounts
are also contained in a few herbal products such as sauerkraut, but these are
not enough to supply the body with the substance. With an average mixed
diet in Germany, including an ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet with milk, eggs and
cheese, we consume more of the vitamin than is necessary.
How does a
deficiency come about?
Our body does not make the vitamin itself, so we
have to get it with our food. It is released in the stomach and bound to
proteins, which then transport it. The body then absorbs it through the
intestinal lining, while the liver stores the substance.
A deficiency occurs because those affected either
do not consume enough vitamin B12 or the body cannot use it, which is often the
case with diseases of the intestine . If
the mucous membrane of the digestive organs is damaged, for example by Crohn's
disease or an inflammation of the stomachh lining ,
it is often unable to transport the vitamin. Another disruption of the
vitamin balance is caused by a lack of stomach acid, which is usually triggered
by proton pump inhibitors. In this case, the vitamin can no longer be
released from food and bound to proteins.
Unlike in industrialized countries, people in
premodern societies and developing countries consumed (and still consume) much
less or too little of the vitamin through meat. However, the deficiency
has seldom reached the extent that it is the case with other pathological
vitamin deficiencies (scurvy or rickets ), since the rural people usually always had (and still has)
access to milk and dairy products.
How does a
defect show?
Vitamin deficiency leads to anemia (megaloblastic
anemia), which in turn leads to paleness and exhaustion . Other
symptom may include a burning sensation in the tongue, numbness , an unsteady gait, and confusion (mental confusion).
Anemia causes a decreases in the number of
platelets in the blood, which results in a decrease in the numbers of white
blood cells. This means a higher susceptibility to infections, as the
body's own defense system weakens.
The unsteady gait is caused by dysfunction of the
nervous system, as is the mental confusion and tingling
in the limbs . If the vitamin deficiency persists,
paralysis can even occur.
A deficiency affects the messenger substances and
nerves, which is why mental illnesses can
also be long-term effects of a vitamin deficiency: Depression ,
dementia, anxiety disorders , psychoses
and hallucinations are possible.
The problem with this is that none of these
symptoms are specific. All of them can have completely different causes
than a deficiency. Anemia could be the result of iron deficiency , for example , nerve
disorders can be the result of a nervous disease, etc. - therefore
you shouldn't get the idea of carrying out your own diagnosis. This is a
matter for doctors.
When do the
symptoms show up?
The vitamin deficiency develops over the long
term. The liver of a healthy person
stores the material usually used in an amount that covers the needs for three years. Vegans
should therefore be careful: You can eat vegan for years without showing
symptoms of deficiency, although you do not ensure an adequate intake of the
vitamin. However, this only means that the liver is drawing on its
supplies. The "harmless" symptoms such as tiredness appear while
the memory in the liver is emptying.
Is there an
overdose?
With many vitamins, it is not just a deficiency
that is problematic, an overdose can also be just as harmful. If there is
a vitamin B12 excess, there is no evidence of such damage, as the body excretes
unused B12. So if you do not suffer from an acute B12 deficiency, you can
still consume the vitamin without hesitation - you will only damage your wallet
because you are paying for a superfluous product.
Ask the doctor
If you suspect a B12 deficiency, ask a
doctor. Pregnant womens have an increased need for vitamin B12, which they
can cover by consuming meat, eggs and dairy products. Ask your
gynecologist if dietary supplements are an option.
In the case of chronic intestinal diseases , you should pay particular
attention to your B12 balance and talk to your specialist doctor about ways to
get this going. If the intestinal mucous membranes do not transport the
vitamin, additional vitamin preparations do not make sense because you have
sufficient quantities of the substance in your body. This also applies to
a lack of stomach acid.
diagnosis
If the doctor asks you about your diet and / or
chronic illnesses and there is a suspicion of a deficiency, this can be proven
with several tests.
The serum test shows the total amount of B12 in
the blood . However, it is considered inaccurate
because it also measures compounds that are merely similar to the
vitamin. The holo-transcobalamin test is safer because it measures the usable
vitamin B12, which is transported by the transcobalamin. A test for
methylmalonic acid in blood or urine is also considered safe, because this acid
is a by-product of the vitamin B12 balance. The lower the value, the
higher the deficiency.
Medical check-up
If you are neither vegan nor suffer from the
“typical suspects”, ie diseases of the intestines, stomach or pancreas, there
is no risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency. When in doubt, just eat more meat,
liver or eggs. A test can easily be done by your family doctor.
treatment
A vitamin deficiency can be treated with a variety
of preparations. After the diagnosis, the doctor decides whether
increasing the intake via dietary supplements or medication is suitable.
Be careful
with advertising promises
If you have an actual deficiency, caution should be
exercised with “Chlorella-based” dietary supplements. These are touted as
an organic alternative to cyanocobalamin, but only contain vitamin B12
analogues that do not act like vitamins . The
basis for vitamin B12 products is usually cyanocobalamin formed by
microorganisms such as propionibacteria.
The manufacturers of dietary supplements naturally
have a financial interest and naturally want to sell their funds. Since
the said supplements are not medicinal products, they must not be touted as
healing substances for diseases. In the case of vitamin B12, for example,
effective advertising phrases such as “contributes to the energy metabolism” or
“plays a role in the functioning of the nervous system” etc. are often added. That
is not wrong, but if the suggestions are also subliminally in the direction
that a healthy person needs these preparations or that they also promote his
"well-being", it is simply wrong. Don't throw your money out the
window.
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