Do you know something that is very rare? It is very difficult to find it in nature. But if it wasn't there, we wouldn't have mobile phones, laptops or anything battery powered. That thing is actually metal. The name is Cobalt. This metal is used in all lithium batteries in the world. Science has progressed so much, but till date we have not found any substitute or replacement for this metal. Cobalt is important not only for the production of batteries but also for the structure and basic health of the human body. This is as complicated as it is rare. And believe me, like batteries, science has yet to find a substitute for this metal for humans. We are talking about vitamin B-12. Cobalt is a central element in the chemical structure of this vitamin. So today in 'Health Water' we will talk about Vitamin B-12 and know every important fact and answer to every important question related to it. Before proceeding, let us know some important and interesting facts related to Vitamin B-12. What is the function of vitamin B-12 in the body? This vitamin acts as the main regulator in the body. If this does not happen, the entire system of the body forgets to do its job. As red blood cells (RBC) are like breathing for the body. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to every part of the body and carry carbon dioxide from every part of the body back to the lungs. Now vitamin B-12 plays a fundamental role in the formation of red blood cells. RBCs are not formed if vitamin B-12 is not present. The most basic building blocks of our body are DNA and RNA. Vitamin B-12 plays an important role in making this happen. If the level of vitamin B-12 in the body is severely reduced, our entire nervous system, brain, memory will stop working. How Much Vitamin B-12 Should I Take Every Day? Vitamin B-12 is so basic that the body needs it from the first day of birth. Therefore, nature has already included this vitamin in mother's milk. It is important to underline this point separately because the first food of man i.e. mother's milk contains all those elements which are the primary and crucial needs of the body. Vitamin B-12 is one of them. See the graphic below to see how much vitamin B-12 our body needs at what age. How is vitamin B-12 deficiency diagnosed? You read above that our liver stores vitamin B-12 for 3 to 5 years. So its deficiency is not immediately detectable. But if it is severely depleted in the body, memory is first affected. You start forgetting the very basics. Like your birthday or your way home. Those things, which are deeply embedded in our memory and there is no question of forgetting them. Frequent numbness in the hands and feet, tingling or sudden numbness in the body while sitting are signs of vitamin B-12 deficiency. See the detailed symptoms in the graphic below – Who is at increased risk for vitamin B-12 deficiency? The risk of vitamin B-12 deficiency is higher if you are a complete vegetarian because no plant or plant-based source on earth contains this vitamin. In people who eat meat, this need is fulfilled by food. Vegetarians need to pay special attention to this. See the graphic below to see which people are at increased risk for vitamin B-12 deficiency – How to Overcome Vitamin B-12 Deficiency in the Body If you have good overall health and good digestion, you can get it through food. Can meet the body's need for vitamin B-12. This is the easiest for non-vegetarians. Eggs, fish, chicken, are all foods rich in vitamin B-12. See the graphic below to see how much vitamin B-12 it contains. See the graphic below for food sources of vitamin B-12 for vegetarians – the biggest problem is for vegetarians, who avoid meat and milk and yogurt. In such cases it is necessary for them to take vitamin B-12 supplements. There are also vegan supplements of vitamin B-12 that are made biochemically in a lab from microorganisms instead of animal products, however, the truth is, these supplements are less effective than typical animal-based supplements.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
The human body does not make vitamin B-12: but we cannot live without it, it is as essential as breathing
