Vitamin B-12, also known as cobalamin, is one of eight essential water-soluble B vitamins. Your body utilizes the B-12 it needs and excretes the rest through urine. B-12 is naturally found in many foods, particularly animal protein. You need 2.4 mcg of vitamin B-12 each day. If you cannot get enough B-12 from your diet, you may need a vitamin supplement. Inform your physician if you decide to take a B-12 supplement.
Central Nervous System Maintenance
Vitamin B-12 helps maintain your central nervous system, which sends messages to and from your brain. If you have inadequate amounts of B-12 in your body, these messages may have trouble being sent. You may experience weakness in your muscles and loss of balance. Neurological signs, such as tingling in your hands and feet, may also occur from low B-12, reports the Office of Dietary Supplements.
Red Blood Cell Formation
Vitamin B-12 helps create and maintain new red blood cells in your body. A deficiency of B-12 can cause pernicious anemia that limits your body's ability to make red blood cells, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine. This type of anemia may cause you to feel fatigued, light-headed and have shortness of breath. In addition to this, the low level of red blood cells may cause diarrhea and lack of appetite.
Mood and Memory
Consuming adequate amounts of B-12 can help elevate your mood, boost your energy levels and increase your concentration. It works by pulling energy from the carbohydrates and proteins you consume, known as food metabolism. Vitamin B-12 is commonly used for memory loss, including Alzheimer's disease, reports Medline Plus. This vitamin helps increase the levels of substances needed to metabolize neurotransmitters. Your brain uses neurotransmitters to send and receive messages. Increasing your vitamin B-12 intake may help improve your memory.
Food Sources
Beef liver is one of the greatest sources of vitamin B-12. A 3 oz. portion of liver contains about 48 mcg of B-12. The same amount of steamed clams contains 34 mcg, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Salmon and trout each provide 4.2 to 5.4 mcg per 3 oz. serving. A 3/4 cup serving of fortified breakfast cereal can have as much as 6 mcg. Dairy foods, such as 1 cup of plain yogurt provides 1.4 mcg, an 8 oz. glass of skim milk contains around 1 mcg and a 1 oz. slice of Swiss cheese also contains 1 mcg of B-12.
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