Vitamin B12 is one that is not produced naturally by the body, so it must come from diet or the taking of supplements. Vitamin B12 typically comes from animal products, such as meat, milk or eggs. The two groups of people most likely to have a B12 deficiency are people over 60 and vegans.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is needed to help maintain healthy red blood cells and nerve cells, as well as aid in the production of DNA. As the body is capable of storing large amounts of B12 in the body, deficiencies are occur infrequently, but they do happen. A person with a B12 deficiency is susceptible to several different types of anemia, low blood pressure, dementia and muscle weakness. Other disorders that have been tied to low vitamin B12 levels are Alzheimer's disease, breast cancer, fatigue and heart disease, although the Mayo Clinic states more research is needed before a direct correlation to a vitamin B12 deficiency can be established.
Ingredients
The main ingredient in Vitamin B12 is the mineral cobalt. Other items in the B12 molecule are oxygen, nitrogen, carbon and phosphorus. Also needed before the manufacturing process can begin are bacteria or Streptomycetes. According to Microbiology Procedure, the most common form of commercially manufacturing vitamin B12 is through the use of members of the Propionibacterium family.
Initial Steps
The process for the synthesis of vitamin B12 is quite complex and often involves the use of genetically altered organisms for the process. After fermentation takes place, the cells containing the vitamin must be separated from the device that was used. This is done through the use of filters if Streptomycetes were used as the fermentation agent and by using a high-speed centrifuge if bacteria was used.
Final Steps
Once the cells containing the vitamin have been separated from the fermentation devices, the cells are typically heated or mixed with acid. Various cyanide mixtures will them be added, which will result in the creation of cyanocobalamin.
The cyanocobalamin is then treated with Phenolic solvents and water, which acts as a purifying agent. The final step is to treat the purified cyanocobalamin with water-based acetone solutions, which will result in the crystallization of the vitamin.
