Vitamin B-12, or cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin that belongs to a group of eight vitamins known as the vitamin-B complex. It is an essential vitamin, which means that your body cannot produce it and must obtain it from other sources. This vitamin is available as part of a healthy diet, in dietary supplements or by medical prescription. This vitamin is unique from other B vitamins because it contains cobalt, a rare element. Vitamin B-12 is responsible for the formation of red blood cells and maintenance of a healthy nervous system. It also plays a major role in DNA synthesis, or replication, and the metabolism of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Vitamin B-12 deficiencies can cause anemia or low levels of red blood cells in your body.
Vitamin B-12 Sources
Vitamin B-12 can only be produced by bacteria, yeast, molds and fungi. Good sources for this vitamin include animal products, fish, meat, poultry, milk and dairy products. The vitamin content in these foods is just stored and is not produced by the animal itself. Vitamin B-12 is most often stored in the liver, making liver products the best source of this nutrient. Plants have generally been considered poor sources of Vitamin B-12 because they are unable to store it in significant amounts. However, breakfast cereals and plant products fortified with cyanocobalamin, another form of Vitamin B-12, can provide the recommended dietary allowance.
Red Blood Formation
Vitamin B-12 is important in red blood cell formation and, together with folic acid, ensures that red blood cells develop normally. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate that adults need 2.4 mcg per day of Vitamin B-12 to avoid the development of anemia caused by the formation of immature red blood cells.
Nervous System and Brain Function
Vitamin B-12 is an important material in the formation of myelin, a substance which covers and protects nerve fibers. Low levels of this vitamins leads to brain and nerve cell damage. Prolonged deficiency can cause a decline in nervous system function, which can produce symptoms similar to those seen in dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Deficiency
Vitamin B-12 deficiency can be the result of inadequate amounts of this nutrient in our diets or the inability of the body to absorb it. According to the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, the body is able to maintain a 3- to 5-year supply of vitamin B-12. It also reported that prolonged deficiency leads to the production of fewer and larger red blood cells with diminished capacity to carry oxygen.
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