Vitamin B12 injection benefits your body more quickly than acquiring it naturally. We must first understand the function of vitamin B12 in our body before discussing the vitamin B12 injection benefits.
Introduction
Vitamin B12, also known as Cyanocobalamin, is an essential vitamin. Being a water-soluble vitamin, the excess amount of vitamin B12 is excreted from the body in urine. Vitamin B12 is required for red blood cell production, cognitive functioning, and improving memory. The recommended daily intake of vitamin B12 for normal body functioning is 2.4 micrograms for adults, 2.6 micrograms for pregnant women, and 2.8 micrograms for breastfeeding women. Vitamin B12 can be stored in the body for almost 4 years. Normally people consuming a balanced diet are not at risk of deficiency in vitamin B12. People who take a vegan diet or those suffering from gastrointestinal issues are generally at risk of its deficiency.
Sources of Vitamin B12:
Naturally, vitamin B12 is only present in animal-originated foods including:
- Meat
- Fish
- Dairy products
- Liver
BENEFITS OF VITAMIN B12:
1. Boosts energy:
The earliest symptoms of vitamin B12 are fatigue and tiredness. Some Energy drinks contain high levels of vitamin B12 making you feel energized but vitamin B12 will only make you feel energized if your body is deficient in it. Vitamin B12 lowers fatigue and helps in the metabolism of macromolecules in food to be converted into energy.
2. Improves memory:
B12 is required for the good health of brain cells and it prevents the damage of the neurons. So, increasing the intake of B12 in your diet can improve your memory and thinking abilities. B12 helps you to fight poor concentration and dementia. Lower levels of vitamin B12 in the blood even within the normal range can cause poor memory
performance. According to a study, among 259 patients having neuropsychiatric manifestations, 16% were Vitamin B12 deficient. Moreover, vitamin B12 deficiency was more prevalent in elderly males.
3. Prevents Heart disease:
Vitamin B12 deficiency causes an increase in the levels of Homocysteine. Homocysteine is an amino acid that is linked with the cause of heart disease. However, there is no such evidence to support the statement that B12 supplements can be used in the treatment of heart diseases. High levels of the harmful amino acid homocysteine may account for up to 10% in men and 6% in women.
4. Prevents Anemia:
Vitamin B12 plays a role in the normal production of RBCs. Normally, RBCs are round-shaped and small in size, but in the deficiency of B12, oval-shaped and large-sized RBCs are formed. These abnormal cells are named Megaloblasts. Hence the condition is called Megaloblastic anemia. Megaloblastic anemia is treated with a high dose of vitamin B12 through the oral or parenteral route.
5. Helps support Healthy Pregnancy:
Maternal vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to miscarriage or premature births. B12 is required for the normal development of the fetus’s nervous system and a deficiency of B12 can lead to neural tube defects in the child. During pregnancy, vitamin B12 supplementation shows valuable effects on the neurocognitive development of the fetus.
6. Improves Bone Health:
Vitamin B12 deficiency is also characterized by poor bone health leading to osteoporosis in old women. A study conducted at Tufts University in Boston, Mass. proved that low levels of Vitamin B12 in the blood can lead to Poor Bone Mineral Density (BMD). High concentrations of homocysteine and low levels of Vitamin B12 and folate, the main determinants in the metabolism of homocysteine, have been associated with low bone mineral density (BMD) and a higher risk of fractures in the elderly age. According to the study, the chances of bone resorption and osteoclast activity are increased with elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood.
7. Prevents Macular degeneration:
Age-related macular degeneration damages the Macula and blurs your central vision. Macular degeneration is associated with high Homocysteine levels in the blood. Vitamin B12 lowers Homocysteine levels and prevents macular degeneration. Vitamin B12 supplementation can treat Macular degeneration.
8. Helps Fighting Depression:
Vitamin B12 plays a role in the production of Serotonin, a chemical that controls body functions such as modulating mood, cognition, creating memory, and some physiological functions. Adequate blood levels of Vitamin B12 help improve mood, fight mood swings and prevent Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Lower levels of vitamin B12 cause depression. Hence, vitamin B12 supplements are included in the diet to treat depression. There is significant evidence of a decrease in serum B12 and an increase in plasma homocysteine in depression.
9. Helps Maintaining Good Skin, Hair, and Nails:
Deficiency of vitamin B12 leads to dermatologic symptoms including hyperpigmentation, angular stomatitis, hair changes, etc. The study says, the two early symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency include:
- Mucocutaneous lesions
- Indefinite skin lesions
B12 injection benefits: What should be considered?
Vitamin B12 can be included in your body by several routes such as oral, intramuscular, and intravenous routes. A famous saying is “Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. Vitamin B12 injection benefits your body and should be used in case your body is unable to absorb it from food. B12 injections have the advantage of giving your body immediate access to the vitamin because they easily enter your bloodstream.
B12 shots can be used to give you an energy boost, treat dementia at an early stage, fight depression, and many more. Vitamin B12 Injections are more effective than metabolizing vitamins from food or using supplements. According to research, switching to oral B12 therapy from injections can lower economic costs.
Conclusion:
Vitamin B12 is required to maintain a healthy happy life as it plays important role in various vital functions of the body including RBC production, maintaining the health of neurons, and providing your body with energy. It is one of the vitamins that can be stored in the body for further use so its deficiency is rare in people consuming a balanced diet. There are a variety of superfoods that are vitamin-rich, and we ought to include them in our diets for long and healthy life.
The deficiency symptoms of B12 include memory loss, fatigue, low bone mineral density, mood swings, and megaloblastic anemia. The treatment can be done by including B12-enriched foods in your diet but in case of severe deficiency supplements and injections are used.
Sources:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.4103/0253-7176.150809
https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20001211/folic-acid-vitamin-b-12-helping-heart-disease
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmcp1113996
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.619176/full
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/7/4/2176/htm
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0269881105048899
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2294086/
