Vitamin B12 – Sources and Functions
Posted on January 21, 2008 by TDR in
Vitamins Sources of Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B12 is unique amongst vitamins in that it is mostly found in foods of animal origin.
- Meat, liver, eggs, shrimps, and dairy products are valuable sources of this vitamin.
- Vegetarians are therefore advised to increase their intake of milk or take vitamin B12 in a tablet form as a supplement.
Functions of Vitamin B12 Cyanocobalamin
- Like vitamin B6 vitamin, B12 is essential for the production and regeneration of red blood cells.
- It is also needed for the proper functioning of the central nervous system. It improves concentration, memory and balance, and relieves irritability.
- Vitamin B12 is necessary for proper utilization of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins for body building.
- It promotes growth and increases appetite in children.
- This vitamin is also involved in many vital metabolic and enzymatic processes, including the metabolism of folic acid.
- If the immune cells made in the bone marrow are to mature into active disease-fighters, a sufficient quantity of vitamin B12 and folic acid are necessary.
B12 is “mostly found in foods of animal origin” because the bacteria that actually produces it is commonly found in the intestines of animals – including humans. However, B12 is also quite commonly found in vegetables that were fertilized with animal (or even human) manure, following excretion from the lower intestinal tract where the bacteria reside.