Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency has been seen to affect people with the state of neural complications, majorly with cognition(alertness) and neuronal damage. It also leads to a form of anaemia known as macrocytic. Majorly people above the age of 65 have been shown with B12 deficiency( N Dali-Youcef et al,.2008 ). More likely vegetarians/vegans or those with digestion or intestinal complications are also at high risk than people who are in the omnivorous category.
How to overcome deficiency?
An external dose of 500mcg can very well normalize B12 deficiency, but elderly persons might require a higher dose depending on bodily conditions.
Testing for the deficiency of cobalamin should be considered in persons who have a history of gastrointestinal tract(GIT) resection surgeries and GIT inflammatory conditions. Long-term use of metformin has been seen to be related to malabsorption of B12.
B12 Deficiency in Women
The deficiency of Vitamin B12 in pregnant women has been linked with outcomes like high blood pressure, abortion, and low birth weight( Nithya et al,.2016 ). Additionally, there has been a paucity of B12 deficiency research in women of reproductive age or in general.
Recommended dietary allowance of Vitamin B12 for Indians is 1mcg per day. During pregnancy and lactation, the daily recommendation can increase from 1.2 and 1.5 mcg.
Sources of Vitamin B12
Foods like milk, whole eggs, and around 300g of chicken can give potential Vitamin B12 levels. Furthermore, beef, liver, and fish like salmon, tuna, and trout can give an adequate amount of Vitamin B12. Yogurt and cheese are also great sources.
Vitamin B12 is termed one of the most essential water-soluble vitamins. Deficiency in it can cause a lot of complications including anemia. Here increasing Vitamin B12 levels naturally or externally is a key thing to do, If the deficiency is taken for too long, it can be detrimental to the heart, brain, nervous system, and other organs of the body. Any such complication should be treated immediately to avoid long-term problems.
