The Energiser Vitamin: Vitamin B12

I feel that it is really essential at the moment to be paying attention to our immunity and keeping our bodies healthy and strong. As we all know this can be achieved by daily exercise and healthy eating. I think it's particularly important to pay attention to our vitamin intake since vitamins are required for essential body processes and deficiencies are becoming increasingly common. Over the next wee while I'm going to be taking each vitamin in turn, explaining its importance and how to boost your intake.

I'm going to be starting with the energising vitamin B12 since it is fabulous for energy levels, protecting our brains and an amazing detoxifier.

The Reference Nutrient intake (BNF 2019) for vitamin B12 is 1.5 micrograms per day.

Role

• Vitamin B12 plays an important role in circulation delivering oxygen and is involved with red blood cell production and metabolism of folate which is why healthy levels of vitamin B12 revs up our energy levels.

• It helps to detoxify harmful substances from your body such as homocysteine which is linked to heart disease.

• It is involved in the normal function of the nervous system.

Sources

• Rich sources of vitamin B12 are from meat fish eggs milk and fortified breakfast cereals.

• Plant foods contain virtually no vitamin B12 so it is essential that vegans obtaining vitamin B12 from either supplement or fortified foods.

It's important to maintain your levels of vitamin B12 as it can fall with age since vitamin B12 absorption is in the gut and is linked to levels of Intrinsic factor and stomach acid which both naturally decrease with age. Also looking after your friendly gut bacteria will aid absorption of vitamin B12 since they are involved in the vitamins metabolism.