The U.S. Department of Agriculture completed a study that determined that as many as two-thirds of the U.S. population might suffer from a Vitamin B12 deficiency.
Most people don’t even know that they have this deficiency, but some signs can help you know if you do.
Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin for many reasons.
If you are interested in learning the signs of a B12 deficiency, continue reading this guide as it explains eight reasons you need more Vitamin B12.
- It Boosts Brain Health
The brain requires so many things for it to work correctly. If your body lacks the things it needs, it can impact your brain health. When the health of the brain is impacted, it can lead to various problems, including the following:
- Issues with cognitive thinking
- Depression
- Lack of motivation
- Trouble concentrating and focusing
When you suffer from a B12 deficiency, you might experience these issues. Adding B12 to your daily routine can change that, though.
When you begin taking B12, you might start thinking more clearly, and you might see an improvement in your memory. Your brain needs this vitamin, and you should consider getting this level tested if you are suffering from cognitive decline.
- It Boosts Your Immune System
Your body’s immune system is what helps you stay healthier. People with strong immune systems can fight infections, diseases, and illnesses more effectively than people with weak immune systems.
One benefit of increasing your B12 intake is an improvement in your immune system. Additionally, when your immune system improves, you will naturally feel better.
People with a deficiency often feel tired and fatigued, and they feel like they have no energy. If you feel this way, it could be linked to a B12 deficiency.
Adding B12 to your diet could help you feel more energetic and healthier overall.
- It Can Improve Your Mood
As mentioned earlier, your brain needs B12 to operate. One role your brain plays in your health is controlling your moods. Do you feel moody often? Do you experience depression or have times when you just don’t feel normal or right?
Feeling like this is often a result of a B12 deficiency.
B12 controls your cognitive skills and also plays a role in your sleep. If you are not sleeping well, it could be the result of low B12 levels in your body. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body might be exhausted.
As a result, you might experience mood swings from a lack of sleep. Your brain needs a sufficient amount of B12 to perform all of its duties properly and thoroughly.
- Vegans Are At Risk Due to Their Diets
B12 is a vitamin you can find in many food types, especially foods that come from animals. People who eat animal foods might get enough B12 from the foods they eat, but this leaves a problem for Vegans.
Vegans do not eat things like clams, liver, salmon, eggs, milk, or beef. As a result, they do not naturally receive any B12 from their diets. This leaves vegans at risk for a Vitamin B12 deficiency.
Many vegans evaluate B12 shots vs pills as a way to add the necessary B12 to their bodies. Both options work well, but one might be better for you than the other.
- Your Body Needs Enough Stomach Acid to Absorb It
People over the age of 50 or those that have health issues related to acid reflux or heartburn often suffer from a B12 deficiency.
For your body to properly absorb B12, it requires stomach acid. Older individuals do not typically create as much stomach acid as younger people, which can leave them with a deficiency.
People with heartburn issues often take medication to treat the problems.
The medication consumes the acids in their stomachs, leaving them with fewer acids. With fewer acids in your stomach, your body might not absorb enough B12 even if you eat a lot of foods that contain it.
- It Helps DNA
Your body contains DNA and is constantly regenerating the DNA it contains. A healthy body can do this for an entire lifetime, keeping the body as healthy as possible.
When the body fails to receive enough B12, it interrupts this process.
When your body cannot keep generating and repairing its DNA, you may experience a variety of health problems. You might get sick more frequently and have a higher chance of developing harmful diseases.
- Your Nervous System Needs It
A lack of B12 in your body can also affect your nervous system. One of the significant roles of B12 is to strengthen your bone marrow. When you don’t get enough B12, it causes problems with your red blood cells.
The result of this is anemia, and anemia affects your nervous system.
Your nervous system is an essential part of your body. If you begin having problems with this system, you might experience trouble walking and keeping your balance. You might also feel a lot of pain in your body.
- It Helps to Regulate Your Metabolism
Your metabolism controls many aspects of your health, and one is the way your body burns fat. People with low metabolisms often experience difficulties losing weight.
If you begin exercising and trying to eat healthier but are not seeing a loss in your weight, it might be due to a B12 deficiency.
B12 is a mineral that increases the functions of your metabolism, and it helps with the process of converting fat into energy. If you increase your B12 consumption, your body starts burning more fat. As a result, you might start losing weight faster.
Learn More About the Health Benefits of Vitamin B12
Living without enough Vitamin B12 is not good for your physical or emotional health. If you suspect you might have a deficiency, visit your doctor to get tested.
If it’s low, you’ll need to supplement it to protect your health.
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