Vitamin B12 Sources

Vitamin B12 is a member of vitamin B complex family. It plays an important role in the formation of blood and helps build up a healthy nervous system. Blind loop syndrome, Crohn's disease, and in certain instances pure vegetarianism, can also lead to vitamin B12 deficiency. Vegetables and fruits do not contain much vitamin B12 and hence are not usually included in the list of vitamin B12 sources. Before taking a look at vitamin B12 foods, you may take a look at the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

• Sore throat, tongue and mouth
• Excessive fatigue
• Bleeding gums
• Headache
• Abnormal heartbeats
• Low pulse rate
• Diarrhea and constipation
• Undesired weight loss
• Loss of sensation in the fingers and toes
• Appetite loss
• Lightheadedness
• Confusion, lack of concentration, loss of mental abilities
• Depression

Vitamin B12 Sources

Animal products are main vitamin B12 sources. Organ meat is one of the rich sources of vitamin B12. Here follows a vitamin B12 sources list. The list includes vitamin B12 natural sources and vitamin B12 sources in food (fillets, pie, etc.).

Animal liver Kidney Mollusk Clam Lamb Fish, especially fatty fish Fish eggs Eggs, boiled eggs Veel Beef Goose Turkey Pork Chicken Rabbit Sardines canned in oil Mussels

Duck Steak and kidney pie Liver sausage Cod fillets Fortified breakfast cereals Hard cheese Scallops Shrimp Cow's Milk Yogurt Miso Tofu Tempeh Tamari Shoyu Oysters, crab Octopus and lobster

Milk, hard cheese, B12 fortified cereals, foods, yeast, non-dairy beverages, yogurt, vitamin B12 supplements, injections are vitamin B12 sources for vegans. If you are thinking about vitamin B12 sources in vegetables, then seaweed is the best option. Soy milk and soy beans are some other vitamin B12 food sources. Now, let us take a look at vitamin B12 benefits.

Vitamin B12 Benefits

• Vitamin B12 is essential for the proper functioning of brain and nervous system. It improves your concentration and learning skills.
• It helps maintain health of red blood cells and brings about improvement in body metabolism which helps boost your energy levels.
• It helps building up the structure of DNA.
• Vitamin B12 lowers the risk of pernicious anemia, Alzheimer's disease.
• It strengthens your immune system and prevents infections and diseases. It helps increase your stamina.
• It plays an important role in maintenance of the myelin sheath that insulates nerve fibers.
• It helps prevent certain liver and kidney diseases. It is believed that it helps prevent breast cancer too.
• Certain medical conditions like diabetes, insomnia, allergies, osteoporosis, asthma, can be prevented by providing the body with sufficient amounts of vitamin B12.

Only a balanced and healthy diet can provide all the necessary nutrients to your body. Including vitamin B12 dietary sources is more safe and healthy, than taking B12 supplements or injections. Food sources never cause side effects while overdose of supplements or injections can result in side effects like headache, joint pain, stomach upset, nausea and loss of appetite.

A balanced diet is that diet which contains all essential nutrients in proper proportions. For proper absorption and utilization of vitamin B12, other vitamins like vitamin B6, vitamin E are also needed. Thus, a balanced diet plays an important role in avoiding vitamin deficiency. People with Crohn's disease or certain other medical conditions may suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency, in spite of balanced diet.

I hope you found the above information regarding vitamin B12 sources helpful. Vitamin B12 is usually consumed along with other B complex vitamins. If you are thinking of taking B12 supplements, then you should consult your physician for exact dosage. This will help avoid side effects of the supplements.