If you haven’t been thinking clearly lately or if you’ve been feeling less energetic than usual, you might be lacking in Vitamin B12.
Like most vitamins, we need B12 for our bodies to function properly. It’s required for the replication of DNA, to manufacture myelin (that’s the material that helps speed along neural transmission), and to manufacture red blood cells.
How do you know if you’re deficient in B12?
Animal foods contain vitamin B12, so vegetarians and vegans are quite susceptible to deficiency.
If you are deficient in B12, you may experience any of the following symptoms:
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Numbness
• Irritability
• Irritation and swelling of the mouth and tongue
If you are deficient in Vitamin B12, your body will start to mimic many effects of aging. An advanced B12 deficiency can actually result in impaired brain function to the extent of causing severe enough dementia to mimic Alzheimer’s disease.
Yikes!
So how do you get more B12 in your diet?
If you are unable to get enough B12 from your diet, your doctor may advise you receive B12 shots. There are also supplements that might be recommended.
The good news is that you can also get B12 through certain foods. The following foods contain the most Vitamin B12:
• Oysters
• Mussels
• Liver
• Caviar
• Fish
• Octopus
• Crab
• Lobster
• Beef
• Lamb
• Cheese
• Eggs
Have you had your vitamin B12 checked lately?
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