Name: How Vitamin B12 Could Give You an Energy Boost
Uploaded: 2024-10-07
Duration: 4 min 7 s
Description: Feeling low-energy? You could be among the estimated 3.6% of Americans who are deficient and 12.5% who get insufficient amounts of vitamin B12.

Feeling low-energy? You could be among the estimated 3.6% of Americans who are deficient and 12.5% who get insufficient amounts of vitamin B12.

How Vitamin B12 Could Give You an Energy Boost

Health

Feeling low energy, you could be low in vitamin B 12, an estimated 3.6% of Americans are deficient and 12.5% get insufficient amounts of the chemical. The first step in addressing low energy is to consult your doctor. A tip from Dr Elizabeth Sharp internist and medical director at health means Wellness in New York City. As she previously told, Fortune, she recommends undergoing a series of tests before considering supplements. This is especially important for vegans and vege for whom B 12 deficiency can be more common. But what exactly does vitamin B 12 do according to the National Institutes of Health? Vitamin B 12 is a nutrient that helps keep your body's blood and nerve cells healthy and helps make DNA the genetic material in your cells. It also helps prevent megaloblast anemia. A blood condition that may be the culprit behind someone feeling tired and weak. In addition to weakness and fatigue A B 12 deficiency may also prompt a flu of other symptoms depending on severity including pale skin, heart palpitations, loss of appetite, weight loss, infertility, tingly, hands and feet due to nerve problems, balance issues, depression, confusion, dementia poor memory and mouth soreness. Everyone requires a certain amount of B 12 depending on their age. This starts with half a microgram per day for infants and up to 2.4 mcg for teens and adults. And even more for women who are preg or breastfeeding B 12 is found in a wide array of animal based foods as it's produced by a gut bacteria that has been accumulated in the muscle tissue of most herbivorous animals including fish, cows, chickens and some shellfish. Many livestock are supplemented with B 12 through their feed when absorbed by the animal. It's then passed on to people who eat animal based products such as dairy and meat. Vitamin B 12 is also found in plant based sources including some mushrooms, seaweed and nutrition. Yeast. Still it's not enough to fortify vegans who in particular should consider being tested for deficiency and supplementing their intake. Kathy Danahy, a doctor of pharmacy, a dietary supplement researcher and professor at the University of California. Explains that certain groups are also more prone to vitamin B 12 deficiency. As she told fortune, this includes folks with pernicious anemia, an autoimmune disorder that prevents B 12 absorption. And those who frequently use over the counter stomach acid reduce like famotidine, which reduced the stomach acid needed to release B 12 from animal protein. While B 12 supplements may be a great option for those looking to increase their intake. Consumers should be selective when making their purchase, Jolene Brighton, a naturopathic endocrinologist told fortune be wary of supplements that are far cheaper than the rest or look like a good deal. Often these are using poor quality ingredients and in some cases because they're not regulated, they won't actually have what the label lists to help avoid such risks. Danahy suggests starting by speaking with your health care provider or registered dietitian who is well versed in supplements, then when you're ready to buy, be sure to do some research, especially on the brand, Danahy noted a question that I get asked fairly frequently is is this brand that I'm taking a good brand? Consumers may want to consult the NIH Office of dietary supplements as well as subscription based sources such as consumer lab, which charges a fee for access to its test results, which looks issues ranging from possible contaminants to making sure a supplement contains what it claims to. Vitamin B 12 can be found in multivitamins B complex supplements and by itself in A B 12 supplement. But research has not shown that any form of supplemental vitamin B 12 is better than others. According to the NIH, the federal agency also notes that some common doses much higher than recommended amounts such as 500 mcg or 1000 mcg. But because your body absorbs only a small percentage, those doses are considered safe according to the NIH. Vitamin B 12 can be prescribed as an injection, particularly for those who have absorption issues or have undergone gastric surgery since the shots bypass the digestive system. According to medical news today, prescription nasal sprays and IV infusions are also available though opinions on safety and effectiveness of the IV delivery are mixed. But finally, Dana, he stressed that however, you have to supplement yourself. The only reason it would improve energy would be if you're correcting a deficiency.