When the body of a certain nutrient is missing, then he compensates for the first often. Initially, you realize, that you have a deficiency. With time, more and more symptoms occur, which indicate that the body is missing something. A particularly unpleasant these are not, if there is a deficiency of Vitamin B12 is: Then only exhaustion and performance-threatening weakness, but even nerve damage.
The good news is that a deficiency of Vitamin B12 is rare, unless people feed on regular. “The liver can store relatively large amounts of Vitamin B12,” said Antje Gahl. She is head of the Department of public Relations at the German society for nutrition. Until this memory is empty, it will take a while.
The body must take Vitamin B12 through food
The body can not produce Vitamin B12 themselves, but it must take in through food. He needs B12 to form, among other things, for its energy metabolism and blood cells. With the usual German diet people secure a sufficient supply: In General, you take according to the expert Antje Gahl, a lot of, far above the recommended daily requirement of around three micrograms.
Even if people are about their food and take no Vitamin B12 more and more, clears the memory in the body only very gradually. After a year, or even later, he has reduced only by half. “Therefore, it may take a long time until deficiency symptoms develop,” says the expert. Often, these occur only after three years without Vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 occurs almost exclusively in foods of animal origin
Vitamin B12 is however, for Vegans, a particularly critical nutrient. It is produced exclusively by microorganisms. “In a Form that is available for humans, B12 is almost only in animal foods,” says Gahl. In particular, meat, yogurt and eggs provide B12.
Problems with a sufficient supply there may be, however, in the case of vegans, who give up animal products. You often have to rely at some point on a dietary Supplement is to take enough B12. “You are not able to ensure the supply of traditional foods,” says Gahl. “This includes fermented foods.” For vegetarians it looks with the supply of better: “If you consume eggs and dairy products, this is not a problem.”
Also some non-animal foods contain Vitamin B12
Although there are foods that have no animal origins, and yet B12. However, it is often not clear how well the body can absorb the Vitamin or it is already known that he can’t use it. This applies, for example, for some species of bacteria: “Spirulina and other products with cyanobacteria, which are advertised as natural Vitamin-B12-source, not for people effective B12,” says Gahl. “They are therefore not suitable to cover the needs.”
Food of plant origin can contain certain fermentation processes, traces of Vitamin B12. This includes Sauerkraut. “It is not clear, however, whether or not included therein, the Form of Vitamin B12 is available for human use”, restricts the expert.
Shiitake mushrooms also contain B12. However, the amount that is contained in the mushrooms can vary greatly. In addition, sea can supply seaweed such as Nori for Vitamin B12. “However, you are also the sole source for Vitamin B12 are not suitable”, says the expert: It is not clear whether and to what extent the body can recycle the B12 at all, since it is a special Form of the Vitamin.
A deficiency of Vitamin B12 can cause nerve damage
A deficiency of Vitamin B12 should be avoided, because it can have unpleasant consequences: for example, fatigue, weakness, and anemia. In addition, it can come to neurological disorders, and nerve damage. Sometimes the symptoms of a deficiency are not easy to diagnose. He can show, for example, in the Form of a burning tongue, headaches and hair loss.
A deficiency of Vitamin B12 can be relatively simply through a blood test to determine. In most cases, Affected can compensate for it by taking a vitamin Supplement. Possible also, B12 in the Form of injection to administer is beyond. This especially then, if a malfunction is present, by the of the body the B12 from food or pills is not sufficient.
Certain diseases can also lead a normal diet to a lack of
In some cases, it may occur even in people who take actually enough animal products to a lack of Vitamin B12. Thus, chronic inflammation in the area of the stomach and intestine can lead to the body can’t absorb enough B12 from food. It’s not that the body forms a specific protein in a sufficient Form, with the body in the digestion of Vitamin B12 from food. This can also lead to an under-supply.
In addition, the use of certain acid blockers may increase the risk for a B12 deficiency. The one who takes over a longer period of time, stomach acid blockers, you should be aware, therefore, from time to time once his Vitamin B12 levels in the blood to control.
This article was Berentzen written by Maria
*The contribution of “Dangerous consequences: a lack of Vitamin B12” manifests itself is from GQ. There is no editorial review by FOCUS Online. Contact with the executives here.