Vitamin B12 — Cobalamin
What is vitamin B12 or cobalamin?
Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is one of the only water-soluble vitamins that is stored by the body, which allows the body to have important stocks. This being the case, as this vitamin is not synthesized by the body, it must imperatively be provided by the diet. It gets its name cobalamin from the presence of cobalt in its chemical formula, and as it comes in the form of a red powder, it is sometimes called the "red vitamin".
What is its function and what are its benefits?
Vitamin B12 is involved in the formation of red blood cells. For this reason, it is sometimes used in therapeutic treatment to treat anemia.
Like all B vitamins, it plays a role in the production of energy by participating in the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins.
It is also involved in the synthesis of genetic material (DNA), and helps maintain the balance of the nervous system, by acting on the integrity of the myelin sheath (substance protecting the nerves).
Where to find it?
Vitamin B12 is mainly found in foods of animal origin. The main sources are: meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, milk, cheese, eggs, offal, etc.
It can also be found in certain plants, but in a form that is not absorbed by the body.
Deficiency and excess
Cases of excess are extremely rare, and vitamin B12 appears to be safe, even at high doses.
As it is stored in large quantities by the body, symptoms of a possible deficiency can take months or even years to appear. Such a deficiency can lead to a number of disorders, including a form of pernicious anemia called Biermer's anemia, which manifests itself as generalized fatigue, paleness of the face, loss of appetite and weight, etc.
Deficiencies can be seen in both people with intake deficiencies, particularly vegetarians or vegans who do not eat animal foods, or in people with a vitamin B12 absorption defect, as is most often the case in Biermer’s anemia. These people, as well as the elderly, should be careful about their vitamin B12 intake.
