Why Is Vitamin B12 So Important?

Do any amount of research on improving your overall health, and you won’t get very far before vitamin B12 pops up. 

Meridith Womick, MD, and the entire team of doctors and health coaches at Metabolic Medical Center love vitamin B12 and all it has to offer, but we also know that most of our patients have only seen the tip of the iceberg. 

In this blog, we take a deep dive into vitamin B12 and all its health benefits. 

Why you need vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 plays a role in many of your body’s functions. Getting the recommended amount of vitamin B12 (2.4 mcg) supports:

• Red blood cell formation
• Anemia prevention
• Bone health 
• Osteoporosis prevention
• Macular degeneration prevention
• Stable moods
• Cognitive function, including memory
• Stable energy levels
• Healthy skin, hair, and nails
• An efficient metabolism

It’s also crucial for pregnant women to take vitamin B12 to decrease the risk of neural tube defects and premature birth or pregnancy loss. 

Signs you don’t have enough vitamin B12

Upwards of 15% of people have a vitamin B12 deficiency, which can cause  physical symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Appetite loss
• Mouth and tongue sores
• Yellowish skin
• Vision loss
• Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
• Difficulty talking and walking

Many people with vitamin B12 deficiency also experience new or worsening depression, mood swings, and other changes in behavior and cognitive functioning. 

Two things must occur for your body to absorb and use vitamin B12 properly. First, the hydrochloric acid in your stomach extracts the vitamin from your food. Then, a protein in your stomach called intrinsic factor combines with vitamin B12 and is absorbed into your digestive system. 

Anything that interferes with this process can cause a vitamin B12 deficiency.

You’re most at risk for a vitamin B12 deficiency if you have a poor diet, gastritis, pernicious anemia, digestive diseases like Crohn’s disease, alcohol use disorder, or transcobalamin II deficiency, a rare genetic disorder. Surgeries, namely weight loss surgeries, can impact how your body absorbs vitamin B12. 

Those who adhere to a strict vegan diet are also at an increased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. 

How to get more vitamin B12

It’s clear that your body needs vitamin B12 to function properly, but here’s the kicker: Your body can’t produce its own vitamin B12. That means you have to get vitamin B12 from outside sources, primarily your diet. 

Foods rich in vitamin B12 include animal products, such as meat, dairy, and eggs. Some foods, like cereals, breads, and nutritional yeast, are fortified with vitamin B12. 

You can also see us for vitamin B12 injections. Injections are ultra-effective because they bypass the stomach and deliver the vitamin directly into your bloodstream to be used by your cells. 

With a simple injection, you can reverse your deficiency, restore energy levels, ramp up your metabolism, and reduce frustrating neurological, physical, and emotional symptoms. 

Many of our patients turn to vitamin B12 injections to aid in weight loss. The injections give you an energy boost, which helps you increase your physical activity levels and improve your body’s ability to burn fat and carbs as energy. 

If you think you have a vitamin B12 deficiency and can benefit from vitamin injections, don’t wait to call the Metabolic Medical Center location closest to you or request an appointment online. We proudly serve patients in Mount Pleasant, Charleston, Murrells Inlet, Columbia, and Bluffton, South Carolina.