Vitamin B-12 is extremely important to the brain and nervous system, helping to maintain healthy nerve and red blood cells, and primarily helping to keep the brain and nervous system functioning within normal parameters. Its importance is often overlooked because it works below the surface, and you won't see direct results from your intake of Vitamin B-12, but you will feel the ramifications of a B-12 deficiency.
B-12 also can lead to an increase in energy in your system, and if you are taking enough of it, it can serve as a "boost" to your normal diet.
Foods Rich in Vitamin B-12
There are a number of foods that will provide a lot of Vitamin B-12 to your diet, with quite a few coming from aquatic life-forms. At the top of the list are mollusks and clams, which provide more than 14 times what you need for one days diet.
Other foods that provide enough B-12 through just one serving to satisfy your daily requirements are liver, salmon, and trout. Foods like beef can provide enough with more than one serving, but some people may need to take dietary supplements to make sure that they are getting enough B-12 in their diet. A lot of people can find the needed amount in breakfast cereals that are geared to provide just enough.
Just how much B-12 do you need?
Each day, you should consume at least 6 micrograms of Vitamin B-12. While some cereals have exactly the right amount per serving, there are many dietary supplements on the market that will give you the recommended minimum as well as a lot more to help you with your diet. These can be found at most locations that sell vitamins.
It’s a good idea to have a cereal in the house that provides Vitamin B-12, because this could be the easiest way for a lot of people to make sure that they are getting their necessary daily intake.
What are the Risks of Vitamin B-12 Deficiency?
If you are lacking enough Vitamin B-12 in your diet, you could fall victim to a number of symptoms and changes to both your neurology and your energy level. A deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue, weakness, a loss of appetite, and numbness in limbs. These can all lead to depression, dementia, and a loss of memory, all of which could alter how you function on a daily basis.
Can you have too much Vitamin B-12?
The easy answer to this question is that this is a vitamin with a very low potential for toxicity. That being said, you should still not try to take too many dietary supplements during the day that provide you with a lot of Vitamin B-12. It is however a vitamin you can feel safe about having extra foods that contain it.
