100% vegan & cruelty-free
Content: 0.05 L (€199.80 / L)
Content: 0.08 kg (€124.88 / kg)
Vitamin B12
What is vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 (cobalamins) is a water-soluble vitamin that is one of the eight B vitamins. Vitamin B12 has numerous important functions in the body. As the body cannot produce the vitamin itself, it must be obtained from food.
Why does the body need vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is involved in numerous metabolic processes in the human body.
Vitamin B12...
- contributes to normal energy metabolism
- contributes to the normal function of the nervous system
- contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism
- contributes to normal mental function
- contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells
- contributes to the normal function of the immune system
- contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue
- has a function in cell division
Which foods are rich in vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 can only be produced by microorganisms and gets into the animal or human organism through food. The vitamin is therefore mainly found in animal foods such as meat, fish and eggs.
Plant foods can contain traces of the vitamin due to bacterial fermentation. Marine algae such as chlorella and shitake mushrooms are also described as sources of vitamin B12. However, the amount of vitamin B12 they contain can vary enormously. The form of B12 it contains and its availability for humans is also not exactly known.
It can therefore be difficult for people who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet to get enough vitamin B12. Vegan people in particular should therefore take a vitamin B12 supplement on a permanent basis.
What happens in the case of a vitamin B12 deficiency?
A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to serious health problems. These include anemia, cell division disorders, neurological damage or cognitive impairment.
However, as the human body has large stores of vitamin B12 in the liver, a deficiency only becomes noticeable years later if there was previously a sufficient intake of vitamin B12.
People with health problems in the gastrointestinal tract are particularly at risk. This is because the vitamin needs to bind to a so-called intrinsic factor in order to be absorbed from the small intestine. This is formed in the stomach cells. Therefore, diseases in the stomach or intestine, such as chronic inflammatory bowel disease or the removal of parts of the stomach/intestine, can lead to an insufficient supply.
The risk of a deficiency also increases with age, as certain illnesses or medication can lead to malabsorption. Pregnant and breastfeeding women can also be affected by an inadequate intake.
What is the recommended vitamin B12 intake?
The need for vitamin B12 is difficult to determine. For this reason, the vitamin B12 intake is given as an estimate of an adequate intake. According to current knowledge, the estimate for an adequate vitamin B12 intake for adults is 4.0 µg per day. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have an increased requirement, for pregnant women this is 4.5 µg/day and for breastfeeding women 5.5 µg/day.
What forms of vitamin B12 exist?
Vitamin B12 represents different forms of cobalamin. The two active forms in the human body are methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin. We also use these forms in our vitamin B12 drops and our vitamin B12 lozenges.
In contrast to synthetically produced cyanocobalamin, which is often found in vitamin B12 supplements, the active forms can be better absorbed and utilized by the body.
