Guide To Vitamin B12 And Vitamin D Deficiency In Vegetarians – Physical and mental state plays an important role in living a healthy life. To maintain a healthy physical and mental state, eating a balanced diet is very important. We can say that a balanced diet plays an important role in our body and day-to-day life. Our body needs lots of vitamins, minerals, and various micronutrients to build up a healthy body structure. Among various vitamins, Vitamin B plays an important role in our body and it is an essential nutrient. So in this blog, we Guide To Vitamin B12 And Vitamin D Deficiency In Vegetarians.
Vitamin B12 plays an important role in a person’s health and vegetarians and vegans must take particular care to consume enough vitamin B12 because these are mainly found in meat, eggs, and dairy products. Therefore it is common that lots of vegetarians and vegans are suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 is a powerful, water-soluble vitamin and it is important for a range of body functions including the production of healthy red blood cells. Furthermore, it is absorbed in the stomach and extra vitamin B12 is stored in the liver and can be used whenever your body needs it. In this article, we look at how much vitamin B12 is necessary for vegetarians and vegans and what are the good sources of vitamin B12 in vegetarians and vegans.
What is Vitamin B12 and Why do we need Vitamin B12?
It is a water soluble vitamin that is naturally present in animal foods such as meat, dairy products and eggs. Their active forms of B12 are methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin, and precursors that can be converted in the body are hydroxocobalamin and cyanocobalamin.
- You know our body needs vitamin B12 for function properly. Here we mention some essential functions of vitamin B12.
- It helps in developing the function of the central nervous system.
- It is essential for the formation of red blood cells in the body.
Sources of Vitamin B12 for Vegetarians
If you are vegetarian and looking to increase your vitamin B12 intake then there are a variety of options. Here we mention some good sources of vitamin B12 so you can easily opt for them.
- Yogurt – We can say that yogurt is bliss for vegetarians and it is the one of the best sources of vitamin B12. So taking a cup of plain yogurt can provide almost 28% vitamin B12 in your body. A report shows that vitamin B12 in yogurt can absorb more easily than vitamin B12 in chicken or meat.
- Milk and other dairy products – Milk is loaded with vitamin B12, calcium as well as proteins and minerals. Dairy products such as cheese, paneer, are also a good source of vitamin B12 and excellent source of other vitamins. Milk is also absorbed faster in the stomach than other sources.
- fortified cereals – We can say that this is the best source for vegetarians to get the proper amount of vitamin B12. Consumption of fortified cereals such as bran and whole wheat oats are rich in vitamin B12 as well as iron and vitamin A. Therefore regular consumption of fortified cereals helps to increase vitamin B12 level in your body.
- Nutritional Yeast – It is loaded with vitamin B12 and moreover, you can easily add it in your cooked food and as well as cooking recipes.
- Eggs – If you are eggetarian then eggs are the best source to get vitamin B12 as well as protein and calcium. A report shows that egg yolks have higher levels of vitamin B12 than egg whites.
Fortified cereals are a good choice as they because they have bioavailability that means the vitamin B12 does not have to break down before it absorbs it. Moreover, nutritional yeast is popular for both vegetarians and vegans because it is rich in vitamin B12. Moreover, you can easily add yeast in dishes while cooking. Yeast has a rich cheesy, nutty flavor and you can add this into cooked meals and also sprinkled on foods and snacks.
What are the Health Benefits of Vitamin B12
You know taking vitamin B12 is essential for a person because it is beneficial for your overall health. Here we mention some health benefits of vitamin B12.
- It is important for the formation of red blood cells in your body.
- It protects your nervous system.
- Vitamin B12 enhances the energy level in your body.
It is a nutrient that helps in keeping you energetic and makes red blood in your body. Moreover, it helps to keep your body’s blood and nerve cells healthy. Additionally it helps in making DNA, the genetic material in all of your cells. Vitamin B12 is also known as cobalamin and it is an essential vitamin that your body needs but cannot produce.
Helps in the formation of red blood cells – It helps in producing red blood cells in the body and if you are suffering from deficiency of Vitamin B12 then it causes reduction of red blood cell formation. Most healthy red blood cells are small and round but if you have deficiency of vitamin B12 then it becomes larger and typically oval. Due to deficiency of vitamin B 12 Red blood cells are unable to move from the bone marrow into the bloodstream at an effective rate and it causes megaloblastic anemia.
It may cause major birth issues – You know during pregnancy vitamin B12 plays a crucial role. Deficiency of vitamin B12 in the beginning of pregnancy may increase the risk of birth issues, such as neural tube defects. Sometimes it can cause premature birth or pregnancy loss therefore taking vitamin B12 is necessary during pregnancy.
It Supports bone health and prevents osteoporosis – Maintaining a sufficient amount of vitamin B12 may support your bone health and your bones from osteoporosis. Deficiency of vitamin B12 can decrease the density of bones and make them thin and delicate over time which leads to the risk of osteoporosis.
It may improve mood and symptoms of depression – A report says that vitamin B12 improves mood related to stress, for both healthy and those people who are suffering from deficiency of vitamin B12. A research found that the deficiency of vitamin B12 level is a high risk factor for depression.
Boost your energy levels – Vitamin B12 enhances your energy level and plays an important role in your body’s energy production. People who are suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency will experience fatigue or lack of energy.
What are the symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency?
- Loss of energy
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Reduced sensitivity to pain or pressure
- Blurred vision
- Abnormal gait
- Sore tongue
- Poor memory
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Personality changes
Our body stores vitamin B12 for work properly therefore symptoms appear and develop over several months to a year before someone recognizes a deficiency of vitamin B12.
Conclusion
Nowadays deficiency of vitamin B12 and vitamin D are common in urban people especially in vegetarians. So in this blog, we Guide To Vitamin B12 And Vitamin D Deficiency In Vegetarians we hope this is beneficial for you.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
Question 1 – How to increase vitamin B12 and D3 for vegetarians?
Answer – Consumption of dairy products is the easiest way to maintain a sufficient level of vitamin B12 in your body. So add these products in your diet.
Question 2 – List of Vitamin B12 rich foods for vegetarians?
Answer – yogurt.
- low-fat milk.
- fortified plant-based milk.
- cheese.
- eggs.
- fortified cereals.
- nutritional yeast.
