Do You Have Vitamin B12 Deficiency?Have you ever heard the horror story that if you go vegan you will get a vitamin B12 deficiency? Well, I have. It's another one of those concerns that arise once in awhile.
There is a lot of confusion about the deficiency-- where it comes from, how much of the vitamin we need, and if vegans are commonly deficient in it. The people who have the most problems with the deficiency are those who live in undeveloped countries who don't have reliable access to food and water sources. It is true that vegans can get a deficiency, but it's much less likely than what we assume.
Here's what it does:Vitamin B12 helps to regulate red blood cells and nerve cells, and to help produce DNA.Here's where it comes from:This vitamin isn't made by plants or animals, but by bacteria. When an animal eats something that is contaminated by this bacteria, it then gets the vitamin and becomes a source of the vitamin. That is why it is commonly assumed that you can only get vitamin B12 from animals.
Frankly, you could also get it from dirt. There are speculations that when our ancestors didn't have much meat to eat, but did have vegetables, that their inadequate washing of their food and hands gave them vitamin B12! If you're not into eating dirty vegetables, don't worry. Many vegan foods are now fortified with B12, such as cereals, non-dairy milks, and nutritional yeast.
Here's what the deficiency is all about:Vitamin B12 deficiency is very rare, probably partially because our recommended daily needs for the vitamin are very low and because the body stores vitamin B12 for long periods of time. It then releases it when your body is low on it. Typically, older adults have more risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency than younger adults. Nevertheless, vitamin B12 is a nasty illness that can lead to depression, loss of memory, confusion, and anemia. It's hard to diagnose deficiency in vitamin B12 because it often doesn't have unique symptoms, but it can lead to anemia, which is easy to diagnose. Anemia makes you weak, fatigued, pale, lightheaded, and an overall feeling of sickness. In serious cases of B12 deficiency, your nervous system can be severely damaged.
Plant Sources of Vitamin B12
The conclusion:Don't worry about it! Now, that's not to say that you shouldn't be aware of your B12 intake. You should. In fact, you should be taking supplements, but you don't need a huge amount. You don't even need to take the pill every day. Every few days is fine. If you are pregnant or lactating, make sure to consult your doctor about the appropriate consumption levels of all vitamins, including vitamin B12. Infants can develop a deficiency very quickly, and it's important to be vigilant in those cases. It would be very hard to take too much vitamin B12, so if you are really concerned about it, feel free to take it every day. Just remember that the extra is just being stored in your day. The upside is that if you should ever become stranded on a desert island, you wouldn't need to worry about becoming deficient!
Done with Vitamin B12 Deficiency? Return to Vegan Diet
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