Vitamin B 12

Do you know how important vitamin B 12 is to a healthy diet? I didn't. Vitamin B 12 helps produce red blood cells. If you are lacking B 12, you may develop anemia. Anemia can lead to permanent brain damage.

I eat meat regularly, so I should get plenty of B 12 in my diet. My vegetarian friends obtain necessary B 12 through animal products like eggs, cheese, dairy products, fortified cereals and soy.

My vegan friends, on the other hand, are most susceptible to a vitamin B 12 deficiency. Vegans don't eat any animal products at all. They don't consume fortified grains or soy products. Vegans must take vitamin B 12 supplements regularly. They cannot substitute vegetables as a source of B 12, because there are virtually no vegetables that contain B 12 useable by humans. The only such vegetable known is the Chinese herb Dang Gui. Since Dang Gui is not a regular part of most vegan's diets, they really need to take a vitamin B 12 supplement.

If you are a vegan or are considering becoming one, please discuss the health ramifications with your doctor. If you've been a vegan for some time and haven't had a thorough physical, including a blood work up, go have one as soon as possible. Do so even if you feel fine. A vitamin B 12 deficiency can develop over the course of several years. By the time symptoms of anemia are realized, you may already be in danger of permanent brain damage.

I have had some friends who have had stomach surgeries either due to a medical condition or due to morbid obesity. People who have had all or part of their stomach removed are another group at risk for vitamin B 12 deficiency. Partial or total removal of the stomach effects the parietal cells inside. These cells make the acid that aids in digestion and also make glycoprotein called "intrinsic factor," which is required for vitamin B 12 to be absorbed. If you are lacking intrinsic factor, you must consume extremely large amounts of Vitamin B 12 to avoid anemia. A combination of supplements and vitamin B 12 rich foods such as calves liver may provide enough B 12 for people in this category. Otherwise, it may be necessary for them to have regular vitamin B 12 injections.

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