Vitamin B12

lack of vitamin B-12 can cause a long list of symptoms.

• Low energy or weakness
• "Brain fog" or lack of focus
• Poor memory
• Light-headedness
• Pale skin
• Sore tongue
• Bleeding gums
• Mood changes or depression
• age-related brain shrinkage

Vitamin B-12 deficiency can also cause neural tube defects in pregnant women Women who are in their menopausal age are slowly becoming aware that they are more prone to weakening and developing porous bones than men. The weakening of bones in women is due mainly to the hormonal changes that are going on inside their body. They are therefore advised to increase their calcium intake.

Special Precautions of Vitamin B12

• Although vitamin B12 is likely safe for most people, it may cause certain side effects (including diarrhea, blood clots, itching, and severe allergic reactions). In addition, combining vitamin B12 with chloramphenicol (an antibiotic medication) may produce harmful effects.
• Vitamin B12 should be avoided by people with Leber's disease (a type of eye disease). When taken by people with Leber's disease, vitamin B12 can damage the optic nerve and possibly contribute to blindness.

The benefits of Vitamin B12 are

People use vitamin B12 for a wide variety of health purposes, including prevention and/or treatment of the following conditions:

• age-related macular degeneration
• allergies
• Alzheimer's disease
• asthma
• depression
• diabetes
• eczema : When applied to the skin, vitamin B12 may help fight eczema. For a 2004 study from the British Journal of Dermatology, researchers assigned 49 eczema patients to eight weeks of twice-daily treatment with a placebo or a cream containing vitamin B12. By the study's end, those using the vitamin B12 cream had experienced a greater decrease in the severity of their eczema (compared to those using the placebo cream).
• gum disease
• heart disease : Taking vitamin B12 may lower your levels of homocysteine (an amino acid thought to increase heart disease risk when it is present in elevated levels). According to a 2000 report from Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis, daily supplementation with both .5 to 5 mg of folic acid and about .5 mg of vitamin B12 may significantly reduce homocysteine levels.
• inflammatory bowel disease
• male infertility
• osteoporosis
• Vitamin B12 is also used to enhance mood, increase energy, improve memory, stimulate the immune system, promote healthy sleep, and slow the aging process.
• Cancer : Early research indicates that vitamin B12 may protect against some forms of cancer. In a 2003 study from Cancer Causes & Control, for instance, scientists examined the dietary habits of 214 women with cervical dysplasia. (A condition marked by abnormal changes in the cells on the surface of the cervix, cervical dysplasia can lead to cervical cancer if not treated.) Analyzing their findings, the study's authors determined that women who use vitamin B12 supplements and have a high intake of folate, riboflavin, and thiamin may be less likely to develop cervical cancer.