Vitamin B12 is considered one of the most complex vitamins in nature. This substance is also interesting in that it can not be synthesized by plants, people or animals. Where does this vitamin come from then? The answer is simple. It is synthesized by microorganisms. Apart from them, no one is capable of it.
A person receives vitamin B12 from various products of animal origin in which there are such microorganisms. We list some of them:
• kidneys;
• liver;
• a heart;
• cottage cheese;
• meat;
• milk;
• cheese.
The role of vitamin B12
In the human body, this vitamin is absorbed in the small intestine. But in order for vitamin B12 to be properly absorbed, the so-called Castle internal factor must be present. This is a protein that is produced in the stomach. It binds to vitamin B12, and then they are transferred together into the bloodstream through the intestinal walls. Only after that the obtained vitamin with protein will be carried in the blood stream throughout the body. A huge amount of vitamin B12 is found in organs such as muscles, liver, kidneys, nerve cells, and bone marrow.
It also happens that the body loses its ability to absorb vitamin B12 in the intestines. But as always, everything is thought out by nature. In this scenario, the vitamin will come from the internal reserves of the liver. Such a reserve is enough for about three to four years, and sometimes enough for five years. Therefore, patients have to take medicine to somehow balance this deficiency. For example, you can take vitamin B12 in tablets. This will provide the body with the necessary amount of this substance.
Other Vitamin B12 Functions
This vitamin in the form of a catalyst is involved in various reactions, as a result of which substances such as:
• choline (otherwise known as vitamin B4);
• methionine;
• creatine;
• acetylcholine;
• adrenaline;
• Nitrogen bases of nucleic acids (for example, DNA or RNA);
• proteins;
• and other active and necessary substances to the body.
In addition, B12 is involved in the formation of folic acid (a form of vitamin B9), and also contributes to its deposition in the body as a whole. As a result, DNA synthesis and, most importantly, the formation of red blood cells are facilitated.
Vitamin B12 deficiency in the body
A lack of vitamin B12 leads to the formation of the following substances:
• methyl malonic acid;
• propionic acid.
What is this fraught with? Due to the presence of these acids in the body, a violation of the formation of myelin will be observed. And myelin is one of the most important components involved in the structure of nerve cells. In this situation, patients may be prescribed vitamin B12 in ampoules.
Hypovitaminosis of vitamin B12 (or, alternatively, a lack of this substance) is not observed so often. The vast majority of people with hypovitaminosis of this vitamin are vegetarians. What is the reason for this? With the fact that they do not eat food of animal origin.
But it also happens that a person eats meat and other animal products, but he still has a lack of vitamin B12. In such cases, most likely, the patient does not have or is not producing a special enzyme in the body that is mentioned above - the Castle internal factor.
Deficiency of this protein can be observed for the following reasons:
• atrophic gastritis;
• partial removal of the stomach;
• various operations to remove the stomach;
• intestinal neoplasms;
• tumors of the stomach;
• removal of a large portion of the small intestine from the body.
But if the patient has a deficiency of vitamin B12, but he did not tolerate any of the operations described above, you should check for the presence of worms in the body, because they “love to eat” this vitamin.
If there are no worms, you should consult a doctor to find the reason for the lack of this substance in the body.