Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin present in many foods.
Vitamin B12 is found in meat, poultry, not present in vegetables and fruits
Vitamin B12 is important for red blood cells production.
It is also important for peripheral nerve function
Vitamin B12 Deficiency is a silent disease
Severity of Vitamin B12 deficiency is inversely related to age
One cause of Vitamin B12 deficiency is malabsorption
The other cause is poor food intake function
It is a cause of peripheral neuropathy
There is heart failure and cardiomyopathy
There may be megaloblastic and pernicious anemia
There may be subacute combined degeneration of brain and dementia
Prevention of Vitamin B12 Deficiency is as important as treatment.
Treatment of Vitamin B12 Deficiency is taking vitamin B12 supplements
And a diet containing red meat, egg yolks, fortified milk and liver,
There are no vegetable sources such as whole grain cereals and green vegetables
-An original poem by Kenneth Kee
Interesting Tips about the Vitamin B12 Deficiency
A Healthy Lifestyle
1. Take a well Balanced Diet
2. The goal of Vitamin B12 Deficiency treatment is the prevention of subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord and brain and anemia.
Therefore prevention of Vitamin B12 Deficiency is as important as treatment.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency treatment and prevention measures are:
Medications:
Vitamin B12 supplements
a. Vitamin B12 is given at 100 mcg per day by injection until the response is adequate.
b. Prevention of Vitamin B12 deficiency in people taking isoniazid, hydralazine, cycloserine and penicillinamine
c. Patients with homocystinuria
Vitamin B12 does not give side effects because being water soluble it is excreted easily in the urine if large doses are ingested
3. Keep bones and body strong
Bone marrow produces our blood
Eat foods rich in calcium like yogurt, cheese, milk, and dark green vegetables.
Eat foods rich in Vitamin D, like eggs, fatty fish, cereal, and fortified milk.
Eat food rich in Vitamins B and C such as green vegetables and fruits
Zinc and other minerals are important to the body
4. Get enough rest and Sleep
Avoid stress and tension
5. Exercise and stay active.
It is best to do weight-bearing exercise such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or lifting weights for 2½ hours a week.
One way to do this is to be active 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week.
Begin slowly especially if a person has not been active.
6. Do not drink more than 2 alcohol drinks a day for a man or 1 alcohol drink a day for a woman.
Alcohol use also increases the chance of falling and breaking a bone.
Alcohol can affect the neurons and brain cells.
7. Stop or do not begin smoking.
It also interferes with blood supply and healing.
Chapter 1
Vitamin B12
What is Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) is a water-soluble vitamin
Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water.
After the body uses these vitamins, leftover amounts leave the body through the urine.
The body can store vitamin B12 for years in the liver.
Vitamin B12 has the largest and most complex chemical structure of all the vitamins.
It is unique among vitamins in that it contains a metal ion, cobalt.
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) is present in all living human tissues as an important ingredient in the production of red blood cells.
What are the functions of Vitamin B12?
Functions of Vitamin B12:
1. It is important in metabolism of labile methyl groups example biosynthesis of choline and methionine
2. It maintains glutathione in reduced state
3. It is important in the maturation of erythrocytes, neurologic function and growth.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Chapter 2 Interesting Facts about Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Chapter 3 Treatment of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Chapter 4 Pernicious Anemia
Chapter 5 Megaloblastic Anemia
Chapter 6 Advanced Macular Degeneration
Chapter 7 Alzheimer Disease
