Are you tired? Can’t think clearly? Feeling depressed or have anxiety? Feeling forgetful or having trouble concentrating? Have restless legs? Migraines? Adding B-12 to your supplement regimine may help with these symptoms and save your heart, too.

It is estimated that 46 million Americans are B-12 deficient.  One can have joint pain, symptoms like fibromyalgia, dementia, alzheimers, chronic fatigue – all due to a B-12 deficiency.  Vegetarians are especially at risk because B-12 is only found in organ meats, liver, beef, pork, eggs, whole milk, cheese, whole wheat bread and fish, with small amounts derived from the fermented soy products miso and tempeh, and peanuts.

The ability to absorb B-vitamins naturally decreases with age, and various indicators of cognitive impairment are associated with reduced B-vitamin levels. The elderly often suffer from a reduction in the sense of taste, and thus appetite, and may use acid reducing medicines that increase the change of B12 deficiency. According to Robert M. Russell of the U.S. RDA’s Human Nutrition Center on Aging at Tufts University, vitamin B12 is probably the single most important nutrient adversely affected by aging. Vitamin B12 is an incredibly difficult nutrient to assimilate and digest as well as one of the most important vitamins for a broad range of bodily functions, including optimal functioning of the nervous system, normal DNA and RNA synthesis, optimal energy production and healthy blood integrity.

Many Americans lack B vitamins in general and these work synergistically together; therefore, I like to take B-complex to get the range of Bs.  B vitamins are water soluble and so you have to keep taking them every day.  B vitamins are important for the following:

• Promoting normal red blood cell formation
• Decreasing stress and improving mood
• Maintaining healthy levels of serotonin
• Increasing energy
• Deficiencies in folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 or biotin may result in feeling fatigued
• Metabolizing proteins, fats and carbohydrates
• Vegetarians
• Proper functioning of the nervous system, bone marrow and intestinal tract (B-vitamin deficiencies appear in these tissues first)
• Cardiovascular health
• Healthy levels of homocysteine and supports normal endothelial function
• Normalcognitive performance
• Vitamin B12 and folic acid facilitate steps required for cell division
• Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and biotin participate in different aspects of energy production
• Vitamin B5 is involved in the Krebs cycle of energy production and is needed to make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. B5 is also essential in producing, transporting and releasing energy from fats
• Vitamin B6 is essential for amino acid metabolism