Vitamin B12 for a Healthy Brain and Body

Vitamin B12 is considered important for the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system for the manufacture of blood and blood vessels. Vitamin B12 is normally found in each cell of the body and helps in the process of metabolism, production of DNA, promotion of fatty acids and production of energy.

Vitamin B12 deficiency results in severe and acute damage to the brain and nervous system. Lower levels of vitamin B12 indicate fatigue, depression and poor memory power. But these symptoms do not provide the information in arriving to the conclusion of the deficiency in vitamin B12. Pathomorphology contains the spongiform state of neural tissue along with the edema of fibers and tissue and this is caused due to the deficiency in Vitamin B12. The myelin decays accompanied with the axial fiber results in the fibric sclerosis of never tissues. The above changes are applied to the dorsal parts of the spinal cord and to the pyramidal tracts in the lateral cords.

The impact of vitamin B12 results in the severe changes in the brain and they occur as small sources of nerve fibers and accumulation of astrocytes situated on the round Hemorrhages of torus in the glial cells. Pathological changes are noticed in the posterior roots of the cord and in the peripheral nerves.

The main syndrome of the vitamin B12 deficiency is the Addison’s disease and the Bireme’s disease called the pernicious anemia. This is characterized by various symptoms like anemia with bone marrow called promegaloblastosis also known as megaloblastic anemia. Some other symptoms like the gastrointestinal symptoms and neurological play an essential role in the vitamin B12 deficiency.

The presence of vitamin B12 is found in floods of animal meat, liver, shellfish and milk products. Animals acquire the vitamin B12 from the various bacteria directly and indirectly and these bacteria inhibits the vitamin stored in the gut of the posterior of the section where the vitamin is absorbed. Herbivorous animals thus obtain vitamin B12 bacteria from the rumens or by reingestion of cecotrope feces. Eggs contain the presence of good vitamin B12 source and contains factor for absorption. Insects like termites contain B12 vitamin and they produce the vitamin in the gut such as analogous to other animals.

Plants provide vitamin B12 to the humans when planted in the soil containing B12 and helps in the production of micro organisms. Humans using washed vegetables must take special care to supplement the diets with high sources of vitamin B12. Vegetarians and vegan can prefer fortified cereals for their breakfast which present a protein rich in vitamin B12.

Lacto-ova vegetarians derive vitamin B12 in the consumption of dietary milk products and they can use these supplements for compensation with fortified cereals. Vegans not taking necessary supplements lack in vitamin B12 and hence they are recommended for the usage of folic acids and fortified cereals. People feeding on raw vegetable are prone to the deficiency of vitamin B12. Hence they are recommended for the consumption of fortified soy based products and fortified energy bars.