We are what we eat. Every morsel that we put in our mouth is a source of nourishment for the body as majority of the nutrients required for running our bodily processes come from our diet. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that deficiency of even a single dietary component can cause our body functions to slacken.

Vitamin B12, also known as Cobalamin, is crucial for the sustenance of several vital body functions. If you are not consuming enough vitamin B12 in your food, it can interfere with the energy production in your body. The inevitable result is chronic fatigue, lethargy and sluggishness. If you feel tired most of the time and even minimal exertion tires you out, you might want to review your diet for vitamin B12 deficiency.

tired

How does Vitamin B12 cause Fatigue?

Although Vitamin B12 plays myriads of roles in the human body, here are two main processes through which its deficiency affects the body performance.

  • Vitamin B12 is vital for the formation of myelin, the sheath that covers the nerves. Myelin is necessary for streamlined conduction of nerve impulses. Vitamin B12 deficiency can interfere with nerve signal transmission, resulting in body functions going haywire. Studies have shown low vitamin B12 levels to be linked with developmental regression in children1 due to delayed myelination of the nerve fibers.

Since the nervous system is not working optimally, a typical “pins and needles” feeling in the limbs is common in people with vitamin B12 shortage. This condition is termed “peripheral neuropathy”. Long term deficiency of vitamin B12 has also been linked with depression and even permanent brain damage.

  • Pernicious anemia is a blood disorder and is a manifestation of acute shortage of vitamin B12. In this condition, intrinsic factor (a substance made by stomach which is responsible for the absorption of vitamin B12) is destroyed by the body’s own immune system.

Since vitamin B12 is imperative for the formation of RBCs, the red blood cells have abnormal shapes and have low oxygen carrying capacity. The malformed RBCs fail to provide the body cells with the required amount of oxygen and nutrients due to which body functions are impaired. As a result, the person feels listless and lethargic all the time2.

Signs and symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency may arise as a result of decreased absorption, dietary insufficiency and use of certain medications. Vitamin B12 deficit typically manifests in the form of

  • B12_DeficiencyTingling feeling in arms and legs
  • Excessive weakness and lethargy
  • Dizziness
  • Lightheadedness
  • Fainting spells
  • Headache
  • Memory impairment
  • Short attention span
  • Irritability
  • Depression
  • Shortness of breath on exertion

 

Foods naturally high in B12 include:

  • Sea foods like Shell fish, crab etc
  • Soy and its derivatives (soymilk, tofu)
  • Red meat
  • Low fat dairy products like cheese
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Yogurt
  • Whey powder
  • Fortified cereals
  • Vegetables like

If you are already including these foods to your diet, yet you are still experiencing symptoms above, it would be wise to consider a quality B12 supplement. 

Unfortunately, most B12 supplements you find on the market
suffer from one major flaw…

They’re unabsorbable.

When the vitamins can’t be absorbed, your body is unable to assimilate them and you never get the anticipated nutrition. So you still end up with the symptoms.

purathrive_bottles_sealsIn this regard, PuraTHRIVE’s 100% Absorbable Vitamin B12 is different because it is in Liposomal form – meaning it’s specifically blended to make the B12 bind to phosphlipids (fats) that increase its bioavailability 10 to 20 times. PuraTHRIVE’s B12 also includes Fulvic Acid, making this the only supplement that can provide the B12 directly in the cells without injections.

Check out this 100% Absorbable Vitamin B12 here

Scientific References

  1. Dror DK, Allen LH. Effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on neurodevelopment in infants: current knowledge and possible mechanisms. Nutrition reviews. 2008 May 1;66(5):250-5.
  2. Stabler SP. Vitamin B12 deficiency. New England Journal of Medicine. 2013 Jan 10;368(2):149-60.