What’s is it? Should I take it? Should my child take it? Why is it important? All good questions. Let’s discuss.
Does everyone need B12?
No. With any intervention, it’s always important to assess the individual. Understanding the concerns of the individual, health challenges, current medications and supplements with any intervention need to be known.
Why it’s important to assess first
If taking B12, without assessing the status of folate (another B vitamin, also very important for neurological health), it can become a problem. If folate is not being provided and there is a deficiency (low amount) the use of folate in the body will be impaired. Folate may need to be taken along with B12. It’s very important to take this step and assess.
If you have any of the following, or want to focus on prevention, get tested! Know your number for B12 and folate.
- 61% of children got better from taking Vitamin B12 who had autism (based on a questionnaire of 27,000 parents through Autism Research Institute)
- Women, if you’re considering pregnancy in the next while, make sure you get tested
- If you’ve been diagnosed with Megaloblastic anemia, low B12 may be the reason
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Blood levels tend to be low in those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
- Researchers at Johns Hopkins University reported that women with breast cancer tend to have lower vitamin B12 levels in their blood serum than do women without breast cancer
- Cardiovascular disease
- Sleep disorders
- Fatigue
- You are a vegetarian
Why B12 in a capsule may not work
Until the diet and gut (gastro intestinal tract) are cleaned up (enough good probiotics, no yeast/fungal infections, no parasites, ability to digest foods well), individuals may not benefit from taking oral (by mouth) b12. The reason for the is to use the B12, we need proper gastrointestinal function. This does not apply to injectable B12, which is why it can be preferred.
Why is B12 important?
- Vitamin B12 and folate are needed to create building blocks for RNA and DNA. Simply put – we need them to make sure we have proper functioning of our genes.
- It helps the nervous system function well
- Helps us make energy
- Some toxic substances can impair it’s use in the body
B12 can be a valuable intervention in the body, but we need to ensure that it’s being done safely. Test, don’t guess!
