Is B12 really necessary?
Are you searching for, how fast does B12 works? Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that many people don’t give much thought to. We call it vitamin D, vitamin C, omega-3, and more. Typically, we’ve got it backward, but getting enough of this vitamin is key to optimal human performance. It plays an important role in health, the building of red blood cells, and the functioning of the nervous system, and low levels can cause serious ailments. However, once you’ve been diagnosed with a vitamin B12 deficiency and started supplementing, you may wonder, how fast does B12 work?
In this article, we’ll show you everything you need to know about vitamin B12 supplements. Why B12 is important, and how fast does B12 work?
What is Vitamin B12
Naturally, Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is found in foods of animal origin but it is also available in the form of supplements. Generally, Vitamin B12 is necessary for the formation of red blood cells and DNA also plays an important role in the functioning and development of brain and nerve cells. Importantly, it binds to proteins in the food we eat, and yet in the stomach, hydrochloric acid and enzymes break down free vitamin B12. There, vitamin B12 binds to a protein called intrinsic factor so that it can be further absorbed in the small intestine.
B12 Food Sources
- Fish, snail
- Liver
- Red meat
- Egg
- Bird meat
- Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt
- Approved nutritional yeast
- Breakfast cereals
- Fortified soy milk
- Rice milk
- Chicken
- Lean meat
- B12 Supplements
Supplements and fortified foods contain B12 in free form and are easily absorbed and anyhow there is a variety of supplements that contain vitamin B12. Although oral tissues absorb certain forms, such as sublingual tablets or sublingual liquids. Additionally, their absorbed rate is better than traditional tablets but some studies have shown no significant difference. During supplementation, how fast does B12 work, is also worth remarking on.
Incredibly, vitamin B12 tablets are available in high doses, much higher than the recommended daily dose. Chiefly for severe vitamin B12 deficiency due to intrinsic factor deficiency (pernicious anemia), doctors may prescribe intramuscular injections of B12.
B12 Injections
Injections are the most common treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency also B-12 is injected directly into the muscle. Usually at a dose of 1,000 micrograms, to remove the absorption barrier. Treatment schedules can vary, but most injections are given on days 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, 30, 60, and 90 of a 3 months period. Surely for some people, 3 months is enough, but people with severe B-12 deficiency must continue to receive monthly B-12 injections.
Is Vitamin B12 really necessary?
Cobalamin is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a crucial role in overall health and well-being. Merely, its best-known role is the production of red blood cells (the formation of red blood cells), but it is also involved in:
- DNA synthesis
- Rehabilitation of bone marrow, mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, and respiratory tract
- Development and upkeep of the nervous system
- Prevention of anemia
B12 deficiency is not as common as vitamin D or folic acid deficiency, but it does occur. Normally, 15% of people over the age of 60 have low levels of vitamin B12 however this statistics also include young people. As dietary restrictions or underlying health conditions may affect the numbers. Another important role that B12 is involved in is the conversion of homocysteine to methionine.
After conversion, methionine is transformed into S-adenylyl methionine, which plays an important role in the nervous and hematopoietic systems. Inadequate B12 status can disrupt the homocysteine cycle and lead to accumulation. Though which is toxic to neurons and poses serious risks to vascular and cognitive health.
But here’s the problem with B12 and even B12 absorption is different from most other vitamins. For B12 to be absorbed from the gut, it needs a specific protein called intrinsic factor (IF) produced by cells in the parietal lobe of the stomach. Intrinsic factor forms a complex with B12, allowing it to be absorbed in the distal small intestine. Consequently, low levels of IF can interfere with B12 absorption and lead to deficiency even when dietary intake is sufficient.
How fast does B12 work? Few B12 Benefits
- Diminish anemia
- Help in RBCs formation
- Prevent major birth defects
- Decreases Osteoporosis
- Enhance bone health
- Straightens upmood swings
- Lessens depression
- Benefits the brain and prevents the loss of neurons
How Fast does B12 Work?
Basically, How fast does B12 work and for symptoms to go away depends on several factors.
- Form B12
- Root control
- Dosage
- Current status of vitamin B12
Most people who receive a B12 injection (intramuscular) experience improvement within the first 24 hours. Yet, haematological responses may take days to months to fully respond3.
Essentially, health professionals recommend a complete blood count. And reticulocyte count 7 to 10 weeks and 8 weeks after starting treatment to check for normal blood levels.
Notably, if homocysteine or methylmalonic acid levels are abnormal, yet they should return to normal within the first week of treatment. Still, if you have neurological symptoms that occur as a result of B12 deficiency. Then there is little improvement in the first 6 weeks and improvement may take up to 3 months. Oral B12 is effective because sublingual B12 is not absorbed from the stomach.
Studies have shown that sublingual B12 supplementation is as effective as intramuscular B12 supplementation in correcting B12 deficiency.
Conclusion
Finally, if your levels are low then it’s a good idea to start with a B12 supplement, but don’t expect them to return to normal right away. Levels are usually very low before a deficiency is recognized, so it may take time for serum levels to balance and symptoms to disappear. Simply, to meet b12 deficiency, Performance Lab NutriGenesis Multi should be in your supplement kit.
Significantly, this is a modern multivitamin that provides 100% DV of over 17 essential vitamins and minerals. Further, bioengineered with cofactors to improve absorption and bioactivity.
