Importance of Vitamin B 12 - Vitamin B-12 (cobalamin) plays an essential role in red blood cell formation, cell metabolism, nerve function and the production of DNA, the molecules inside cells that carry genetic information. Food sources of vitamin B-12 include poultry, meat, fish and dairy products. Vitamin B-12 is also added to some foods, such as fortified breakfast cereals and is available as an oral supplement. Vitamin B-12 injections might be prescribed to treat vitamin B-12 deficiency.
Risks of Vitamin B 12 Deficiency
Low B-12 levels can lead to symptoms including:
- Anemia
- Fatigue
- Heart Palpatations
- Neurological Problems like Dimentia
- Infertility
- Muscle Weakness
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Apart from the Vitamin B 12 supplements you can also get sucfficient amount of vitamin B 12 in following:
- Sea Food like Fish and Prawns
- Mutton Liver
- Chicken
- Fortified Soy Milk
- Milk, Curd and Cheese
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1 Tinglining Sensation in Hand and Feet
2 Problem in Balancing
3 High Heart Rate
4 Dementia
5 Weakness in Limbs
6 Loss of Apetite
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What is a Vitamin B 12 Test ?
Vitamin B12 alongwith Vitamin D is one of the very important Vitamin for several of the bodily processes. Its important functions include the functioning of the nerves and production of DNA and RBC’s. Since Vitamin B12 is mainly sourced from animal meat, most of the Indians are deficient in Vitamin B12. This leads to symptoms of fatigue, numbness in the limbs, constipation and weight loss. Very rarely would you find a person having higher than normal values for Vitamin B12. This could be due to Liver disease or Diabetes. The blood test is done to measure the vitamin B 12 levels in your body.
Why should get Vitamin B 12 Test done ?
You can have low levels of Vitamin B12 if you have problems with the digestive system due to low acid production. It is the gastric acid in the stomach which extracts Vitamin B12 from the food so that the intestine can absorb it into the blood. Animal meat is a rich source of Vitamin B12 and therefore vegetarian people tend to have lower levels of Vitamin B12. Other conditions in which low level of Vitamin B12 is suspected are :
Older people
Children
Diabetics
Patients of Crohn’s disease and Celiac Disease
Post Bariatric Surgery
Breastfeeding mothers
How is the Vitamin B 12 Test Done ?
The Vitamin B12 test is a simple blood test with no need for fasting before the test. The blood sample can be taken by the phlebotomist at a pathology lab. The test is done on a machine called Immunoassay analyzer. The report is available within 3-4 hours from the sample being taken.
How often should Vitamin B 12 Test be Done ?
If you have low levels of Vitamin B12 then you should take supplements for 3 months before repeating the test to find a meaningful difference.
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