Vitamin B12 is water soluble and very necessary for our body’s requirements. It maintains nerve cells and red blood cells healthy and also helpful in DNA formation. It is mainly found in fish, eggs, poultry, dairy products and shellfish. This is the reason vegetarian people usually suffer from a deficiency of vitamin B12.


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Absorption of Vitamin B12:

We should have proper functioning of pancreas and healthy stomach for proper absorption of vitamin B12. As stomach releases acid and a digestive enzyme called pepsin which helps in releasing vitamin B12 from food.

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Factors Leading to Poor Absorption:

  • In elder people as they are not having ample of stomach acids.
  • Pregnancy
  • Inadequate intrinsic factor which leads to condition like pernicious anemia.
  • Debilitated gastrointestinal system
  • Poor nutrition
  • Excessive alcohol
  • Autoimmune disease
  • Strict vegetarians or in kids having vegetarian mothers.
  • Hypothyroidism and many more.

How to Increase Absorption:

Consult your doctor about the deficiency of vitamin B12. he will find out with the help of a blood test. Some supplements, injections or tablets which are placed under the tongue are prescribed which will help out.

To Increase Absorption:

1. Supplements:

Take dietary supplements daily if your food is not rich in vitamins. If vitamin is not absorbed through pills then you may try sublingual or under the tongue tablets.

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2. Diet:

• Include poultry, fish, dairy products, eggs and meat in your diet.
• Beef liver is very rich in vitamin B12. Keep a check on your saturated fats and cholesterol while consuming beef in order to increase the level of vitamins.
• Shellfish is also a very rich source of vitamin B12 among all seafood. Rockfish, trout, herring, salmon and haddock are a few best seafood to raise the levels of Vitamin B12. Mussels, crabs and oysters are also good source of vitamin but chances of infection are likely. So they are avoided. If you don’t like fresh fish then give a try to tuna fish which comes in can. It provides a good percentage of

Vitamin B12:

  •  Take fortified cereal in breakfast.
  •  In order to increase vitamin consider the labeled nutrients on readymade cereals in market and select the one which is consisting the vitamin B12. Eat the cereal daily in breakfast to increase the intake of vitamin.
  •  Increase intake of cheese in your diet if you are vegetarian and can’t have sea foods. Full-fat products should be avoided to prevent increase in cholesterol level.
  •  Black pepper contains piperine which helps in better absorption.
  •  Consumption of calcium aids in absorption of vitamin. In diabetic patients vitamin B12 absorption is interfered by metformin (medication of diabetes) so calcium intake reverts the process and helps in raising the level of vitamin.
  •  Vitamin B12 absorption is also increased with the help of caffeine intake. It activates stomach acid production. It should not be ingested in larger amounts otherwise it will cause giddiness, vertigo or headache.

3. Alcohol:

Reduce intake of alcohol to one serving for females and only two for males as prescribed or recommended per day.

4.  Take Cranberry Juice:

cranberries intake either by eating or by drinking cranberry juice increases the imbibation of vitamin B 12.

Warnings:

  •  Doctor’s consultation for your medical fitness is very important before starting any supplement for vitamin B12.
  •  Persons suffering from celiac disease generally have vitamin B12 deficiency. Change your dietary habits after doctor’s prescription.

Hope you find the above given information useful and you will give it a try in your daily routine if you are vitamin B12 deficient.

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Saanvi

About Saanvi

Saanvi Sharma is an excellent web content writer in health and nutrition. Her expertise in the subject stems from in-depth research and knowledge that she gained over the years. Her interest in science coupled with a bachelor's degree in biotechnology proves as an added advantage and further adds value to her writing. She is highly interested in science, thus writing quality content became her virtue.
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