Vitamin B12 – a vital vitamin

Vitamin B12 is irreplaceable for the body and is generally absorbed through the diet. In certain life situations, the additional intake of additional vitamin supplements may be necessary. The substance is responsible for cell division, blood formation and the function of the nervous system. The active ingredient is also included in many ointments for the treatment of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.

The daily minimum requirement Vitamin B12

Adult people should be around 2 micrograms per day Vitamin B12 to eat. Newborns need 0.4 micrograms a day for the first four months. You get about the breast milk a sufficient amount. However, if the mother is vegetarian, breast milk may contain too low a dose Vitamin B12 , After consultation with the attending pediatrician, the gift of Vitamin B12 be determined. Disorders in the uptake of the vitamin may also result in too low a dose in breast milk. At the age of 4 to 12 months, the need is increased to 0.8 micrograms per day. Up to the age of 15, the required amount increases from 1 microgram to 3 micrograms. Pregnant women and nursing mothers should take 3.5 to 4 micrograms a day. If this amount can not be covered by the food, additional supplements are necessary. The exact dosage can be found on the leaflets or on the package Dietary supplementsnoted and must be respected in any case. Overdoses must be avoided. Risks and side effects should be checked by consulting the doctor or pharmacist and reading the package leaflet carefully. Should be an increased need for Vitamin B12 exist, it must be medically clarified, which causes are based. Harmless options are a heavy physical strain, for example, in professional athletes.

How is a vitamin B12 deficiency expressed?

An undersupply of vitamin B12 can lead to anemia, to the disturbance of the blood picture as well as to nerve problems. In many cases, they feel a sensation of coldness in the feet and hands, or they notice a tingling in the extremities. Weakness, fatigue and difficulty concentrating are also possible. Medically proven overdoses are manifested in skin problems and local allergic reactions. They are usually caused by intravenous administration of vitamin B12. An alternative form of administration is the tablet. It is taken up with enough water, and the exact instructions must be followed. It can be pure vitamin B12 as well as carriers or you can opt for a combination supplement that contains a balanced mix of different vitamins and minerals.

The story of the discovery of the vitamin B12 group

The American George H. Whipple examined in dogs the pernicious anemia, a malignant anemia. He discovered in the early 1920s that the feeding of raw liver could save the animals‘ lives. Six years later, the two doctors Georg R. Minot and William P. Murphy tried to find the active substances contained in the liver. For their discoveries, they were honored in 1934 together with Whipple with the Nobel Prize in Medicine. The isolation of vitamin B12 proved to be difficult and succeeded in crystalline form, however, only much later. Both an American and a British research team were successful in this point in 1948. The molecular structure of vitamin B12 was investigated in 1955 by biochemist Dorothy C. Hodgkin, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964 for her work. In 1972, Robert B. Woodward and Albert Eschenmoser achieved success in the total synthesis of vitamin B12. The motivation behind the discovery and research of vitamin B12 has been from the beginning to use the material for the promotion of health or the cure of diseases. Even today, vitamin B12 is considered vital and needs to be absorbed through food or dietary supplements. While it used to be laborious to isolate the substance in the past, vitamin B12 is currently contained in various preparations. It can be solid tablets, effervescent tablets or a powder.