Vitamin B12: Top 10 Foods and Guide to Vitamin B12

What is Vitamin B12 or Cobalamin?

Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, deficiency is very prevalent worldwide.

Not a lot of people are aware of what B12 is or does and if you aren’t familiar with nutrition, you might find yourself being lost in all the information.

Cobalamin is a vitamin cofactor that is needed for normal energy production. The two main naturally active forms of vitamin B12 used by the body are methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin.

If you are looking to boost your energy levels, then also check out our articles on basic nutrients for supporting and revitalizing your energy.

While we eat food with bioaccumulated cobalamin in our diets, it is important to know that vitamin B12 is an exclusive vitamin to microorganisms. They are the only ones who can make this vitamin.

Benefits of B12

Basic Actions of Cobalamin or Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 plays a key function as a metabolism mediator, being crucial for optimal cell growth, as well as cysteine amino acid cycling.

Cobalamin, or Vitamin B12, has also been studied in relation to being a cause of anaemia. A disease where there is a lack of circulating blood oxygen. This is because cobalamin plays a vital part in regulating protein synthesis.

Transport of B12 seems to be stepped up when inflammation is high in the body, suggesting that B12 might also be able to indirectly shield red blood cells too from oxidative stress and death. Research has found that inflammatory cytokine levels reduce when B12 levels are increased.

Inflammatory cytokines are part of the natural cell stress response cycle, you can read more about cytokines and the dangers of inflammation here.

High levels of inflammation, like those caused by stress, knock the body out of life supporting homeostasis.

Reducing stress is vital to being able to optimally function both physically and mentally. You can also read about stress and depression here.

Energy and metabolism are also interlinked with immunity and white blood cell production. Here cobalamin also plays a vital function, being able to indirectly influence overall immunity.

Vitamin B12: Immunity Support

Studies have shown that because of the critical energetics of vitamin B12 and effects on protein synthesis, cobalamin also plays an enormous role in supporting overall immunity. Managing energy requirements is absolutely essential to a normal immune status.

There is a well-documented phenomenon where fatigue, especially that caused by excess exercise, is proportional to incidence of illness. This is made worse when protein synthesis, needed for making antibodies, drops.

Vitamin B12: Heart Support

Diets rich in cobalamin have been shown to reduce blood pressure in younger children and B12 deficiency does the opposite in athletes.

Homocysteine levels drop when cobalamin levels are really low. The body needs the amino methionine to make homocysteine and then cysteine, which is implicated in nurturing a healthy heart.

Homocysteine, the starter for cysteine, is not found in very high amounts in your food. This is why B12 is so important for it’s production. Cysteine discourages the formation of hard plaques in the veins, it is very much linked with risk of death from CVD as well.

This would be why a cobalamin rich diet encourages low blood pressure. Through this mechanism, vitamin B12 could have some very positive effects on your heart health in the long term.

Cysteine is also a major molecule used in the production of glutathione, one of the body’s most powerful antioxidants. On the antioxidant scale glutathione is like Hercules and antioxidants are linked directly to overall health, especially of the heart.

Vitamin B12: Brain Health

Cognition

Differences in B12 levels in the elderly affect their cognition, with higher B12 levels supporting normal cognition.

Many studies over a long period of time have tested B12 in relation to mental awareness and cognition. Providing cobalamin seems to help normal cognition in various studies.

This is probably because of how it encourages normal cellular energy levels, seeing as the brain uses so much energy.

B12 is also implicated in normal vascular and heart function, which is important for brain health too. Progression of strokes and Alzheimer’s have been indirectly linked to B12 levels.

Depression and B12

Studies have linked low B12 to symptoms of depression. This might also be linked to issues with cognitive development and mental function.

One landmark review of B12 nutritional status and depression found that depression onset and symptoms were reduced when B12 levels were high.

Higher homocysteine levels were also linked with depression, suggesting B12 interacts with depression there. It is also possible that lower energy status contributes to depression and symptoms of depression.

B12 Absorption

Cobalamin is a water-soluble vitamin accessible through dairy products, including fermented yoghurts, fish, meat and fortified cereals. This vitamin is first digested in the stomach and then absorbed in the small intestine.

B12 deficiencies can occur when there is either a dietary deficiency in B12, or an issue absorbing B12. This can be as a result of alcohol abuse, damage to the intestinal tract, or genetic disorders in B12 absorption.

Top 10 Foods with Vitamin B12 or Cobalamin

Beef Liver

We’ve discussed beef liver in depth before as one of our top nutrient dense foods. In 100 grams of beef liver there is 83 micrograms of natural source vitamin B12.

That makes about 3,500% of your daily recommended intake. This is also cooked liver as well, not raw liver, one small serving offers a lot of nutrients.

Theres many recipes available to help with cooking this cut of meat for the first time, like this onion and beef liver in cream recipe. Liver works great in a sauce with plenty of seasoning.

Clams

Clams are an exotic shellfish to cook. If you have any allergies then avoid this food and make sure you cook to recipe instructions as with all shellfish.

They offer 20micrograms of B12 per 100 grams which is pretty good going. Garlic butter clams are a great way to eat clams. This is a variation of a mussels recipe and does not have to be cooked in wine, which does also reduce in the heat.

Oysters

Another shellfish rich in vitamin B12 is oysters. Carrying 17 micrograms per 100 grams of B12, this shellfish can be bought fresh and integrated into a healthier diet with more B12.

Oysters have high quantities of other nutrients as well and they can be grilled to give an intense flavour. Mix with lemon, garlic and parsley for a delicious tasting dish.

Salmon

A versatile fish, salmon contains 3 micrograms per 100 grams of cobalamin or vitamin B12. Salmon risotto is amazing.

Try mixing salmon in with some buttercream and quick boiled risotto rice. Portions can easily be upscaled and you have a hearty meal with some good nutrition in. Salmon is also now slightly more expensive due to popularity.

Tuna

This is a staple in most kitchens and at 3 micrograms of B12 per 100 grams of tuna offers something similar in cobalamin content to Salmon.

Tuna and pasta seem to go together well and this is quite a decent dish to cook for nutrients. You could also try a tuna risotto with the same recipe above.

Yoghurt

A very underrated dessert, yoghurt offers 3.6 micrograms of B12 per 100 grams. The bacterial and microbial fermentation levels in yoghurt are really high.

Which is why there is more B12 in yoghurt than some meats, fish and milk. Some suggested inclusions for yoghurt as a breakfast are with fruit or honey.

Milk

Most fridges have milk in and a glass of milk later and you’ve set yourself up with a decent amount of calcium, phosphorus and B12.

It is no wonder that beef cows were domesticated for farming. Cows milk on average contains approximately 0.53 micrograms of B12 per 100 grams of milk. Not very much cobalamin but this gives you an indication of how much B12 there is in a staple food.

Beef

Beef contains 2.8 micrograms of B12 per 100 grams of beef or beef mince. As a versatile meat beef can be cooked in so many different ways and styles from pasta to far eastern stir fries. This meat does not just offer B12 either, but other key nutrients for your daily functions.  

Turkey

Another meat that goes so well with cream and full of interesting amino acids too. Not very high in B12 at 0.35 micrograms per 100 grams though.

Turkey can be made into a delicious pasta bake with cream and mushrooms to satisfy some major nutrient deficits. This is also a cheaper meat as not many people really appreciate or eat that much turkey, so great value for money as a weekly dish.

Eggs

One large egg mixture contains 0.7 micrograms of cobalamin per 100 grams of eggs. Slightly higher than milk for this similar staple food. Eggs can easily be made into omelettes or cooked in a Spanish style, pan fried with potatoes, tomatoes and herbs.

Vitamin B12 Supplements

Because of the deficiency status of cobalamin and international recognition by nutritionists and dieticians of its importance, a wide variety of B12 supplements are available.

B12 is 50% more absorbable from a food supplement than an equivalent food source of cobalamin. However, bioavailability from dairy seems to be reasonably high too. This might be due to bacterial fermentation making more B12.

The more commonly found form of B12 in supplements is cyanocobalamin, an easier to produce and cheaper B12 form than the natural B12 forms. This converts to methylcobalamin in the body quite easily. It exchanges a cyano-ion that is immediately intercepted and excreted.

This is something to look for in your B12 or multivitamin supplement. A higher quality purchase will always use methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin. Cyanocobalamin also does the job though it is just cheaper.

If you are looking for an exclusive B12 product, there are so many high quality B12 products out there for you to choose from. Some products will include various energy supporting compounds.

Daily Recommended Vitamin B12

Your recommended vitamin B12 intake is at least 2.4 micrograms per day. In pregnancy it is recommended that this increases, to support with the healthy development of your baby.

B12 Deficiency Symptoms

B12 deficiency can be caused by genetic factors, medication or dietary changes. Deficiencies can take years to develop, with the body being able to store amounts of B12. Much of the cobalamin you eat is not wasted at all.

Those with issues digesting food, Celiacs or Crohn’s disease are all an example of those at high risk of developing a deficiency. With a lot of the processed foods we eat, it is not a surprise that there is a lot of people deficient in B12.

Considering the number of B12 rich foods that come from animal sources, vegans are also at risk of a cobalamin deficiency and many have to take vegan B12 supplements.

Some symptoms of B12 deficiency can include fatigue, reduced fertility, jaundice or off coloured skin, anaemia, alterations in sense of smell and awareness of surroundings.

In pregnancy, deficiency can lead to stunted brain development, just like a lack of iodine causes cretinism.

Human birth defects, even mild ones similar to those caused by a mild vitamin B12 deficiency, are bad for a child’s development and will lead to lack of independence in later life.

Because of the importance of B12 in metabolism it is a highly important vitamin that provides a balance in some key bodily processes.

Conclusions

Vitamin B12 deficiency is not well known about and it is clear that cobalamin is vital for good health. This vitamin is implicated in various health outcomes, including wellness of the heart and brain.

Being vital to one’s energy capacity and metabolism too, cobalamin plays a substantial role in immunity and red blood cell formation.

B12 Deficiency status includes weakness, fatigue and anaemia.

Vegans are very much in danger of becoming deficient in this essential vitamin. This is because B12 is highly available from many animal products such as yoghurts or beef liver. These deficiencies can take years to develop too with many vegans needing a B12 supplement.

Other sources of deficiency include genetic disorders or issues with digesting B12 from your diet. Cobalamin is so important for your wellbeing and there are many useful pointers to integrate more B12 into your diet.

For more interesting articles, see the link below.