The Link between Vitamin B12 and Heart Health

B12 is the nutrient that helps the body to keep the nerves and blood cells healthy, helping in the making of DNA as well. Just like most of the vitamins, the human body does not make B-12, so it should be properly taken from other supplements to avoid deficiency. Deficiency of B-12 leads to neurological difficulties like anemia. It is said that, people over the age of 14 should consume more than 2.4 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B-12 daily. It is easily available in meats, eggs and for the vegan people; intake of B-12 supplements is suggested. Studies show that people who are strict vegetarians and vegans tend to suffer from the deficiency of B-12 vitamin. There are many causes of Vitamin B-12 deficiency and 2 of the most common and surprising reasons are practices often undertaken to improve health: a vegetarian diet and weight-loss surgery, the operation interferes with the body’s ability to extract vitamin B-12 from food.

You might come across the following symptoms if your body is lacking Vitamin B-12:

• Strange sensations, numbness, or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet
• Difficulty walking (staggering, balance problems)
• Anemia
• A swollen, inflamed tongue
• Difficulty thinking and reasoning (cognitive difficulties), or memory loss
• Weakness and fatigue

As February is the month of heart health, we have some pointers for you as how B-12 helps healthy working of heart by:

• Lowering the level of homocysteine: Vitamin B-12 plays an essential role in the healthy working of heart as well, high level of homocysteine, an amino acid leads to the formation of clots in the blood vessels in the heart. B-12 may help prevent heart disease by lowering the level of homocysteine in the body.
• Helps in curing of heart disease: Folic acid and vitamin B12 also appear to offer cost-effective remedy for prevention of heart disease and the reduction of associated deficiencies.
• Great benefits: The evidence for the beneficial effects of vitamins B12 and folic acid is much more than for garlic, vitamin E, and other dietary supplements promoted for disease prevention.
• Best and cheaper way to cure heart disease: Taking folic acid and Vitamin B-12 supplement is a safe way to cure heart disease and it’s also a way to cut down the expenses associated with expensive medical treatments.
• Few foods that are rich in Vitamin B-12 are organ meats, tuna fish, eggs, low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese.
• Vegan people are advised to take Vitamin B-12 supplements under the supervision of qualified dietitian. Including B-12, all the B vitamins reduce the risk of heart disease and prevent mortality.

Over to you

Vitamin B-12 is undoubtedly vital for the human body and everybody should have a B-12 rich diet to avoid deficiency, if he/she is a vegan or avoids meat, they should go for B-12 supplements instead. Keep your heart healthy by consuming enough vitamins and nutrients.