2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-02 16:12
Vitamins are biologically active substances that perform a huge number of functions in the body. Since ancient times, people began to notice that a monotonous diet, even if it consists of very high-calorie and he althy foods, can ultimately harm he alth. China is a prime example. A very strange, at first glance, situation was observed there: rich people who eat well were ill with many diseases that ordinary people did not even know about. Modern research methods have made it possible to determine the cause of this paradox. It turns out that the whole point is that the diet of the poor consisted of brown rice containing vitamins and trace elements, while the elite preferred exclusively white grains, in which, apart from starch, after cleaning, there was practically nothing left. Today, science knows many types of biologically active substances that perform very important functions inbody.
Vitamin B12
Cyanocobalamin, as vitamin B12 is called differently in the scientific community, is found in sufficient quantities in foods of animal origin. It is quite enough to satisfy the daily need of the average person. However, vitamin B12 is included in most dietary supplements, due to the number of functions it performs.
In its pure form, cyanocobalamin was isolated only in 1848, and its molecular structure was established in 1953. Such slowness, unusual for modern science, is due to the very complex chemical structure of matter.
It also took a long time to synthesize vitamin B12 in the laboratory. The famous chemist R. B. Woodward devoted 10 years of his life to this occupation. He succeeded only in 1971. The most significant difference between cyanocobalamin and other vitamins is that its molecule contains a cob alt atom.
Daily requirement
What foods contain vitamin B12, in what quantities should they be eaten so that the body does not lack this biologically active substance? These questions are most often asked by people who have learned about the benefits of cyanocobalamin.
In fact, the daily dosage of vitamin B12 for the average person is no more than 0.005 milligrams. Such figures are surprising, because sucha tiny amount is unlikely to seriously affect he alth. In fact, everything is not so simple. Scientists have found that the lack of vitamin B12 in the human diet, or even a slight deficiency, can cause irreparable damage to he alth.
Categories of people who need higher doses of vitamin B12
Daily intake of cyanocobalamin doctors recommend increasing pregnant and lactating women. The biological processes in their body require 2-3 times more vitamin B12 than the average person.
For people engaged in heavy physical labor and athletes, the above figures may be even higher. First of all, this is due to a number of functions that products containing B12 perform. So, for example, cyanocobalamin has the ability to fight anemia, which is very important with increased stress on the heart. For this, it is also called the anti-anemic vitamin.
With age, it becomes more difficult for the body to use dietary vitamin B12. Therefore, doctors recommend that people over 50 use special nutritional supplements containing easily digestible forms of cyanocobalamin.
Value for the body
The anti-anemic function of vitamin B12 is far from the only one. The human body is regulated by enzymes, which include cyanocobalamin. This means that its deficiency can lead to disruption of carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism. This factor can be manifested by various negative symptoms, the main oneswhich is fatigue and poor appearance.
Vitamin B12 is to hair what calcium is to teeth and bones. Studies have confirmed that cyanocobalamin deficiency is one of the causes of early male pattern baldness and split-end problems in women. There are special products containing vitamin B12 for hair. They come in the form of masks, sprays and shampoos.
Antianemic vitamin deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency does not appear immediately. It may take several years before the first symptoms appear. This does not mean that you can not give a damn about your diet, because cyanocobalamin deficiency leads to such a terrible disease as anemia, which is popularly called anemia. To avoid this, you need to know which foods contain vitamin B12 and eat them.
The appearance of weakness, shortness of breath, palpitations even after a little physical activity are those symptoms in which it is necessary to consult a doctor. Since this may be the beginning of the development of anemia. Cyanocobalamin is involved in the formation of red blood cells, therefore, with its lack of red blood cells in the blood, there are few and they cannot cope with their functions.
Doctors, conducting examinations of vegetarians who were diagnosed with vitamin B12 vitamin deficiency, found that most of them have serious disorders in the nervous system. In addition, the complete absence of this biologically active substance in the dietleads to the development of an inflammatory process, usually starting with the tongue.
Filling the gap
Lack of cyanocobalamin manifests itself not only with malnutrition. Deficiency, for example, can be caused by infection with parasitic worms. They can take biologically active substances from food entering the intestines. A course of anthelmintic drugs can be considered as a prophylactic to combat vitamin deficiency.
Abuse of bad habits, among other things, leads to liver disease, in which a he althy person contains a certain amount of cyanocobalamin. Therefore, when signs of vitamin deficiency appear, it is necessary to abandon alcohol and tobacco. The use of a large amount of sweet and fatty also leads to inhibition of the storage function of the liver, so they should be consumed in moderation.
All of the above methods are preventive and restorative, while the lack of anti-anemic vitamin when making an accurate diagnosis is eliminated by injections of drugs containing high doses of cyanocobalamin. In addition, the patient must be prescribed diet food, which must contain products of animal origin.
Excess antianemic vitamin
Finding out which foods contain vitamin B12 in order not to eat it more than it should be is not worth it. Cyanocobalamin is water solublesubstance, so its excess is easily removed from the body by the excretory system.
The use of vitamin B12 is absolutely safe. Even with regular excess of the recommended norm, the risk to he alth is minimal. An exception may be injections, since a single injection of a large amount of cyanocobalamin intramuscularly can lead to pulmonary edema.
Sources of vitamin B12
Products of plant origin do not contain cyanocobalamin. This is the main thing you need to know for those who want to replenish its supply in their body. That is why people who are adherents of vegetarianism are at risk and most often prone to anemia.
In fact, it is not difficult for the average person to get the daily norm of this biologically active substance from ordinary food. Indeed, his diet, as a rule, includes such products containing B12, like eggs, milk, cottage cheese, meat.
For those who for some reason do not use animal products, we can advise you to pay attention to brewer's yeast. Regular intake of this dietary supplement for 2-3 weeks will help get rid of vitamin B12 deficiency. For vegetarians, there are also many products artificially enriched with cyanocobalamin. It can be breakfast cereals, bread and even chocolate.
Interaction of vitamin B12 with other substances
Cyanocobalamin is highly soluble in water. Loses when exposed to sunlightits biological activity. Can be stored for a long time in a dry and dark place. Vitamin B12 is resistant to high temperatures, therefore, when culinary processing of products containing it, it decomposes to a small extent.
For the best assimilation of any biologically active substance, you need to know what it is better to use with. In the case of cyanocobalamin, it will be dairy products and fruits, as they complement each other.
If you take a closer look at what foods contain vitamin B12, it becomes clear that its relationship with calcium is the best combination. An example is cottage cheese and cheese. As for fruits, most of them contain ascorbic acid, which, together with cyanocobalamin, is involved in protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
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