About the Benefits of Vitamin B-12

Vitamin B12 is water soluble and found in food items such as fish, meat and dairy products. It is rare to have a deficiency of vitamin B12 because the body stores several years' worth. The elderly and vegans or vegetarians are at risk of having some deficiency due to not getting enough vitamin B12 through their diets, however. Vitamin B12 has many health benefits and getting your daily recommendation of 2.4 mcg will help keep various ailments away.

Cardiovascular Disease

• Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, there are many risk factors that lead to cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. They find that elevated homocysteine levels also put individuals at risk. Homocysteine is an amino acid usually found in the blood, and elevated levels can lead to cardiovascular disease. Vitamin B12 helps with lowering homocysteine levels, but the National Institutes of Health states that this doesn't mean it will decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. There need to be more trials to positively link vitamin B12 with decreased cardiovascular disease and homocysteine levels.

Cancer

• The Linus Pauling Institute of Oregon State finds that folate is essential for the synthesis of DNA and there is evidence that being deficient in vitamin B12 traps folate in the body making it unusable for synthesis. This can lead to lower capacity for methylation reactions, a biochemical reaction that can lead to higher risk of DNA damage. Damage to DNA and changes in methylation of DNA are risk factors for cancer. Through a double blind, placebo-controlled study, the Pauling Institute found that increasing amounts of vitamin B12 intake lowered the risk for chromosome breakdown leading to damage to DNA.

Neural Tube Defects

• Neural tube defects such as anencephaly, where the upper end of the neural tube doesn't close during embryonic development, or spina bifida, which are potentially devastating and fatal birth defects, can be avoided by proper consumption of vitamin B12. These defects sometimes happen during the first weeks of conception when a woman doesn't realize she is pregnant. Adequate amounts of vitamin B12 help make sure there is proper functioning of homocysteine levels and lowering the risks for neural tube defects.

Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

• The Pauling Institute finds that individuals with Alzheimer's disease often have low levels of vitamin B12. There isn't a clear reason why vitamin B12 plays a role in fighting Alzheimer's and dementia. Potentially due to altered homocysteine levels, the chances for Alzheimer's and dementia are raised. The Pauling Institute feels there need to be further trials to determine what the true connection is between vitamin B12 and dementia.

Depression

• Vitamin B12 might help to keep the blues away by keeping metabolism of neurotransmitters supported. The Pauling Institute finds there need to be further trials to support claims, but vitamin B12 deficiency might be a cause for depression in older adults not receiving enough vitamin B12 through their diets.

Considerations

• The Pauling Institute doesn't find any side effects to high doses of vitamin B12 from food or supplements in healthy individuals. They feel a good diet should provide enough vitamin B12 without the need for supplements. Adults over the age of 50, pregnant women, or vegetarians or vegans should consider taking supplements to support a healthy lifestyle. Steamed clams and mussels have the highest natural amounts of vitamin B12.