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A study done in Germany demonstrates that pregnant vegetarian women may not have an adequate supply of vitamin B12. This study was performed at the German Institute of Human Nutritrion in Postdam-Rehbrücke located in Nuthetal, Germany.

Vitamin B12 is only found naturally in foods derived from animal sources. However, many women are opting to restrict themselves to diets of predominantly plant origin in the belief that this will increase their lifespan and reduce the likelihood of death from heart disease.

Many pregnant vegetarians are choosing to include eggs and milk in their diets to supply them with vitamin B12, which is necessary for proper nerve formation in the fetus. Hence, their diet is referred to as the “lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet.” This particular study in Germany was done in reaction to other studies that showed that infants born to mothers on strictly vegetarian (vegan) diets were deficient in vitamin B12.

A woman who is B12 deficient is at a greater risk during pregnancy for pre-eclampsia and other pregnancy-related complications. Furthermore, the fetus is at greater risk for neural tube defects. A breast-fed infant of such a woman has a greater likelihood for developmental abnormalities and growth failure.

The purpose of the study in Germany was just to compare the blood plasma vitamin B12 levels of women who ate a traditional western diet (meat eaters) with women on a vegan diet and ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet.

Over one hundred pregnant women were recruited for the study and divided into three groups: The ovo-lacto-vegetarian group, the low-meat eater group, and the control group. The ovo-lacto-vegetarians were women who never ate meat at all in the three years prior to the study. The women in the control group were not on any diet (regular meat eaters). Blood samples were taken from all the women throughout their pregnancies.

As far as Body Mass Index (BMI) is concerned, the vegetarians and low-meat eaters had lower pre-pregnancy BMIs than the control group (meat eaters).

With regard to B12 concentrations, the vegetarian and low-meat eaters had much lower levels of vitamin B12.  There was not much difference between the vegetarian and the low-meat eaters groups.

In summary, the study demonstrates that women on vegetarian diets are at greater risk for a B12 deficiency, thus placing their infants at a greater risk for neural tube defects.

If you are pregnant and do not eat much meat, it is highly recommended that you supplement your diet with vitamin B12.

Many vegetarians and vegans don’t get enough vitamin B12 from their diets, as well as other important components of a healthy diet. There are many nutritional elements that are naturally found in animal products such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs and cheese.

Food is essential for survival. Food gives us energy and nutrition. The nutrition derived from food affects the health of our blood, cells, and organs, in addition to our brain and spinal cord.

Vitamin B12 is vital for blood formation and tissue expansion. A vitamin B12 deficiency could lead to insufficient red blood cells, fatigue and neuropathy. Since vitamin B12 is not found in plant-based foods at all, vegetarians need to supplement their diets with this vitamin.

Animal products are complete proteins. This means that they contain all eight of the essential amino acids for optimal body function. These are the building blocks of cells. In contrast, plant-based foods only contain some of these amino acids. Therefore, it is recommended by nutritionists that plant-based protein foods (such as beans and tofu) should be eaten together with whole-grain foods (such as rice, oats and quinoa, etc.).

Iron is necessary in the red blood cells to carry oxygen. If there is not enough iron in the blood, the organs do not get enough oxygen and the person feels tired. Animal protein is rich in iron. Nuts have iron, but should be consumed together with foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits and tomatoes. Combining these food groups will help a person obtain more of the iron from the nuts and beans.

Knowledge of proper nutrition will help a vegetarian live a healthy, productive life.

Dermatologists recommend the consumption of vitamin B12 for hair growth. Their patients consist of frustrated women who resent watching their hair locks grow thinner every day.

Hair loss is a common source of aggravation for women. According to dermatologists, the primary reason for hair loss is a vitamin deficiency. This can be easily remedied.

Healthy blood cells are essential for voluminous hair. A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia, which means that there are not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to and from the lungs. Among other things, anemia causes hair loss. Consequently, if a woman supplements her diet with vitamin B12, this hair loss can be reversed. Furthermore, a full head of hair will grow back in just a few weeks.

Vitamin B12 is found in liver, meat, fish and eggs. However, many women are cutting down on these foods for health reasons, and don’t realize that they are eliminating vitamin B12 from their diets in the process. That’s why there are so many women whose blood levels are low on vitamin B12.

Women over the age of 50 tend to have low levels of vitamin B12, too. The reason is that their stomachs no longer produce enough intrinsic factor. This enzyme is necessary to separate the vitamin B12 from the food they consume.

If you suffer from hair loss, you should supplement your diet with vitamin B12. In addition, dermatologists also recommend you should try to consume iron and biotin, as well as foods containing essential fatty acids, such as nuts and fish.

Megaloblastic anemia is caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Megaloblastic anemia is a blood disorder. The symptoms include weakness, fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath and cold hands and feet. A person with this disorder may have headaches as well.

Megaloblastic anemia is caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency.  Unfortunately, the symptoms are identical to iron-deficiency anemia.  Many doctors test for iron deficiency, but don’t test for a vitamin B12 deficiency.  If an anemic person does not feel better after taking iron supplements, that person should have his/her vitamin B12 levels tested.

Blood carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. In a person who is anemic, there are fewer red blood cells, which are responsible for attaching themselves to oxygen and transporting this throughout the body. Oxygen is vital for energy production. Without sufficient red blood cells, a person becomes depleted of his/her stores of oxygen and feels tired.

If megaloblastic anemia is not treated with sufficient vitamin B12 supplementation, eventually the nerves start to degenerate and neuropathy sets in.

Proper treatment for megaloblastic anemia includes vitamin B12 and folic acid. Folic acid is found in green, leafy vegetables. Vitamin B12 is found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. Our stomachs produce pepsin and intrinsic factor, which attach themselves to the vitamin B12. Some people don’t produce enough of  the pepsin or the intrinsic factor, and therefore cannot absorb the vitamin B12 from their food. These people need to supplement their diets with vitamin B12.

Vegetarians and vegans avoid the foods that are rich in vitamin B12, so they need to supplement their diets with vitamin B12 to prevent megaloblastic anemia.

There are reports of people who were suffering from megaloblastic anemia and nearly died as a result because it went untreated. Many doctors confuse the signs and symptoms of this disorder with iron-deficiency anemia. If you know someone who is suffering from fatigue or neuropathy, tell him to have his blood B12 levels tested immediately.

Vitamin B12 can significantly reduce a person’s likelihood to develop heart disease. This is because vitamin B12 is absolutely vital for the metabolism of a toxic amino acid, which is known as homocysteine.

High levels of homocysteine in the blood lead to heart attacks and strokes. The primary reason is that this amino acid engenders plaque formation in the arteries, also called atherosclerosis.

The first person to discover the connection between homocysteine and atherosclerosis was Dr. Kilmar McCully in 1969. He firmly disagreed with the theory that too much fat cells in the bloodstream is the primary cause of heart disease.

Today, most doctors still test for blood cholesterol levels to predict a patient’s cardiovascular risk. Ironically, more than half of all victims of heart attacks have normal blood cholesterol levels.

Homocysteine levels in the blood commonly become elevated as people age. Other factors include usage of prescription drugs, caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages.

Consequently, vitamin B12 supplementation is highly recommended for prevention of heart disease.

Birth control pills (a.k.a. oral contraceptives) reduce the levels of vitamin B12 in the user. The estrogen hormone contained in the pills is responsible for this.

What are the potential side effects of a vitamin B12 reduction?

Women taking birth control pills (a.k.a. oral contraceptives) should be aware that vitamin B12 is necessary for the metabolism of the dangerous amino acid called homocysteine.

What can homocysteine do?

A high homocysteine level is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Basically, this toxic amino acid encourages plaque formation in the arteries, which then leads to coronary heart disease and stroke.

Are there other side effects of low vitamin B12 blood levels?

A vitamin B12 deficiency has been known to cause memory loss, neuropathy (nerve cell death), depression, psychosis and even urinary incontinence.

What can be done for a woman who is taking birth control pills?

Women using estrogen pills are advised to supplement their diets with vitamin B12, as well as vitamins B6, C and zinc. Levels of all these vitamins have been shown to be affected by the use of birth control pills.

There is a strong correlation between the incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease and a Vitamin B12 deficiency. This is the conclusion reached based on a study that was performed by Dr. Hui-Xin Wang and colleagues, and published in the Journal Neurology in 2001.

For purposes of this study, a random sample of 370 people living in Sweden was utilized. These 370 participants were aged 75 years or older and were mentally sound. These participants were not supplementing their diets with B12 or folate.

The researchers measured the blood levels of Vitamin 12 and folate of the 370 participants at the beginning of the study. These men and women were then followed for three years to see who would develop Alzheimer’s Disease and who would not.

The participants in the study who initially had either low blood levels of Vitamin B12 or folate were twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s Disease than those whose blood levels of these vitamins were found to be within the range of normal.

As a result of this study, Dr. Hui-Xin Wang and colleagues concluded that Vitamin B12 and folate levels should be monitored in the elderly population. Doing so will help prevent members of this population from developing Alzheimer’s Disease.

Here is a list of foods that are naturally high in vitamin B12:

Measurement Reference for Vitamin B12, µg (1000 µg = 1mg)

1.   Clams have the most vitamin B12, with 98.9 μg found in each serving of 100g. This is equivalent to 1648% of the U.S. RDA (recommended daily allowances). Mussels and oysters are also rich in vitamin B12.

2. Animal liver is full of vitamin B12. For example, liver of lamb contains 85.6 μg of vitamin B12 in each 100g serving, which translates into 1428% of the RDA.

3.   Caviar and fish eggs are loaded with this vitamin. Whitefish eggs have 56.4 μg in each 100g serving, which is over 940%of the U.S. RDA.

4. Octopus is packed with vitamin B12, containing 36 μg of vitamin B12. This is equivalent to 600% of the RDA.

5. Fish provides a decent amount of vitamin B12.  Salmon has 18 μg per serving, which is 302% of the U.S. RDA.

6. Lobster is a good source of vitamin B12. Lobster provides 4.04 μg, which is 67% of the U.S. RDA.

7. Beef has much to offer in the way of vitamin B12, depending on the cut. Chuck has 6.18 μg in each 100g serving, which is 103% of the U.S. RDA.  This is in contrast to rib-eye, which is only 60% of the RDA.

9. Cheese is a decent alternative for those who choose to avoid the consumption of animals and seafood. Swiss cheese contains 3.34 μg in each 100g serving, which is 56% of the U.S. RDA. One serving of mozzarella cheese (used in pizza) has enough vitamin B12 to satisfy 39% of the RDA.

10. Chicken egg yolk has 1.95 μg in each 100g serving, which is 33% of the U.S. RDA for vitamin B12. This means that there is only.33 μg, in every yolk, which is only 6% of the U.S. RDA. The egg white contains a negligible amount of vitamin B12.

Researchers at Ben-Gurion University in Beer-Sheva, Israel, have found a strong correlation between canker sores and B12. This research was published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine (January/February, 2009).

Canker sores, also known as Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS), affects about 25% of the population. These lesions of the mouth are small, painful ulcers that heal within two weeks. They often recur.

Triggers in a person’s environment may lead to RAS. These triggers include trauma, irritants, dryness, infections, hypersensitivity, toxic agents and autoimmune conditions. In addition, a nutritional deficiency may also be the cause. People who are low in iron, vitamin C, vitamin B12 or folic acid may suffer from RAS.

Obviously, not all triggers can be prevented, and some people are more prone to this than others.

This study involved 58 patients who suffered from RAS. Some were given a dose of vitamin B12 daily, and others were given a placebo. By the end of the study, 74% of those given the B12 treatment no longer suffered from recurring RAS, also known as canker sores.

In conclusion, those suffering from RAS would benefit greatly from vitamin B12 supplementation.

Vitamin B12 is linked to brain size, and therefore this vitamin may help prevent dementia by maintaining brain volume, according to a study published in Neurology (September 9, 2008).

The study focused on 107 volunteers whose average age was 73 years, ranging from 61 to 87 years old. All participants were required to undergo a physical examination, brain MRI and CT scans. Only people in good physical and mental health were included in this study.

For this study, blood samples were also taken of the volunteers. Tests were done to measure vitamin B12 plasma levels, in addition to levels of homocysteine, folate and methylmalonic acid (MMA). These measurements were taken once a year over the duration of five years.

For all the volunteers, the B12 plasma levels fell within the range of normal.

At the end of the five-year period, the volunteers were again subject to brain scans and memory tests. Subjects who had the most brain loss also had lower concentrations of B12. No correlation was made between brain loss and levels of homocysteine, folate or MMA.

The results of this study demonstrated that those people with lower B12 plasma levels were six times more likely to have a loss of brain volume and a decrease in brain size than those with higher levels. Therefore, the authors of this study have concluded that by increasing the consumption of of vitamin B12 among the elderly can reverse brain shrinkage, and possibly prevent memory loss as well. It is hoped that future clinical trials will determine the affects of vitamin B12 supplementation on brain shrinkage.

In the meantime, the authors of this study would advise the geriatric population to increase their intake of vitamin B12 through meat, fish, milk and fortified cereals.