All people realize the importance of taking the necessary amounts of vitamins and minerals for the body. From time to time, news regarding significance of certain vitamins come out and provide further emphasis on crucial functions of nutrients in the body.
For instance, vitamin B12 is considered a very important vitamin because of its important role in metabolism of cells in the brain and nervous system. Vitamin B12 also plays a significant role in regulating and synthesizing DNA and blood formation. Meanwhile, in a recent scientific finding, it turns out that this vitamin also bears significance in microbial life.
This new finding was discovered by researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington; they claimed that vitamin B12 or cobalamin also possibly participates in cell growth and coordination of cells in complex multicellular systems.
Other remarkable discoveries of the research indicated that vitamin B12 and highly required by a number of organisms though only a handful can manufacture the compound.
One study focused on a microbial “mat” retrieved from Hot Lake in Washington, and results showed the significance of vitamin B12 and potential functions in microbes.
Mass spectrometry analyses also showed that vitamin B12 interacts with 41 proteins in the bacterium and plays a significant role in regulation of folate, ubiquinone, and methionine. These substances in return, participate in energy build-up, protein formation, and DNA repair and growth.
Results also showed that B12 may cause alterations in instructions sent to the genes depending on the time of the day.
Vitamin B12 also affects proteins in foods. During digestion in the stomach, B12 combines with the intrinsic factor to enable its absorption in the intestines.
With regard to health, B12 features important contributions to DNA synthesis and cell production and maintenance.
Meanwhile, low levels of B12 in the body may cause certain health conditions, such as neurological problems and compromised blood cell production. Lack of vitamin B12 was linked to fractures, as indicated by a study on men above 70 years of age.
Sufficient amounts of vitamin B12 can be achieved through consumption of foods rich in such vitamin and proper absorption.
On the other hand, another study that vitamin B12 deficiency may result in preterm births. Such result became a concern for health experts as complications preterm births are the primary cause of death in children under 5 years old.
As vitamin B12 is only found in animal products, including meat, milk, and eggs, vegetarians and vegans are more prone to developing vitamin B1 deficiency.
Meanwhile, poverty and malnutrition are also burdens leading to possible deficiency in vitamin B12. These are also available at most Medical Spas.