Vitamin B12 is critical to your well being. It plays a key role in the creation of your body’s cells, and is needed for healthy neurological function. The largest of all B vitamins, B12 is a bacterium that is produced by microorganisms commonly found in animals. Having a b12 deficiency is no laughing matter. The symptoms are varied but can include exhaustion, weakness, coordination issues, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal issues, confusion, impulse control, depression and confusion. As a B12 deficiency progresses, the neurological symptoms can be so pronounced that on first look the problem is assumed to be Alzheimer’s. Unless it is treated, a B12 deficiency will eventually cause death.
There are many groups who are more prone to developing a B12 deficiency than the general population. These include individuals over 60, vegans, vegetarians, smokers and anyone who has had gastrointestinal surgery. Alcoholics and heavy drinkers are also at increased risk.
Your body, assuming you are healthy, stores anywhere between 5,000mg and 10,000mg of B12 in its tissues. This B12 is more than enough to last you for several years. Most of this is stored in the liver, although some is also stored in the kidneys and neural tissues. Almost everyone knows that alcohol consumption causes damage to your liver. In the case of B12, heavy consumption can be more than enough to completely delete the body’s stores.
Making matters more serious is the fact that heavy drinking can also lead to serious damage in your gastrointestinal tract. Chronic drinking decreases the gastric secretion capacity and can make it impossible for you to absorb any nutrients that you consume.
In the situation where your body is not able to absorb B12, the obvious solution is to take b12 shots. Unlike oral supplementation, vitamin b shots do not rely on your body’s ability to absorb the nutrient. Rather, it takes it directly into your blood stream.
