Does Vitamin B12 Help You To Lose Weight?

The weight loss industry is. By the year 2019, this industry was valued at $192.2 billion. That includes everything that has to do with losing weight--clothing, workout equipment, gyms, diet plans, courses, and of course, weight loss supplements.

One fact in weight loss is that there is no one real way of losing weight that would for each and every one. There are multiple methods, and there are multiple approaches to it. As such, there are multiple supplements and vitamins that can help you shed off those unwanted pounds. The question now is--is vitamin B12 one of those? Can vitamin B12 help you lose weight?

Here are some of the most important things that you need to know about vitamin B12--what is it, where can you get it, how can you get a deficiency of it, and whether it can help you lose weight or not.

What is vitamin B12 and what does it do?

Vitamin B12, or also known as cobalamin, is one of the eight B-vitamins that are working together to help keep your nerves and blood cells healthy and functioning well. Each B-vitamin has its own specific purpose and task.

As for vitamin B12, it helps keep nerve cells healthy and it is also the one mainly responsible for helping in the production of DNA and RNA. Vitamin B12 is working closely with vitamin B9, or also known as folate. It also helps in making red blood cells that can, in turn, help in releasing more energy throughout the body.

Vitamin B12 helps process folate for the body to use. This is the reason why a deficiency in vitamin B12 can also lead to lower folate levels since the body is not able to break down and process it properly.

What is vitamin B12 deficiency?

Most healthy people that are on a healthy and balanced diet, often get the required level of most nutrients. This includes the proper levels of vitamin B12. However, as people age, the body’s capability to absorb certain nutrients also deteriorates over time. This can lead to deficiencies in nutrients such as vitamin B12.

Other risk factors in vitamin B12 deficiency include the medication of metformin for diabetic people, those who are under a strict vegan diet, and those who are under long-term antacid drugs for heartburn.

Here are some of the common symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency:

Pale skin

People with vitamin B12 deficiency have a condition of pale or yellowish skin. This is also called jaundice. Since there is a lack of vitamin B12, it affects the body’s red blood cell production that, in turn, causes the skin to appear pale or yellowish.

Weakness and Fatigue

This is yet another effect of the body not being able to produce enough red blood cells. Your Red blood cells are mainly responsible for transporting oxygen throughout your body and this helping you process and use energy. Since you are not getting enough energy, you are most likely to feel tired and weak faster and easier.

Pins and needles

One of the long-term effects of deficiency in any B-vitamins is nerve damage.

Have you experienced feeling as if your fingers or legs are being pierced by pins and needles, and you can barely move them? This is called paresthesia, and it happens because of the body not being able to produce fatty substance myelin. Myelin serves as a form of protection and insulation for your nerves.

Another thing to remember is that while vitamin B12 deficiency causes folate levels to drop, taking folate supplements will only prevent your folate levels from further dropping, but would not solve the real problems in the situation--which is a deficiency in vitamin B12.

What foods contain vitamin B12?

A typical healthy and balanced diet can usually give you enough vitamin B12 levels that you need.

For vitamin B12, the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) is about 2.4 mcg. This is slightly higher, however, for pregnant or lactating women.

Here are some of the foods that are rich in vitamin B12

• Organ meats (liver, kidney, etc.)
• Clams
• Sardines
• Beef
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Eggs
• Milk and other dairy products

Does vitamin B12 help you lose weight?

Let’s set it straight--vitamin B12 is not a weight loss supplement on its own. However, good levels of vitamin B12 can help you have the energy and capability to lose those unwanted pounds and shed them off.

If you have good levels of vitamin B12, your red blood cells would be in tip-top shape and would be able to deliver energy throughout your body when you need it. In cardi exercises (which is effective in losing weight), energy is needed, and good respiratory health is also a must. A good supply of vitamin B12 will ensure you get all of these.

Those who have lower vitamin B12 levels may feel weak or tired easily and thereof be unable to sustain exercises and workouts to a level that would burn enough calories to lose weight.

If you feel like you need a boost in vitamin B12, you can check the wide range of supplements and other health products of Jarrow Formulas.

Can you overdose on vitamin B12?

It is hard to overdose on vitamin B12. However, with improper use of supplements, you can create an imbalance in the levels of vitamin B12 and other B-vitamins. This is the reason why most B-vitamins are created as an all-in-one package, to ensure that the balance is not disrupted.

Before you go

Vitamin B12 is one of the essential B-vitamins that our body needs. On its own, it is not a weight loss supplement. However, it can provide the properties that can promote activities focused on weight loss. Since it helps in releasing more energy, it can help you exercise more, work out more, and can also help improve your metabolic rate in the long run.

Still, at the end of the day, it is always a good habit to check with your doctor or physician before taking any supplements or medications,