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Lao Xu is over 67 years old this year, retired to take care of his grandchildren at home, and there is nothing wrong with him, but he always feels that his body is not quite right in the past two years.
At first, he just felt that he was in poor spirits, groggy all day, and obviously slept a lot at night, but he was still sleepy during the day. Later, his hands and feet began to be a little numb, sometimes he walked shaky, his head was dizzy, and his memory became worse and worse.
Lao Xu felt that he was getting older, and his body had naturally degenerated, so he didn't take it too seriously. It wasn't until an old classmate reunion that he mentioned these symptoms, and his classmates said, "You can't be vitamin B12 deficient, right?" ”
Everyone's enthusiastic reminder made Lao Xu mutter: What is this little vitamin B12, and can it really improve these indescribable and inexplicable problems? Why does it make people tired and confused without it?
1. What exactly is little vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12, you may not be familiar with it, but it is definitely a "behind-the-scenes boss" in the human body.
However, the human body is amazingly smart, but it has "planted a heel" in this matter - vitamin B12 is a nutrient we need, but the body does not make it at all, and can only obtain it by eating. Therefore, B12 is really a "must foreign aid" existence.
The process of vitamin B12 entering the body is also quite "picky", because its absorption requires the cooperation of stomach acid and a special substance called "intrinsic factor" in order to be obediently "received" by the small intestine. People with a bad stomach, less gastric acid secretion or older people will naturally have a reduced absorption rate of B12, and sometimes, you obviously eat a lot of meat, but the body just can't absorb B12, and you waste those delicious big fish and meat.
On the one hand, B12 plays an important role in protecting nerve cells in the body, it is like an insulating skin outside the wire, making our nervous system transmit signals more stable and smoother.
On the other hand, vitamin B12 is also an important helper in the hematopoietic process, the production of red blood cells is inseparable from the participation of B12, if it is missing, the red blood cells in the bone marrow cannot mature, will become large and fragile, unable to transport oxygen normally. At this time, the person may have a condition called "megaloblastic anemia", with a pale face, dizziness and fatigue, and the whole person seems to be hollowed out. Many people think that anemia is iron deficiency and desperately supplement iron, but in fact, sometimes the real reason is vitamin B12 deficiency, which is called "the right medicine is effective".
Many people may wonder what it feels like to be deficient in vitamin B12, but the initial symptoms of B12 deficiency are easy to ignore, usually manifesting as fatigue, poor energy, poor concentration, and even low mood. Especially for elderly people, if you always feel dizzy and unsteady walking, you really need to pay attention to whether B12 is not enough to blame.
2. The scientific principle of vitamin B12 to improve insomnia
Insomnia is a very torturous thing, lying in bed at night tossing and turning and unable to sleep, and during the day and the energy is not good, the whole body is tired, and the whole person seems to be hollowed out. Many people have tried various methods, but the results are always not satisfactory, and vitamin B12, although it may seem inconspicuous, can be a "little helper" to help you solve your insomnia problem.
You can think of the nervous system as a huge power grid, and the role of B12 is to add a protective film to these "wires" to ensure that they transmit signals normally.
If vitamin B12 is deficient, these "wires" can malfunction, and communication between the brain and various organs of the body may not be smooth, leading to nervous system disorders, which in turn can affect the quality of sleep.
In addition to protecting the nervous system, vitamin B12 also plays a key role in regulating the secretion of melatonin, an important hormone that helps us fall asleep, which usually increases at night to make people sleepy, and gradually decreases during the day to keep people awake.
Vitamin B12 can indirectly promote the synthesis of melatonin by participating in metabolic processes in the body, helping to adjust the body's biological clock and making the sleep rhythm more regular. To put it simply, B12 is like pressing the "reset button" on your biological clock, helping you adjust your chaotic sleep time back to a normal state.
Improving sleep is not an immediate thing, but supplementing vitamin B12 is a direction worth trying, if you often suffer from insomnia and poor spirits, you can adjust your diet first and eat more foods rich in B12. However, B12 supplementation should also be done in moderation, and don't expect to eat one or two supplements to improve sleep immediately, this process requires a little patience. If you are also suffering from insomnia, you may wish to pay attention to the intake of B12, perhaps this small nutrient can help you say goodbye to tossing and turning nights and usher in a good night's sleep.
3. Vitamin B12 may help to "improve" several diseases
Vitamin B12 does much more than just improve insomnia, it's an inconspicuous but inconspicuous force behind many of the body's key functions, and understanding the broad effects of B12 on the body can help us better cope with some of the health conditions that have plagued us for a long time.
1. Hematopoietic function
B12 plays an important role in hematopoiesis, it is an indispensable part of the red blood cell production process, and if it is lacking, red blood cells cannot develop normally and eventually become large and fragile. Although this kind of anemia is rare, the impact on the body cannot be underestimated, and early detection and timely supplementation of B12 are very important.
2. Brain health
Brain health is also inseparable from B12, which is the guardian of the normal functioning of the nervous system, involved in protecting the "myelin sheath" outside the nerve fibers, if B12 is deficient for a long time, the myelin sheath may be damaged, the nerve conduction efficiency may be reduced, and then memory loss, and may also lead to numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. This feeling is like a sudden loss of sensitivity to the fingers or toes, which some people may mistake for a circulation problem, but the actual culprit may be a B12 deficiency.
3. Digestive system
The digestive system is also inseparable from the support of B12, and poor gastrointestinal function and B12 deficiency often go hand in hand. Patients with gastric problems are prone to a decrease in the absorption rate of B12 due to insufficient gastric acid secretion, forming a vicious circle, especially some people with chronic gastritis or digestive problems, who may experience loss of appetite, but ignore these signals that may be B12 deficiency.
4. Immune system
The immune system may also benefit from B12, which by itself does not directly enhance immunity, but its support for red blood cell production, nerve health, and metabolism indirectly improves the overall state of the body and helps the immune system better cope with external aggression. People who are chronically deficient in B12 may be more prone to fatigue and feel "poor resistance" due to a decline in physical condition, all of which are often attributed to other reasons and ignore the potential role of B12.
5. Mental health
Mental health may also be closely related to B12, and some studies have found that B12 deficiency may be related to low mood, anxiety and even depression, and the mechanism behind this is mainly B12's involvement in the synthesis of neurotransmitters. If you're experiencing chronic low mood with fatigue and decreased concentration, it's a good idea to check for B12 deficiency.
The amazing thing about vitamin B12 is that it can be the hero behind some complex condition, as it can be the solution to seemingly simple health problems, such as fatigue or insomnia. Paying attention to its intake is equivalent to giving the body an extra layer of protection, keeping us away from those neglected health risks.
4. How to properly supplement vitamin B12 in daily life?
Many people know the importance of B12, but they don't know how to supplement it effectively, and sometimes even blindly eat health supplements, which is a waste of money and has little effect. Supplementing with B12 is not complicated, as long as you grasp some basic knowledge, your body can benefit from it.
The preferred way to supplement with B12 is to get it from your diet, which is the most natural, safest and easiest way for the general population to do, and foods rich in B12 are mainly animal foods, which are not only rich in B12, but also provide other beneficial nutrients such as protein.
Vegetarians are a group of people who need special attention, because plant foods contain almost no B12, and a long-term vegetarian diet may lead to a gradual depletion of B12 reserves in the body, resulting in a deficiency. If there are no animal foods in the diet, it is especially important to take B12 supplements regularly, which is not to say that a vegetarian diet is bad, but that the dietary habits need to be supplemented with science.
In addition to diet, there is also a situation where the intake is adequate but the absorption is insufficient, which is very common for some special groups, such as older people, due to the decrease in gastric acid secretion, the body's ability to absorb B12 will decrease. For these people, oral B12 supplementation is a good option, and in some cases it can even be supplemented directly by injection, which bypasses the digestive system and makes B12 replenishment more efficient.
There are also some habits in life that can affect the intake and absorption of B12, such as long-term drinking or smoking, which can cause irritation to the gastrointestinal tract and affect the absorption of nutrients. There are also some people who like to lose weight, often diet or picky eaters, which can easily lead to insufficient intake, and after a long time, the body will issue a "protest".
Overall, it's not difficult to supplement with vitamin B12, but the key is to find the right way to choose the right pathway for you, whether it's from your diet or supplemented by supplements. Only when the body is allowed to truly absorb B12 can it play a role and help us improve our health and stay away from hidden dangers.
epilogue
Vitamin B12, a small nutrient that is often overlooked, is not only a helper for improving insomnia, but also closely related to hematopoietic function, brain health, nervous system repair, digestive function and other aspects.
For ordinary people, getting vitamin B12 correctly is not complicated, as long as you pay attention to a balanced diet in your daily life, and consume more meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, you can meet the needs of the body, and master the correct supplement method to really make B12 play its powerful role.
A small bottle of vitamin B12 can not only help us improve sleep and alleviate health problems, but also silently protect our body in invisible places. Eating right is useful, and this small persistence may bring unexpected changes to health.
References:
A small bottle of vitamin B12 may be able to "improve" 4 diseases, and it is good to know it early
2023-06-12 39Health.com
A few dollars a bottle of vitamin B12 may help to "improve" 5 diseases, and benefit from early understanding
2024-08-21 Tomato Health