Vitamin B12 also goes by the cobalamin and is a water-soluble vitamin that is needed by every cell in the body. It is essential in keeping the brain and nervous system healthy as well as playing an important role in DNA and red blood cell production. Being essential means the body cannot make B12, so it needs to be obtained through diet or supplement form. Unfortunately, vitamin B12 is one the most common deficiencies in the world, and there are certain factors that can put you more at risk of becoming deficient like smoking, long-term alcoholism, having digestive issues, anemia, following a vegan or vegetarian diet and being in the older population.

Vitamin B12 is a neurotropic vitamin which means it plays a very important role in keeping the nervous system healthy and functioning correctly. Vitamin B12 is needed in the production of myelin, which provides an insulating sheath around the nerve fibres in the body enabling faster electrical pulse transmissions. It also can aid in the regeneration of nerves after injury. Being deficient in B12 can result in some of the following neurological symptoms, numbness or tingling, cognitive decline, fatigue, weaker muscles and decreased energy (*note this is not an extensive list, there are other symptoms that can result from a B12 deficiency)

Vitamin B12 helps to reduce levels of an amino acid called homocysteine in the body. High levels of this amino acid increase the risk of many different conditions including dementia and Alzheimer's disease. B12 is essential when it comes to brain health and is important in helping decrease/slow down atrophy of the brain, which is a loss of neurons and connection between the neurons and brain volume. This again can lead to cognitive illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Vitamin B12 has been shown to improve mood and mental health as it is a co-factor for neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin which are important emotion and mood regulators, it can also help improve focus and memory.

If you are concerned or interested in learning more about your B12 levels you can now buy home test kits or book in to see your GP. Prevention is always better than a cure. Supplementing with vitamin B12 is the most effective way to prevent a deficiency from occurring but speak to your GP to work out the best option for you. B12 is essential for the brain and nervous system to function optimally and if you have one of the risk factors mentioned above that put you at risk it is definitely worth investigating. Shop our B12 capsules here: Vitamin B12 1000ug With 400ug Folic Acid - A trusted British Brand (fscsupplements.com)