3 every day things that put you at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency

This is what makes you deficient in vitamin B 12!

By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | | Updated: December 1, 2017 1:32 pm

One of the most crucial of the family of B Vitamins, B12 plays an important role in our nervous system and the production of red blood cells. It also aids digestion, brain functions and helps prevent anaemia and has been linked to enhancing energy levels and moods. The human body requires vitamin B12 to make red blood cells, nerves, DNA and carry out other functions and it is recommended that the average adult get 2.4 micrograms a day. However, our bodies are not able to independently synthesise this and we rely on foods rich in vitamin B 12. Dr Deepak Sanghavi, Deputy Chief of Lab Services, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd shares common things that put us at risk of vitamin B 12 deficiency.

Vegetarian diet: As Indians, our diets are largely vegetarian, which are no doubt nutritious but have often been linked to vitamin deficiencies. There are a few vitamins and nutrients which are not found in fruits and vegetables. Hence deficiency of vitamin B12 is one of the main concerns among Indians with a vegetarian diet that lacks dairy and eggs. So we need to depend on eggs, meat, poultry and dairy products for an adequate supply of vitamin B12. However, a vegetarian diet is not the sole cause of vitamin B12 deficiency. Here are few natural sources of vitamin B12 you need to include in your diet.

Alcohol: While an occasional drink on the weekend will not affect your vitamin B12 levels, regular alcohol consumption, can put you at risk of a deficiency. Chronic alcoholism damages the stomach s lining and intestines, which restricts the absorption of vitamin B12 and thus a depletion of the body s store of it.

Junk food: Eating excess junk food not only robs the essential nutrients from the body but also increase the risk fo nutritional deficiency. Junk food, in particular, has been closely linked with producing bad gut bacteria, which has been a concern among nutritionists as one of the causes of vitamin B12 deficiency. Here are horrible things junk food does to your body.

Image Source: Shutterstock

Published : November 30, 2017 10:19 am | Updated:December 1, 2017 1:32 pm

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