Lack of Vitamin B12 has been found to cause a type of brain damage resembling schizophrenia.  The symptoms are sore mouth, numbness or stiffness, a feeling of deadness, shooting pains, needles-and-pins, or a hot and cold sensation.  B12 deficiency can also manifest itself as nervousness, neuritis, unpleasant body oder, menstrual disturbances, and difficulty walking.  Because the lack of this vitamin causes spinal cord deterioration, if a deficiency is not detected in its early stages, it may result in permanent mental deterioriation and paralysis (1).

Although Vitamn B12 is water-soluable, just as all the B-complex vitamins are, it is stored in the liver, kidney, and other body tissues.  As a result of this, it may take 5 to 6 years after nutritional intake has slacked off for deficiency symptoms to occur.  A muco-protein enzyme called the "intrinsic factor" is necessary for B12 to be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract.  This special digestive secretion produced by the stomach increases absorption in the small intestine (2).  Autoimmune reactions in the body can bind the intrinsic factor, preventing B12 absorption.

When taking B12, it is a good idea to also supplement with calcium at the same meal, as calcium assists with absorption.  There must also be hydrochloric acid present.  A properly functioning thyroid gland also helps with absorption of B12 (1).

Vitamin B12 is available in several forms.  Go to your local store and look at supplements, and you will find that cyanocobalamin is the most common form sold.  However Vitamin B12 is active in only two forms:  methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin.  Methylcobalamin is the only active form of Vitamin B12 available in the United States in tablet form (3).  Also, Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid sometimes word together, so taking them together can be of benefit in many cases.

The RDA for Vitamin B12 is 2 micrograms.  However, when one is in a deficiency state, it is recommended that 2,000 micrograms daily be consumed for at least a month, followed by a daily intake of 1,000 micrograms.  For vegetarians, a dosage of 100 micrograms per day is recommended (4).

Ailments which may benefit from Vitamin B12:

Anemia
Angina pectoris
Arteriosclerosis
Atherosclerosis
Diabetes
Hypoglycemia
Pernicious anemia
Osteoporosis
Epilepsy
Insomnia
Multiple sclerosis
Neuritis
Vertigo
Adrenal exhaustion
Angina pectoris
Celiac disease
Worms
Arthritis
Bursitis
Cirrhosis of liver
Allergies
Asthma
Tuberculosis
Muscular dystrophy
Pellagra
Psoriasis
Singles
Stomach ulcers
Gastritis
Alcoholism
Overweight and obesity  (5)

AIDS
Alzheimer's disease
Depression
Low sperm count
Tinnitus  (6)

Sources for Vitamin B12:

Brewer’s yeast, clams, eggs, herring, kidney, liver, mackerel, mill’ and dairy products, and seafood, sea vegetables, such as dulse, kelp, kombu, and nori, and soybean and soy products, alfalfa bladderwrack, comfrey leaves (7) (8).

For the next article in this series, go to  Vitamin B15 Panagamic Acid: Cell Respiration and Oxidation

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References:

(1)  Dunne, Lavon J. (1990). Nutrition Almanac, 3rd ed.  New York:  McGraw-Hill, p. 32.

(2)  Murray, Michael T. (1996). The Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements.  Rocklin, CA:  Prima Publishing, p. 127.

(3)  Murray, as in (2) above, p. 130.

(4)  Murray, as in (2) above, p. 136.

(5)  Dunne, as in (1) above, p. 34.

(6)  Murrah, as in (2) above. p. 132-136.

(7)  Inner Self Publications.  (2000).  "Vitamin B12."  Available Online:  [http://www.innerself.com/Health/guides/VITAMIN_B12.htm].

(8)  Personal Health Lifestyles.  (2000).  "Vitamin B12."  Available Online:  [http://www.innerself.com/Health/guides/VITAMIN_B12.htm].