Where is there a lot of vitamin B12 in food? All about vitamin B12: how to drink and what it contains

The human body is a very complex mechanism. For proper operation All organs and systems require a large amount of various vitamins and microelements. Each of them is extremely important for the functioning of the entire system.

Today we will look at Vitamin B12 is useful for the body, what foods contain it (table) and what is its main function .

What is Vitamin B12 good for?

Vitamin b12

Vitamin B12 is one of the water-soluble vitamins that contains most of the cobalt. Hence its second name - cyclocobalomin. Responsible for the number of red blood cells, coordinated work nervous system human, the formation of a DNA molecule, helps strengthen the immune system.


Table of products containing vitamin B12 (amount of mcg per 100 g of product)

This baby helps carbohydrate-protein metabolism and helps in tissue synthesis. Helps revitalize iron reserves in the body and replenish them.

Where to look for B12


Part of the vitamin is produced by the human body. However, a larger share must be obtained from outside.

So, what foods contain vitamin B12, we will see from the table below.

  1. The largest amount of absorbable vitamin is contained in beef liver . It should be lightly fried and eaten half-raw.

3. In third place is fat sea ​​fish, such as sardine, mackerel, sea bass.

4. Rabbit meat is rich in B12 . It is recommended for many diseases.

5. A significant part of cyclocobalamine is found in normal meat. It doesn’t matter which one, pork, beef or lamb.

6. A small amount is observed V river fish: cod or carp.

7. Hard cheeses (Dutch, Poshekhonsky or Roquefort) are also a good supplier of vitamins of this group.

8. Crab meat contains about one microgram of vitamin B12.

9. One of the most accessible sources of nutrients is eggs. Cyclocobalamine is absorbed from raw yolks.

10. To prevent anemia, it is useful to consume homemade milk. Products made from it are no less useful: sour cream, cottage cheese, soft cheeses.

  1. It is practically absent from plant foods. It is found in very small quantities in soybeans, nuts, spinach, seaweed and sprouted wheat.

12. Eating brewer's yeast helps in the accumulation of the vitamin.


Vitamin b12

The daily dose of vitamin B12 is very small - 3 mcg. Even by eating a small amount of meat, we exceed it five times. Therefore, cyclocobalamine accumulates in the liver. An adult who monitors his lifestyle will have enough vitamin reserves for twenty years.

The deficiency will be noticeable after many years of giving up animal foods. Therefore, fasting diets are not terrible in this regard. Only with long-term vegetarianism should care be taken to consume B12 in various synthetic forms (tablets, injections, dietary supplements).

How to avoid vitamin deficiency


What vitamins do humans need?

We have already looked at the benefits of vitamin B12, what foods contain it (food table), and now let’s remember how to avoid vitamin deficiency.

There are a number of factors under which vitamin deficiency can develop even in meat eaters:

- B12 is absorbed in the intestines. The state of the gastrointestinal tract directly affects the amount of cyclocobalamine received.

- Alcohol destroys the liver. Together with it, it destroys the reserves of useful substances in it.

- antibiotics help destroy the microflora of the stomach and intestines. Together with it, they destroy vitamins.

- preservatives are designed to kill bacteria. Getting inside a person, they destroy everything: both bad and good.

- under stress, adrenaline is produced. Its excess ends up in the intestines and destroys B12.

Vitamin b12

So that all vitamins and microelements are in abundance, and they are properly absorbed, alone food products few.

It is necessary to exercise to neutralize excess adrenaline; it would not be amiss to take vitamin complexes as prescribed by your doctor.

Breathe more fresh air, lead active image life.

Try not to consume products containing preservatives and additives labeled “E”.

Take care of the health of your stomach and intestines and you won’t be afraid of any vitamin deficiencies.

The human body is a kind of smoothly working mechanism, the failures of which directly affect the state of health. The reason for this may be a basic lack of vitamins, one of which is B12. In order to prevent this, you need to know which foods contain vitamin B12 and promptly meet the body's needs for it.

Vitamin B12, or cyanocobalamin, is considered one of the most important vitamin compounds in the world. It is he who has a direct impact on the maturation and daily functioning of red blood cells. It normalizes the functioning of the nervous system, so with its regular consumption, people develop a feeling of peace and almost completely avoid the “chronic fatigue” syndrome.

B12 maintains the normal state of carbohydrates and affects the normal functioning of lipids. Leads to proper cell division and also improves liver function. The vitamin itself is not produced by our cells (with rare exceptions), so a healthy person needs to regularly consume foods containing it.

Signs of vitamin B12 deficiency

If your body lacks this vitamin, you may experience the following symptoms:

  • frequent fatigue and sudden mood swings;
  • spontaneously occurring depression;
  • headache and stomach upset;
  • numbness of fingers and other parts of the body (especially at night);
  • pain during menstruation, etc.

When does B12 deficiency occur?

A deficiency of this vitamin can occur in people following a vegetarian diet. Vitamin deficiency can also appear in people suffering from excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, or drug abuse. In addition, the above-mentioned signs also occur in patients who have undergone complex surgery, in citizens with pronounced mental disorders. Citizens who regularly abuse confectionery and bakery products also need urgent “vitamin help.” Less commonly, such symptoms are typical for women who use birth control pills daily.

What consequences can a lack of cyanocobalamin lead to?

A catastrophic lack of vitamin in the body can lead to irreversible consequences. For example, a patient’s nerve endings may be completely destroyed, hair begins to lose its color and turn gray prematurely (melanin, the color-maintaining pigment, is not produced), hairs become thin and brittle, and may fall out in clumps, leading to the appearance of “bald spots.” In the absence of the vitamin, the regeneration process is disrupted, therefore, with cuts and wounds, rapid tissue restoration does not occur (in advanced cases, this can lead to their death).

If compensation for the vitamin does not occur for a long time, this can lead to paralysis of the limbs, the development of nervous diseases and other troubles.

To avoid this, you need to regularly consume foods containing B12 in the right amount.

When is it especially important to include B12 in your diet?

In some cases, daily consumption of vitamin B12 is literally a vital necessity. In particular, such cases include patients who have anemia, cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis, radiculitis, and trigeminal neuralgia.

Also, people who have been diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy, skin diseases of varying degrees of complexity, and other injuries to peripheral nerves need vitamin replenishment.

So what food or foods contain vitamin B12?

Foods containing vitamin B12

Cyanocobalamin is usually found in foods of animal origin. For example, it is in sufficient quantity can be found:

  • in beef liver;
  • egg yolks;
  • beef kidneys (as well as pork and chicken);
  • in milk powder;
  • in the pulp of salmon (herring, sardines);
  • in crab and oyster meat;
  • in beef (chicken, pork);
  • in hard cheese;
  • fermented milk products.

Significantly smaller amounts of the vitamin are found in regular cow's milk (including store-bought milk), green salad, seaweed, soy, and yeast. If we talk about the quantitative content of cyanocobalamin in 100 g of product, then beef liver, for example, contains approximately 60 mcg. In cottage cheese – 1.0 mcg. In dry milk – 4.5 mcg, etc. (see table).

Table of B12 content in products:

Norm of vitamin B12 per day

Depending on age and other characteristics, a person needs to consume cyanocobalamin in different proportions. So, for example, for adult citizens daily norm is only 2-3 mcg. It is enough for children to consume 1-2 mcg per day. Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding are recommended to consume at least 3-5 mcg, and athletes - 6-10 mcg.

Summary: If you never want to be deficient in vitamin B12, try to include foods that contain it in your daily diet.

In order for all organs and systems of the human body to function harmoniously, a vitamin and mineral supply is necessary. Among all substances, cyanocobalamin takes pride of place. It is extremely important, but cannot be synthesized in the required quantity in the body. In order to replenish this element, you need to introduce into the diet products that contain it.

Vitamin B12, a crystalline substance containing cobalt, was first obtained artificially in 1948 from the liver. Until now, it is an ideal remedy for both the prevention and treatment of a wide variety of pathological conditions and ailments. From this article you will learn in which processes cobalamin takes part, in which products it is found in the highest concentration, and also about the consequences of excess and deficiency of this substance.

The substance is synthesized by intestinal microflora. Previously, vitamin B12 was obtained artificially using microorganisms that were placed in a special nutrient medium containing cobalt salts. Unfortunately, cobalamin is absent in vegetables and fruits. Despite the fact that beets are a product of plant origin and do not contain cyanocobalamin, they are rich in cobalt salts, which are used by intestinal microflora in the synthesis of the substance.

In order for the vitamin to be better absorbed, calcium and folic acid are necessary. In order for the body to function properly, experts recommend introducing foods that are sources of B12 into the diet: meat, all kinds of dairy products, seafood, fish, liver, homemade cheese and various cheeses. For more details, look at the table.

Product name Vitamin B12
Lamb liver 90
Beef liver 60
Pork liver 30
Octopus meat 20
Cold-smoked Pacific herring fillet 18,7
Chicken liver 16,5
Mackerel fillet 12
Sardine fillet 11
Lamb heart 10,25
Atlantic herring fillet 10
Beef heart 10
Red sockeye salmon fillet 7,8
Trout fillet 7,7
Beef tongue 4,7
Rabbit meat 4,3
Pink salmon fillet, chum salmon 4,1
Acne 3
Fillet of notothenia 2,8
Beef meat 2,6
Perch, hake 2,4
Pork, meat, kidneys, lung 2
Beef, meat 2
Chicken egg yolk 1,8
Boiled pork tongue 1,45
Cheese 1,4

The leader in cobalamin content is veal and beef liver. These products must be included in the diet of women during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as people suffering from various chronic ailments and decreased protective properties of the body. Liver should also be present in the diet of a growing child.

Cereals are also sources of B12. It is recommended to eat them in the morning. IN large quantities contains the element in the following products:

  • chicken eggs;
  • chicken;
  • beef;
  • lamb;
  • rabbit meat;
  • beef heart and tongue;
  • liver sausage;
  • cheese;
  • cottage cheese;
  • kefir;
  • oysters;
  • herring;
  • trout.

This useful vitamin component is also preserved during heat treatment. For example, when frying beef or boiling milk, more than 70% of the vitamin remains.

Daily requirement

The daily requirement for the vitamin may vary slightly depending on age. The body of an adult needs 3 mcg of the substance per day, a newborn - 0.4-0.5 mcg, a child under four years old - 0.7-1 mcg, a child under seven years old - 0.9-1.5 mcg, a child 7-13 years old - 1.5-2 mcg, a teenager - 2.5 mcg, women during pregnancy and breastfeeding – 4 mcg.

It is especially important to provide the necessary supply of cyanocobalamin to vegetarians, since it is not found in plant foods. In order to prevent the onset of deficiency symptoms, as well as the development of various diseases, vegetarians are recommended to take multivitamin supplements.

People who abuse alcohol, take contraceptives and sleeping pills, smokers and athletes need to eat more food, rich in vitamin AT 12.

Cyanocobalamin deficiency: causes and symptoms

The vitamin is excreted from the body along with bile. The destruction of the substance occurs over a long period of time. It is not difficult to understand that the body suffers from a lack of cobalamin, if, of course, you listen to the signals it gives.

Vitamin B12: role, what processes it is involved in

Cobalamin is water soluble and is synthesized by intestinal microflora. This substance is responsible for the functioning of the central nervous system and hemoglobin levels. Together with folic acid, it takes an active part in the maturation of red blood cells and hematopoiesis in the bone marrow. It is known about the antitoxic, antioxidant, antitumor, restorative and antiallergic effects of cyanocobalamin.

The substance is found in products, mainly of animal origin. Regular use products endowed with this element contribute to:

  • stimulation of carbohydrate and fat metabolism;
  • activation of the blood coagulation system;
  • normalization of the functioning of the central nervous system;
  • stimulating the production of bile salts;
  • lowering cholesterol levels;
  • improving liver function;
  • normalization of the functioning of the cardiovascular system and prevention of the development of various diseases;
  • increasing the protective properties of the body;
  • blood pressure stabilization;
  • improving the functioning of the reproductive system;
  • normalization of sleep;
  • strengthening bone tissue;
  • increasing concentration;
  • growth of muscle mass;
  • regeneration of liver cells;
  • improving the condition of the skin, nails and hair;
  • improving memory.

Doctors prescribe vitamin-mineral complexes, as well as introducing foods with cobalamin into the diet for people suffering from:

  • pathologies of the liver and spleen;
  • skin ailments;
  • neuritis;
  • neuralgia;
  • inflammatory processes in the oral mucosa;
  • exhaustion of the body and central nervous system;
  • diseases of the cardiovascular system and thyroid gland.

B12 deficiency can be caused by:

The illness is usually accompanied by: increased fatigue, drowsiness, depressive disorders, headache, dizziness, increased irritability, loss of appetite, numbness of the limbs, deterioration and hair loss, grayish or yellowish complexion, muscle fatigue, ringing in the ears, confusion, visual impairment.

A prolonged lack of vitamin (more than five years) is fraught with the development of B12 deficiency anemia, characterized by impaired formation of deoxyribonucleic acid, fatty acid metabolism, decreased hemoglobin and red blood cell levels, disruptions in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system. This type of anemia can lead to the development of kidney, liver and blood diseases.

If alarming symptoms appear, you should immediately seek help from a qualified specialist. After assessing your general health and clarifying the diagnosis, he will prescribe treatment. One of the main places in the treatment of cobalamin deficiency is the correction of the diet and its enrichment with the necessary substance.

Excess cobalamin: causes and manifestations

This condition may be caused by: vitamin overdose, chronic hepatitis, leukemia, chronic renal failure. An excess, as a rule, manifests itself as allergic reactions (urticaria, pulmonary edema, anaphylactic shock), rapid heartbeat, pain in the heart, thrombosis of peripheral vessels.

Proper nutrition, the introduction of cobalamin source foods into the diet, as well as timely treatment of various diseases are important components of good health and well-being. It is necessary to consume products with cyanocobalamin in moderation - exactly as much as the body needs per day. If you do everything correctly, you will not be afraid of any deficiency, excess or accompanying pathologies.

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble B vitamin. Unlike other substances in this group, it can accumulate in the human body, most of all in the liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys. It is absorbed in the small intestine and deposited in the liver.

It contains cobalt ion, hence its other name - cyanocobalamin, or cobalamin. Cyanocobalamin is resistant to light and high temperature, and is better preserved in food products during heat treatment.

The activity of cyanocobalamin is very high, and the amount of vitamin B12 in foods is measured in mcg. Accordingly, a person’s need for it is small.

Amount of vitamin B12 in foods (mcg/100g):

  • Beef liver – 60;
  • Heart – 25;
  • Oysters – 18;
  • Trout – 7.5;
  • Herring – 13;
  • Russian cheese – 1.5;
  • Sardines in oil – 8.5;
  • Rabbit meat – 4.3;
  • Beef – 3.0;
  • Sea bass – 2.4;
  • Cod – 1.6;
  • Dutch cheese – 1.1;
  • Cheese Poshekhonsky – 1.4;
  • Cottage cheese – 1.0;
  • Chicken egg – 0.5;
  • Cow's milk – 0.4;
  • Kefir – 0.4;
  • Butter – 0.1.

The main source of this vitamin for the body is animal products. A little cobalamin is synthesized in the intestine by its own microflora. Very small amounts are found in soybeans, hops, tops, spinach, and green salad.

Vitamin B12 intake standards

Age determines daily requirement in cyanocobalamin. So, in infants up to 6 months it is 0.4 mcg/day, in children from 6 to 12 months – 0.5 mcg/day, from 1 to 3 years this need increases to 1 mcg/day, from 4 to 6 years – up to 1.5 mcg/day. Children aged 7-10 years require 2 mcg of vitamin per day, adolescents 11-17 years old, as well as adults - 3 mcg/day. In pregnant and breastfeeding women, the need is higher – 4 mcg/day.

There is also another designation for the amount of vitamin B12 - in international units (IU). 1IU corresponds to the activity of 1 mcg of cyanocobalamin.

The metabolism of cobalamin in the body occurs very slowly, and it takes at least 5-6 years for its deficiency to develop. If a person takes potassium supplements, then hypovitaminosis develops several times faster.

If a person smokes, drinks alcohol, or is a vegetarian, the need for vitamin B12 increases.

With excessive consumption of sweets, carbonated drinks, as well as with chronic diarrhea, the absorption of cyanocobalamin from the intestine worsens, which means its intake into the body decreases.

If a person uses many different medicines, and especially contraceptives, increases the consumption of cyanocobalamin.

The importance of vitamin B12 in the body

Vitamin B12 plays a significant role in the biological processes of the body, together with other vitamins it participates in the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, as well as:

  • Participates in the formation of red blood cells - erythrocytes;
  • Helps remove homocysteine ​​from the body, an amino acid that contributes to the occurrence of strokes and myocardial infarctions;
  • Reduces fat and cholesterol levels in the body;
  • Improves oxygen availability for cells during hypoxia;
  • Takes part in the regeneration of damaged tissues, participating in the synthesis of nucleic acids;
  • Promotes the formation of active forms of vitamin A;
  • Participates in the formation of the hormone melatonin, which regulates biorhythms;
  • It has an effect on the male reproductive system - it increases the sperm content in the gonads;
  • Regulates the functioning of the immune system;
  • It is a catalyst for biochemical transformations of organic acids, as a result of which myelin is formed - the sheath of nerve fibers.

Vitamin B12 is very important for hair, for its growth and healthy appearance.

Vitamin B12 deficiency

Hypovitaminosis is formed when there is insufficient intake of cyanocobalamin from food, impaired absorption, or when taking certain medications. Signs of its deficiency are the following symptoms:

  • Low hemoglobin, platelets and leukocytes;
  • Disorders of the digestive system;
  • Fatigue, irritability, depression;
  • Feeling of numbness in the limbs and difficulty walking;
  • Stomatitis, glossitis;
  • Headache;
  • Visual impairment;
  • Painful menstruation.

Lack of vitamin B12 for hair leads to hair loss and early greying.

Excess vitamin B12

Cyanocobalamin hypervitaminosis rarely occurs when the dosage is not observed when taking vitamin B12 tablets or when administered parenterally.

Main symptoms of overdose:

  • Pulmonary edema;
  • Vein thrombosis;
  • Urticaria or anaphylactic shock;
  • Heart failure.

Use of cyanocobalamin for medicinal purposes

As a medicine, vitamin B12 in ampoules or tablets is used for diseases such as hepatitis, anemia, radiculitis, polyneuritis, chronic pancreatitis, multiple sclerosis, diabetic neuropathy, radiation sickness, cerebral palsy, peripheral nerve injuries, skin and allergic diseases.

Vitamin B12 tablets are better absorbed when taken simultaneously with folic acid. It is used in the treatment of anemia at a dose of 30 to 200 mcg per day, every other day, until remission is achieved.

Vitamin B12 in ampoules is used for intravenous, intramuscular, intralumbar and subcutaneous administration.

For neurological pathology, including pain, vitamin B12 is administered from 0.2 to 0.5 mg per injection according to an increasing scheme, once every 2 days, for a course of up to 2 weeks.

Contraindications

Do not use vitamin B12 in ampoules and tablets in case of thromboembolism, erythrocytosis, or individual intolerance. Concomitant angina pectoris requires careful use.

Everything about vitamin B12: what the body needs it for, how to take it in tablets and ampoules, what foods contain it and the daily requirement of the vitamin. Very informative article.

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Vitamin B12 has twice become an object of study for which a prize has been awarded. Nobel Prize. First time for discovery in the treatment of pernicious anemia (the inability of red blood cells to transport oxygen). Symptoms of the disease disappeared if patients with anemia consumed liver. The reason turned out to be vitamin B12 from its composition. And the second time for establishing structural formula b12.

Features of the vitamin

Like all vitamins, b12 can exist in different forms. spatial forms and from here it has different names. All its names contain the root “cobalt” for the content in the center of the molecule of the corresponding chemical element(Co). Vitamin b12 is most often called cyanocobalamin.

Vitamin b12 has an unusual source of its formation. Cyanocobalamin is produced by microscopic organisms: yeast, algae, molds and bacterial cells. Therefore, it is not found in plant products. But it is found in products of animal origin due to the ability to accumulate it in the corresponding tissues.

The features of cyanocobalamin do not end there. To assimilate it, you need some more products, in particular the so-called internal Castle factor. This is the name for the protein synthesized by the walls of the stomach, without which cyanocobalamin cannot reach where it is needed.

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What functions does vitamin b12 perform?

Cyanocobalamin is needed for the normal functioning of reductases - enzymes that catalyze biochemical reactions that result in the formation of tetrahydrofolic acid from folic acid, which accelerates mitosis. For which tissues is mitosis important? It is necessary for regeneration and tissues that are renewed frequently and quickly. We are talking about the epidermis of the skin and the red bone marrow, which produces new young red blood cells.

With cyanocobalamin deficiency, the cells that precede red blood cells grow, but do not divide. As a result, giant red blood cells are formed, which get stuck in the capillaries. They do not contain the proper amount of hemoglobin, as a result of which megaloblastic anemia develops.

If vitamin b12 is supplied in the proper amount, cell division proceeds normally, and many tiny red blood cells full of hemoglobin are formed.

The second important function of b12 is participation in the reaction of myelin synthesis. With a deficiency of b12, the reaction does not occur, neuron fibers without a myelin sheath become less sensitive, and the relationship between the brain and muscle fibers is disrupted. Cyanocobalamin is also responsible for the reaction of converting homocysteine ​​into methionine, which, in turn, helps the liver get rid of excess fat and the body lose weight.

How to recognize a deficiency

If the following symptoms occur in the body:

  • problems with the regularity of the menstrual cycle;
  • weak or rapid pulse;
  • deterioration in the volume and properties of memory;
  • physical weakness;
  • tingling in the limbs;
  • depression;
  • problems with blood clotting;
  • nervousness,

Then the main reason for their occurrence can be considered a deficiency of b12.

What contributes to vitamin b12 deficiency:

  • pathologies of the stomach, due to which the internal Castle factor is not produced and the absorption of cyanocobalamin is impaired.
  • a strict vegetarian diet that does not contain animal food, although this factor is considered controversial. The reason is the body's ability to accumulate B12, sometimes in quantities sufficient for its normal functioning for 20 years or more.