Vitamin B12 has myriad benefits from supporting healthy blood cells and nerve function to keeping the brain sharp and focused. Now, scientists have discovered yet another positive impact.
B12 could help protect the human body from accelerated aging and disease, according to Cornell University researchers.
The recent study, which looked at B12 deficiencies in mice, found that the vitamin can fight stress to our metabolism and immune system invaders.
The findings have major implications for Americans with around 10 million people not getting enough of the vitamin. People can get more through a balanced diet that includes meat and fortified foods, such as cereals and breads.
Ensuring you get enough B12 could help you make gains in the gym, too, the Cornell study showed.
“It seems that low B12 status is associated with lower muscle mass and maybe muscle strength,” Martha Field, an associate professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at the school, explained in a statement.
It’s unclear why that’s the case, but B12 deficiency has been linked to muscle pain. And, building muscle is about more than just looking good – muscle strength and mass help to protect us from injury and can slow bone loss.
“The good news is that research shows that strength training can play a role in slowing bone loss, and can even build bone,” said Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Howard LeWine. “This is tremendously useful to help offset age-related declines in bone mass.”
The Cornell researchers hope their findings will help doctors create more personalized treatment regimens for patients with B12 deficiency, which can cause fatigue, dizziness and tingling – even memory loss when deficiencies are long-term.
Experts recommend adults get around 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 in their daily diet. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding need 2.6 micrograms because B12 is important for the baby, as well. Low levels of B12 have even been shown to increase the risk of preterm birth, according to the Yale School of Public Health.
The most vitamin rich food is clams and three ounces contain 84 micrograms, Harvard says. But if you’re not a clam lover, you can also get 4.9 micrograms in three ounces of salmon, 1.3 micrograms in six ounces of nonfat plain Greek yogurt and 0.6 micrograms in a large egg.
For people who don’t eat animal-based products, there are six micrograms in a bowl of breakfast cereal and 1.7 micrograms in a cup of chocolate soy milk.
Supplements are also an option, although none are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Pills of B12 include between 50-5,000 micrograms.