Food is known to be medicinal, and Vitamin B12 is a component found in some food.

Medical experts say that Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. 

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is stated to be a member of the B vitamin family and mainly known for helping in the formation of red blood cells and is vital in nervous system function.

It is also a prescription drug and its benefits are for the whole body.

According to Dieudonne Bukaba, a nutritionist in Kigali, vitamin B12 is one of the main components required for the body to keep the immune system boosted and it is a protection from some of the major diseases.

He says, vitamin B12 is an energy booster for people that feel feeble. This is because it helps in red blood cell formation, which prevents a type of anaemia that can often make people feel weak and tired.

He carries on that vitamin B12 is essential for keeping your nerves healthy and supporting the production of DNA and red blood cells, in addition to preserving normal brain function.

Bukaba says, Vitamin B12 is found naturally in a wide variety of animal foods like fish, meat, poultry, eggs, low-fat milk, and other dairy products such as yogurt, and cheese, not to forget fortified breakfast cereal.

But also, organ meats are so nutritious, for instance, liver, and kidneys, especially from a lamb, as they are rich in vitamin B12, he adds.

He stresses that Vitamin B12 can help maintain and promote healthy eyesight. As people get older, they risk the loss of eyesight.

Studies show sufficient vitamin B12 intake was linked to 34 to 41 per cent lowered risk of macular degeneration (loss of eyesight).

For pregnant women, the nutrition expert advises consuming vitamin B12 since it is key to a healthy pregnancy. This nutrient is important for the prevention of brain and spinal cord birth defects.

"Vitamin B12 supplements and food rich in this nutrient may help recover moods in people with a prevailing deficiency. Vitamin B12 is needed in making serotonin, a chemical responsible for regulating mood,” Bukaba says.

Various long-term studies have found that regular dosing of vitamin B12 may lessen relapse rates of depression. Mental health experts recommend anyone suffering from depression who suspects they may have low B12 levels, to have B12 levels tested.

This is because there is some indication that raising low B12 levels could make it more possible for a person with depression to respond, for example, to antidepressant medication. Treating a low B12 level will make antidepressant treatment more effective.

Experts say that adults require only 2.4 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12, also known as cyanocobalamin, each day. Pregnant or breastfeeding women need more 2.6 to 2.8 mcg daily.

Vitamin B12 is not naturally occurring in plant foods, which is why vegetarians and vegans may not get enough in their diets and may need to take a B supplement.

Bukaba states that signs of deficiency of vitamin B-12 are; fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, constipation, weight loss, numbness and tingling, balance problems, trouble thinking, confusion or memory problems, dementia, sore mouth or tongue, muscle weakness, among others.

According to the National Institutes of Health-NIH, Vitamin B12 deficiency can damage the nervous system even in people who don’t have anaemia, so it is important to treat a deficiency as soon as possible. In infants, signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency include failure to thrive, problems with movement, delays in reaching the typical developmental milestones, and megaloblastic anaemia. (A condition in which the bone marrow produces unusually large, structurally abnormal, immature red blood cells).

Who is at risk?

Medical News Today states that Vegans face a risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, as their diet excludes animal-sourced food products. Pregnancy and lactation can worsen deficiency in vegans. Plant-sourced foods do not have enough cobalamin to guarantee long-term health.

"People with pernicious anaemia may lack vitamin B12. Pernicious anaemia is an autoimmune disease that affects the blood. Patients with this disorder do not have enough basic factor (IF), a protein in the stomach that allows the body to absorb vitamin B12.”