The Many Benefits of Vitamin B

            As we get older we don’t realize how our body uses up a vitamin, more so than the others. Vitamin B is a very complex vitamin, from B1-B12, mixed with other vital ingredients to help our bodies grow and stay as fit as possible.

            Vitamin B is very important to women who are planning to become pregnant, keeping her strong, so that when the miracle of life begins, the creation of love will have the essentials for a brain, and a well-created central nervous system. If mom does not have this essential vitamin, during her pregnancy the fetus will take the vitamin from her. Without these essential vitamins, there could be birth defects, for that reason her doctor will more than likely test her for vitamin deficiencies. Then using those numbers he will prescribe the regular prenatal vitamin, and others if need be. Women who give birth while her levels of Vitamin B12 are low put the baby at a higher risk of being born with spina bifida.

            One of the most important Vitamins B is Vitamin B12, since this vitamin is very important to our immune system. It helps prevent us from getting colds, while strengthening our immune system in an over all general way. Vitamin B deficiencies occur in the elderly because of the inability to absorb this very complex vitamin; at this point most doctors and nursing facilities will resort to Vitamin B12 injections. One of the best ways of taking this vitamin is under the tongue, sublingually but for the elderly or those with sensitive stomachs, this may cause discomfort, so doctors will resort back to the injection.

            Methylcobalamin is the most effective form of vitamin B. Reports and studies are finding that this form of vitamin B helps the central nervous system, not only in newborns; but in adults as well. They believe it may help those with Parkinson Disease (PD) preventing it from advancing. It has hope that if your family suffers from Parkinson Disease, that taking this supplement can help avoid getting the disease, that is still in the testing process.  I am sure it would be a terrific scientific break through. Vitamin B 12 is also be helpful in treatment of Bell’s palsy, which is usually slight nerve damage on one side of an individual’s face, and there seems to be some hope that it may actually have a tremendous impact on MS, Multiple Sclerosis.

            Methylcobalamin is the only know substance to have any affect on the central nervous system; there have been studies that this substance may actually be able to regenerate nerve endings and sensations.

            When looking for a great Vitamin B12, or Methylcobalamin, be sure to look for the chemical composition of this miracle vitamin. While Methylcobalamin is a bit more expensive than the cyanocobalamin, which is cheaper to make but it does not have the same abilities as Methylcobalamin. Cyanocobalamin is harder for the stomach to break down, therefore less is released into our body, and most is eliminated, doing you absolutely no good at all. Sometimes quality vs. quantity is what really matters. So if your doctor tells you that your deficient in Vitamin B12, and you do take this vitamin, more than likely you are taking Cyanocobalamin and not Methylcobalamin.

            Always check with your health care provider or herbalist before changing your diet or adding vitamins, since some vitamin can affect medication!