B all that you can B(12)
(The importance of B12 in your diet)
Possibly the best site I have come across pertaining to Vegan Health issues is VeganHealth.org, among their plethora of articles is a very extensive one on the Vitamin B12. Because they have done such a terrific job, and the information is so extensive, I am going to try my best to summarize their information on the great importance of this vitamin for those who may be in danger of B12 deficiency (meaning us Vegans and vegetarians).
Most vegans and vegetarians are not aware of how essential the vitamin B12 is to their diet. It is common knowledge that B12 is a vitamin that can only be found in meat and dairy products, or by supplementing your diet by vitamins or fortified food. As a vegan, you may have also heard that B12 can store up in your liver for many years, and therefore it does not need to be a daily concern. This is untrue.
It takes years to build up a sufficient amount of B12 to be able to go without out it for even a short period of time (VeganHealth.org). If you were a meat eater for a number of years, and you recently became vegan or vegetarian you may have enough b12 stored up to last a few years, If you have not eaten meat for a number of years and not been eating fortified products or taking a vitamin that contains b12, you might experience a B12 deficiency that can range from overt to mild.
B12 protects the nervous system, and therefore an extreme deficiency can result in blindness, deafness, and dementia. Early signs of a deficiency are tingling sensations in the hands or feet, and fatigue. Because of the seriousness of this deficiency, vegans should have their doctor check their homo cysteine levels every few years, and if your levels are elevated, you should find a way to integrate B12 into your diet right away.
Fortunately B12 is made by a bacterial fermentation and therefore can be made into various forms of vegan products. Some of the most popular include a vitamin in pill form, a spray version, fortified food (such as my favorite, Kashi's Heart to Heart Blueberry Clusters, which has 100% of your daily allowance) and most recently a B12 patch.
