VITAMIN B-12 IS GOOD FOR YOU…UP TO A POINT
It’s an important part of daily nutrition, but it’s not a miracle tonic.
In recent months, Vitamin B-12 has had a bit of a public relations problem. As steroid and human growth hormone controversies have swirled around professional sports, B-12 has been dragged into the mess, with some athletes, most notably baseball pitcher Roger Clemens, claiming he thought he was being injected with the vitamin and not with a banned substance.
That raises a question: why would Clemens, or anyone for that matter, think that a Vitamin B-12 injection would somehow improve his overall fitness and perhaps slow down the signs of aging?
For mature adults, the recommended daily allowance of a mere 2.8 micrograms of B-12 is easy to achieve without needles. According to Medline Plus, “A day's supply of B-12 can be obtained by eating one chicken breast plus one hard-boiled egg plus one cup plain low-fat yogurt, or one cup milk plus one cup raisin bran.” Liver, shellfish, and milk products are the best natural sources (vegetarians can sometimes be B-12 deficient), and Medline Plus recommends that adults over 50 take a supplement that includes B-12. (You can also find it in many energy drinks.) It’s an important part of wellness for anyone over 50.
But, as Slate magazine reported, “B-12 has become modish among athletes who believe the vitamin can ward off disease, boost energy levels, and enhance performance, much like caffeine pills or greenies. It's also widely regarded as a longevity drug that can slow the effects of aging. Anna Nicole Smith, for example, was injecting a battery of so-called anti-aging substances—including B-12, immunoglobulins, and HGH—in the weeks leading up to her death.”
Yikes. The thinking seems to be that since B-12 deficiency can lead to fatigue, depression, short-term memory loss, and even Addison’s disease and Biermer’s disease, when B-12 is restored, a patient will naturally feel more energetic and less depressed. This fact leads some to seek out massive doses of B-12 delivered by injection as a sort of “feel good” booster shot, even though there’s no indication that such benefits are real.
The bottom line: Vitamin B-12 is just as important as any other vitamin or mineral in keeping you healthy as you age, but it’s not magic. As with most things in life, moderation is the key.
Read More on This Topic:
Vitamin B-12: National Institutes of Health Medline Plus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-vitaminb12.html
Slate magazine: “Why Would Clemens Shoot Up with B-12?”
http://www.slate.com/id/2184284
Vitamin B-12: International Health News
http://www.yourhealthbase.com/vitamin_B12.html
