Can you get vitamin B12 from fruits? Here's the truth

- Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps maintain the health of blood cells and nerves in the body, and contributes to the formation of DNA, which is the genetic material found in all cells of the body. Also, this vitamin helps prevent megaloblastic anemia, which is a blood condition that causes a feeling of fatigue and weakness, according to what was stated on the website of the National Institute of Health in America.

Most people in the United States get adequate amounts of vitamin B12 from the foods they eat, but some people have difficulty absorbing this vitamin from food. The body absorbs vitamin B12 from food in two stages.

In the first stage, hydrochloric acid in the stomach separates vitamin B12 from its bound protein; In the second stage, the released vitamin binds to a protein produced by the stomach known as intrinsic factor, so they are both absorbed by the body. Vitamin B12 occurs naturally in a wide range of animal foods, and manufacturers add it to some fortified foods.

It should be noted that plant foods do not contain this vitamin unless they are fortified with it, that is, it is not available in fruits and vegetables. A person can obtain the recommended amounts of this vitamin by eating a variety of foods, including: What happens if the body does not get a sufficient amount of vitamin B12?

The body stores an amount of vitamin B12 equivalent to between 1,000 and 2,000 times the amount a person usually takes in one day. Therefore, symptoms of this vitamin deficiency may take several years to appear. If this vitamin is deficient, a person may feel tired or weak; These symptoms are a hallmark of megaloblastic anemia, a condition closely linked to a deficiency of this vitamin.

Some people may also suffer from pale skin, heart palpitations, loss of appetite, weight loss, and infertility. Some people may feel numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, which is a sign of nerve problems.

Other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include: balance problems, depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory, and ulcers in the mouth or tongue. In infants, signs of vitamin B12 deficiency include faltering growth, delayed reaching normal growth milestones, and megaloblastic anemia.

Since a deficiency of this vitamin can damage the nervous system even in people who do not suffer from megaloblastic anemia, it is necessary to treat this deficiency as soon as possible.