Vitamin B Ingredients In Skin Care Products – 

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, is one of 8 B vitamins. Vitamin B12 is found only in animal foods. Good dietary sources include fish, dairy products, organ meats (particularly liver and kidney), eggs, beef, and pork. Vitamin B12 is considered safe and non-toxic.

B12 (cyancobalamine) is essential for a variety of synthetic processes in the cells. The deficiency of this vitamin is particularly detrimental to neurons and rapidly dividing cells, including skin cells. Mild B12 deficiency often goes undiagnosed, producing no overt symptoms. Sometimes, depression may be the only symptom of B12 deficiency. B12 is unique among vitamins in that it is found almost exclusively in foods of animal origin. Thus strict vegetarians are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Healthy young and middle-aged people consuming a balanced non-vegetarian diet are usually not at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency. The absorption of vitamin B12 from food requires intrinsic factor, a protein produced by the stomach. Some older people do not produce enough intrinsic factor due to the atrophy of stomach glands. Certain autoimmune and digestive conditions may also lead to poor absorption of B12. In people whose B12 deficiency is due to poor absorption, neither dietary changes nor oral supplements correct the problem. In such cases, B12 has to be administered as a nasal spray or injected. In contrast to many other vitamins, B12 doses higher than what’s required to prevent deficiency may provide extra health benefits.