The Merits Of Vitamin B-12 Supplementation In A Vegetarian Diet
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It's something we read or hear about all the time: people, in general, do not eat healthy. The average diet contains too much saturated fat and simple carbohydrates, elements that can lead to heart disease, obesity and other serious conditions. While not all people who follow a vegetarian diet do so for health reasons, such a diet is beneficial to the health.
Vegetarians can be classified into four classes. A lacto vegetarian subsists on fruits, vegetables and dairy but refrains from eating any form of meat. A lacto-ovo vegetarian would restrict dairy consumption to eggs, but other than that, the diet is just about the same as that of a lacto vegetarian. There is an increasing number of fruitarians, meaning people who eat fruits (but not vegetables or meat) and a smattering of nuts and seeds. No vegetarian diet is stricter than the vegan diet - vegans are not allowed to consume dairy (including eggs) or meat products.
Vegetarians may be generally healthier than those on other diets, but that doesn't mean they are free of risks, not the least a potential deficiency of vitamins. People who are on vegetarian diets may or may not have sufficient nutrients required for the body to function like it normally should. B-12 is conspicuously absent in the majority of vegetarian diets. Vitamin B-12 is an essential key in producing red blood cells and strengthening the body's central nervous system, and can be found in meat, dairy, eggs and poultry alike. The common symptoms of B-12 deficiency include dementia, fatigue, hallucinations, balance problems, and vision disturbances.
For those who have been vegetarian since they were of a young age, the risks of B-12 deficiency are even greater. There is a five-year window, however, for vegetarians who took up the diet later in life, as their symptoms will not immediately show themselves due to B-12's capability to be reabsorbed. It is a good idea to prevent deficiency from occurring because it is relatively difficult to reverse the effects of vitamin B-12 deficiency.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency can also result in increased levels of homocysteine in the body. The good news is that homocysteine is an antioxidant, but the bad news is that too much of it is can lead to detrimental results. About one fifths of people with heart disease have a high amount of homocysteine in their systems.
Most doctors recommend a 10 microgram dosage of vitamin B-12. If the vegetarian lifestyle is your way of life, then get your blood checked for deficiency as soon as possible. And if it so happens you have a B-12 deficiency, you should ask your doctor for the recommended dosage of B-12 to cover the deficiency.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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