During a recent annual visit to my Internist, I was not so pleasantly surprised with the results of my routine blood work. My vitamin B12 was  234 - the range is 243-894. My doctor signed me up for a series of B12 injections done once a week for six weeks. I'm proud to say that now my vitamin B12 level is 814! I did some research on how this could have dropped so low; #1 I'm a vegetarian of 24 years, #2 As we age, our body's ability to absorb vitamin B12 from food slows. Reports say that 4 out of every 100 women ages 40 to 59 are B12 deficient, and many more are borderline.

B12 is an essential vitamin for optimal functioning of our brain. The signs of vitamin B12 deficiency include exhaustion, rapid heartbeat, brain fog, and other symptoms, The risks of prolonged deficiency range from Pernicious Anemia to Nerve Damage and much more.  If your vitamin B12 is deficient you can either have injections or take a daily vitamins that will have you back to your old self in a couple of weeks. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins that accumulate in your body and can have side effects in excess, B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning your body only absorbs a small amount and the rest is excreted through urine. 

If you need more reasons to increase your B12, here are they are:  

• Forming red blood cells

• DNA/RNA synthesis

• Protects cardiovascular health

• Facilitating metabolic conversion of protein and fats

• Carrying out neurotransmitter functions

• Helping with production of hormones

• Helping convert amino acids and make creatine

• Producing myelin sheath (the coating of nerves)

• Helping with synthesis of hemoglobin

• Playing a role in fetal development during pregnancy

For more information read this from Time Magazine 

http://time.com/4339124/b12-for-vitamin-deficiency