2023-09-18 10:18:49
With the summer end September arrives, and with it autumn and orange season. This is one of the fruits that has the most properties, with the beneficial effects that this entails for health, and although it is commonly associated with vitamin Cthe truth is that it can also provide another much-needed vitamin.
It’s about the vitamina B12a vitamin that helps the formation of red blood cells, promotes the nervous system, increases mood and energy, improves the immune system, combats fatigue and tiredness, facilitates the absorption of iron, delays the progression of associated macular degeneration As we age, it helps in the production of melatonin and promotes digestion, among other benefits.
With everything, the oranges, due to their contribution of fiber, potassium, vitamin C and choline, help take care of the heart and reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases; They help prevent inflammation due to their anti-inflammatory properties; They help regulate blood pressure due to their magnesium content and strengthen bones and teeth due to their calcium content, among others.
How much vitamin B12 do we need?
The recommended amount for one person It will depend on your age. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for adults, an average daily amount of 2.4 micrograms.
Although fruits are rich in B vitamins, vitamin B12 is mainly present in foods of animal origin, also in dairy products and egg yolk, for example. However, foods of plant origin do not contain this vitamin naturally in sufficient quantities on their own, that is, if they do contain it, it is usually in an inactive form. Unless it is fortified foods, that is, to which this vitamin has been added. In this sense, some blogs and specialized stores claim that, although not naturally, as we mentioned, a simple orange juice can provide the recommended amount of vitamin B12.
Both the abuse and the deficiency of this vitamin brings health consequences, such as dizziness, headache, anxiety and nausea, or a decrease in cognitive function, increased risk of dementia, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, anemia, damage to the nervous system and depression, respectively.
That is why it is always recommended follow a varied and balanced diet to avoid excess or lack of specific nutrients that may be essential for health.
Why is it so important in the elderly?
In the case of older people, this vitamin is even more important, since from the age of 50, and as age increases, the capacity to use nutrients decreaseswhich implies greater difficulty in having good levels of this vitamin.
In this sense, the NIH indicates that “between 3% and 43% of older adults have vitamin B12 deficiency“, either because they do not consume enough or have difficulty absorbing it.
“Many older adults do not produce enough hydrochloric acid in the stomach to absorb the vitamin B12 found naturally in food,” they explain. For this reason, sometimes this age group “should consume most of the vitamin B12 in fortified foods or dietary supplements because, in most cases, your body can absorb vitamin B12 from these sources.”
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