What is vitamin b12 used for hair growth benefits for skin

What is vitamin b12 used for? Hair growth, benefits for skin 

What is vitamin b12?

Vitamin B12 is a very important water-soluble vitamin that plays a critical role in most of the body processes, it's also known as cobalamin.  Vitamin B12, B6, B1 and B9 (Folate) have contributed to red blood cell formation and helps create DNA.  

As methylcobalamin, it is a cofactor for methionine synthetase in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, and as adenosylcobalamin tor the conversion of methylmalonylcoenzyme A (CoA) to succinyl-CoA. 

During DNA synthesis, such enzymatic steps are essential for annealing Okazaki fragments, particularly in erythroid progenitor cells. Vitamin B12 accumulates in the liver.

Vitamin B12 Differential Diagnosis

Deficiency of vitamin B12 should be distinguished from deficiency of folic acid, the other prevalent cause of megaloblastic anaemia, where folic acid in the red blood cells is low while normal levels of vitamin B12 are sufficient. 

The symptoms in bone marrow or lack of vitamin B12 are often mistaken for myelodysplastic syndrome or even acute erythrocytic leukemia. 

The differentiation between deficiency of vitamin B12 and myelodysplasia is based on the distinctive morphology and lower levels of vitamin B12 and increased levels of methylmalonic acid.

Vitamin B 12 rich foods

Vitamin B,12 comes from the diet and is found in all animal-based foods. Since vitamin B12 is found in foods of animal origin, the deficiency of dietary vitamin B12 is rare but is seen in vegetarians, strict vegetarians who skip all dairy products, as well as meat and fish. The following are foods containing vitamin B12,

• Meat 

• Fish  

• Poultry 

• Eggs 

• Milk and milk products  

• Fortified cereals & grains 

• Fortified with vitamin B12, coconut, soy and almond milk 

Vitamin B12 absorption 

The everyday absorption of vitamin B12 is 5 mcg. The liver consists of 2-5 mg of saved vitamin B12. Since every day utilization is 3-5 mcg, the physique generally has enough stores of vitamin B12, so it takes more than 3 years for vitamin B12 deficiency to appear if all consumption or absorption immediately ceases.  

8Pernicious anaemia is an autoimmune disease in which autoantibodies kill parietal gastric cells and cause atrophic gastritis, or bind to and neutralize the intrinsic factor, or both.

The site of intrinsic factor development will be removed by gastrectomy; blind loop syndrome will induce vitamin B12 rivalry by bacterial overgrowth in the lumen of the intestine and surgical resection.

The ileum will remove the site of absorption of vitamin B12. Rare reasons for vitamin B12 deficiency cause infection of fish intestinal worms.

Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms 

You could never neglect the signs of vitamin B12 deficiency. Lack of vitamin B12 causes mild to extreme slow-onset anaemia; patients can experience few signs due to the extent in anaemia. 

Anaemia can be extreme in advanced cases, with hematocrits as low as 10-15% and can be followed by leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Some signs and symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are severe and some are mild like,

• Pale  or jaundiced skin 

• Blurred vision 

• High-grade fever 

• Sleeping difficulties 

• Fatigue  and weakness 

• Glossitis  

• Increased heartbeat  

• Mood swings 

• Tingling sensation 

• Breathlessness  

• Diarrhoea 

• Memory impairment  

• Nerve pain 

Typically, peripheral nerves are first affected, and patients first complain of paresthesia. Patients complain of trouble with balance or proprioception, or both when the posterior columns of the spinal cord become affected. 

Cerebral control can also be affected in more advanced stages, and dementia and other neuropsychiatric complications can also be present.

Vitamin B12 lab findings

Vitamin B12 deficiency is diagnosed by finding a reduced level of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) in the serum. While average vitamin B12 levels are > 210 pg / mL (> 155 pmol / L), most patients with clear vitamin B12 deficiency have serum levels < 170 pg / mL (< 126 pmol / L), while symptomatic patients usually have serum levels < 100 pg / mL (< 74 pmol).

 The diagnosis of vitamin B12  deficiency in low or low normal values (170-210 pg / mL [126-155 pmol / L]) is better verified by finding elevated serum levels. Elevated serum methylmalonic acid levels, however, may be due to kidney disease.

Usually, vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia is mild to the extreme, with the MCV very high (110-140 fL). However, vitamin B12 deficiency with a typical MCV is likely. 

The standard MCV can rarely be clarified by co-existing thalassemia or iron deficiency, but the cause is unclear in other instances. 

Despite usual MCV or the lack of anaemia, patients with neurological problems and signs indicating a vitamin B12 deficiency should be assessed for that deficiency.

The reticulocyte count is reduced. Since all hematopoietic cell lines can be impaired by vitamin B12 deficiency, the white blood cell count and platelet count are decreased in extreme cases.

Some laboratory anomalies include elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LD) and a slight increase in specific bilirubin. These two findings are a reflection of intramedullary destruction of developing abnormal erythroid cells and are similar to those observed in peripheral hemolytic anaemias. 

Bone marrow morphology is characteristically abnormal. As a response to deficient red blood cell development (ineffective erythropoiesis), marked erythroid hyperplasia is present.

In the erythroid cycle, megaloblastic modifications involve abnormally larger cell size and asynchronous nucleus and cytoplasm maturation, i.e., cytoplasmic maturation occurs though disabled.  

DNA synthesis causes retarded nuclear development. In the myeloid series, giant bands and meta-myelocytes are characteristically seen. 

Benefits of vitamin B12 hair growth 

Perhaps the main contribution B12 provides to the body is its role in the metabolism of cells. This activity of cobalamin, also inside the hair follicle, exists throughout the body and is essential for the proper functioning of cells. 

Vitamin B12 is not taken seriously by some individuals. As a result, hair like the entire body is badly affected. If diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency in time, it can save you from a lot of complications, including hair loss.

Eat a diet high in B12, which will keep your hair strong, thick and shiny. If vitamin B12 deficiency can't be eliminated through diet, you can also take supplements after consulting a doctor.

Vitamin B12 benefits for skin 

If you are B12 deficient, means your metabolism and cells reproduction is not working properly, which has a direct effect on your skin. 

Vitamin B12 makes the skin pink and beautiful, In addition, the skin looks younger and it reduces the risk of wrinkles. If the skin is turning yellow or if it is dull, In this case, the dermatologist first tests for vitamin B12 deficiency. After a thorough diagnosis, the dermatologist prescribes pills or injections. 

Vitamin B12 deficiency treatment 

The parenteral treatment has traditionally been offered to patients with vitamin B12 deficiency. For each dosage, intramuscular or subcutaneous vitamin B12 injections of 100 mcg are sufficient.

 Substitution is typically given on a regular basis for the first week, on a weekly basis for the first month, and on a monthly basis for life. If patients discontinue their treatment, vitamin deficiencies will recur. 

Instead of parenteral treatment, oral or sublingual methylcobalamin (1 mg / d) can be used after initial deficiency correction has occurred. 

Oral or sublingual replacement is successful even in pernicious anaemia since, in the absence of active transport, approximately 1% of the dose is absorbed into the intestine by passive diffusion.

It needs to be continued indefinitely, and serum levels of vitamin B12 have to be tracked to ensure sufficient replacement. Long-term parenteral vitamin B12 treatment is prudent for patients with neurological problems caused by B12 deficiency. 

Because several patients are folic acid deficient at the same time due to intestinal mucosal disturbance, simultaneous supplementation of folic acid (1 mg daily) is suggested during the first three months after vitamin B12 supplementation. With an instant change in their sense of well-being, patients respond to therapy. 

Hypokalemia, especially if the anaemia is severe, can worsen the first few days of therapy. In 5-7 days, rapid reticulocytosis happens, and in 2 months, the hematologic image normalizes.

Symptoms and signs of the central nervous system are manageable if they are comparatively limited in length (< < 6 months), but more likely to be lasting if they are longer in the period.

Despite the seriousness of anaemia, red blood cell transfusions are rarely required, although diuretics are often prescribed to prevent heart failure when administered since this anaemia has progressed steadily and the amount of plasma is elevated.

Never take vitamin B12 deficiency medication on your own without a doctor's advice.

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