Vitamin B12
Important for the immune system and fitness
Vitamin B12 is just as important in endurance sports as it is for the immune system in general 1 . That's why top athletes specifically resort to it. But what is vitamin B12 and why is it particularly important for you as an athlete? Here you will find answers to your questions and find out how to incorporate it into your diet.
Vitamin B12 ensures that certain vital things happen in your body. It is more than just a single vitamin. In fact, it is a whole group of chemical compounds – the so-called cobalamins . They are called that because the element cobalt forms their basis. What’s special about cobalamins? Only microorganisms can produce them. These are, for example, E.Coli or propionibacteria.
What is vitamin B12 and how is it formed?
Imagine a cow eating grass. Cobalamin-producing bacteria live on the grass. These microorganisms enter the cow's body via its digestive tract - and thus also into its milk or meat. This information is important for you because neither plants, animals nor humans can produce vitamin B12. We humans have to absorb it through food, more precisely in the form of animal products. Alternatively or in addition, you can also take synthetically produced vitamin B12 - information that is particularly important for you if you follow a vegan diet or want to achieve full performance during sports. But more on that later.
Vitamin B12: What exactly does it do?
In short , cobalamins perform some very important functions in your body .
Vitamin B12 …
- controls many different processes that are essential for survival, such as cell division, energy metabolism or blood formation 4 .
- Affects Psyche 2 and Memory 3 – and therefore also how well you can remember content while learning .
B vitamins play a particularly important role in supporting your immune system 1 . They help your body recognize bacteria, viruses and other potentially pathogenic substances. In this way they protect him from so-called oxidative stress. To put it simply: They protect you from an imbalance in your body that occurs when central metabolic processes are interrupted.
Special functional foods such as the Dextro Energy* Immunfit° cube and the ImmunFit° direct stick contain, among other things, vitamin B12, B6, C and other important ingredients that contribute to the normal function of the immune system. The dextrose contained in the cube goes directly into the blood as a quickly available carbohydrate source. However, if you like it without added sugar, you can use the direct stick.
Vitamin B12 for athletes: That's why the active ingredient is important for you
Even if you exercise regularly, it is important that you provide your body with enough vitamin B12. The reason: The vitamin ensures that red blood cells are formed 4 . If these are missing, it is also referred to as anemia. Red blood cells transport oxygen to your organs and muscles. If your body is not supplied with enough oxygen, you will notice it clearly during training - you will quickly become tired, exhausted and feel weak. Not good conditions for top performance.
Vitamin B12 daily requirement: How much vitamin B12 per day is useful?
Experts recommend: Adults and young people aged 15 and over should consume around four micrograms of the vitamin per day . If you are pregnant, your daily requirement increases to up to 4.5 micrograms. In this case, it is best to discuss with your gynecologist how much vitamin B12 is right for you.
Which foods contain vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is present in varying amounts in meat, fish and seafood, but also in dairy products.
Meat that contains a lot of vitamin B12
At 60 to 70 micrograms per 100 grams, the vitamin B12 content is highest in beef and veal liver. But the vitamin is also present in different amounts in other types of meat. Two things are particularly important when preparing:
- Firstly, do not fry the meat for too long or too hot.
- Second, prepare it as quickly as possible.
The reason: The longer you store the food and the hotter you fry it, the lower its vitamin B12 content. Therefore, prepare foods containing vitamin B12 as quickly and gently as possible .
|
Groceries |
Vitamin B12 content in micrograms per 100 grams (Source: USDA ) |
|
Pork liver |
18.7 |
|
Beef kidney |
32 |
|
Lamb shank |
3.6 |
|
Beef, cooked |
4.5 |
|
Ground beef |
2.1 |
Vitamin B12 content in fish and seafood
If you prefer to eat fish or seafood, it's best to choose these varieties - they are rich in vitamin B12.|
Groceries |
Vitamin B12 content in micrograms per 100 grams (Source: USDA ) |
|
mussels |
8th |
|
Trout |
4.3 |
|
Salmon, cooked |
2.8 |
|
Atlantic salmon, raw |
3.2 |
Dairy products high in vitamin B12
Even though the vitamin B12 content is highest in meat, you can also consume the important vitamin in the form of dairy products . Emmental cheese in particular performs well with its high vitamin B12 content.
|
Groceries |
Vitamin B12 content in micrograms per 100 grams (Source: USDA ) |
|
Emmental |
2.2 to 3.1 |
|
Camembert |
1.3 |
|
Quark |
0.9 |
|
Mozzarella |
0.9 |
|
Cow's milk |
0.5 |
In short: A balanced diet that contains a lot of animal protein ensures that you get enough vitamin B12. A protein-rich diet is particularly important for fitness athletes.
Vitamin B12 deficiency – the causes
If your vitamin B12 stores are empty or if you consume less than the daily amount of vitamin B12 recommended by experts over a long period of time, you may notice this clearly. The deficiency can lead, for example, to anemia - and thus to paleness and weakness - as well as tingling in the arms and legs and confusion .
Vitamin B12 is contained in numerous foods. This way you can naturally strengthen your immune system.
@Tatjana Baibakova/Shutterstock
Why does it take time for deficiency symptoms to appear? It's simple: Your body stores vitamin B12 primarily in your liver, but also in your kidneys, spleen, brain, tissue and muscles - for years. So that you get enough of the vitamin, it is important that you know all the risk factors that can contribute to a vitamin B12 deficiency. We'll give you an overview.
Vitamin B12 deficiency due to a purely plant-based diet
Do you eat a vegan diet, i.e. completely without animal products? Then we have bad news for you. Vitamin B12 cannot be absorbed in sufficient quantities through a purely plant-based diet, free of animal products. This is also confirmed by the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) .
The experts emphasize that certain plant-based foods can also contain vitamin B12. These include types of mushrooms such as shiitake, nori seaweed - you probably know them from sushi - or sauerkraut. But exactly how much of the vital vitamin they contain varies greatly. For this reason and so that you can be sure that you are really supplying your body with sufficient amounts of vitamin B12, experts advise: Supplement your diet with foods and special immune-supporting products that contain vitamin B12.
Stress as a reason for too little vitamin B12 in the blood
In addition to a purely plant-based diet , isolated studies also suggest a possible connection between ongoing stress and a vitamin B12 deficiency. However, if you only have short-term stress, there is no risk.
Short-term stressful situations are, for example, exam phases. Are you currently doing your Abitur in homeschooling or are you studying and in the middle of preparing for exams? Then dextrose contributes to a rapid supply of carbohydrates to your body.
Vitamin B12 deficiency: Other causes
Prolonged physical overload can also mean that your body doesn't have enough of the vital vitamin available. This is because your brain releases stress hormones in stressful situations - more precisely, these are neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine , which ensure that there is poorer blood flow to your small intestine. This can lead to your body not receiving enough important vitamins.
Regardless of whether you are a fitness athlete who wants to specifically train your muscles or at the start of the outdoor season you want to train your endurance, for example by racing cycling, running or swimming: It is particularly important for you as an athlete that you do not regularly exercise your strength train beyond your personal limits. We'll show you how to find a healthy exercise routine that suits your personal fitness level .
However, the fact that you should pay attention to your limits does not mean that you cannot test them. On the contrary: regular, intensive exercise ensures that your body adapts to demanding training and overcomes ever greater challenges in sport over time. If you want to persevere while running, cycling or triathlon and achieve your goals in crucial moments, functional foods for endurance athletes can support you. Special gels provide you with quickly available carbohydrates .
In addition, you balance your fluid levels with isotonic and hypotonic drinks. They also provide you with carbohydrates and valuable minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium . Exactly in the phases of your training when you need new nutrients and electrolytes. The combination of ingredients in the isotonic drinks helps maintain endurance performance during prolonged training.
Bars that contain a mix of carbohydrates and proteins also help maintain and build your muscles. They fill your glycogen stores and supply proteins to the body. In addition, they may contain magnesium, which contributes to normal energy metabolism.
This happens when you consume too much vitamin B12
Now you are probably wondering whether a vitamin B12 overdose can occur. Don't worry: there is virtually no such thing as "too much" of the active ingredient (unless you suffer from certain serious illnesses ). The reason: Your intestinal wall does not absorb amounts that your body does not need into the blood or lymphatic system. In addition, your body excretes unneeded vitamin B12 through the kidneys.
Ready for the outdoor season thanks to vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is important not only for the immune system, but also for oxygen supply during endurance sports. When racing cycling, running or preparing for the next triathlon, you can ensure that you can give your all with an optimal supply of vitamin B12. This is how summer can come!
*contains carbohydrates
°Vitamin B6, B12, C and folic acid each contribute to the normal function of the immune system.
A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.
1 Vitamin B12 contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system
2 Vitamin B12 contributes to normal psychological function
3 Vitamin B12 contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system
4 Vitamin B12 contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells
SOURCES
Bor, MV, Castel-Roberts, KM v., Kauwell, GP, et al. (2010). Daily intake of 4 to 7 μg dietary vitamin B-12 is associated with steady concentrations of vitamin B-12-related biomarkers in a healthy young population. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 91(3), 571 – 577. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2009.28082
Rizzo, G., Laganà, AS, et al. (2016). Vitamin B12 among Vegetarians: Status, Assessment and Supplementation. Nutrients, 767(8), 1 – 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8120767
European Food Safety Authority (2006). Tolerable upper intake levels for vitamins and minerals. Retrieved April 26, 2021, from https://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/efsa_rep/blobserver_assets/ndatolerableuil.pdf
Tiemeier, H., Tuijl, v. R.v., et al. (2002). Vitamin B12, Folate, and Homocysteine in Depression: The Rotterdam Study. Retrieved April 27, 2021, from https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.159.12.2099
