Naturopathic Labs B-12 Methylcobalamin Liquid 1000mcg (Berry Flavour) - 60 + 15ml FREE

THE IMPORTANCE OF VITAMIN B-12

B12 is a water-soluble B vitamin. Deficiencies of B12 may not be seen for several years because the body can store up to 5 years worth of this vitamin. There are several forms of B12 including cyanocobalamin and methylcobalamin. B12 is required in areas where there is high cell turnover, for example the gastrointestinal tract, bone marrow and nervous system. Thus B12 has been used for the treatment of neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis and depression. B12 regulates blood cell production, with folic acid. Lack of B12 leads to types of anemia where the red blood cells look too large, macrocytic, under the microscope. Supplementing sublingually with B12 reverses this type of anemia. B12 is required for digestion, fertility and the normal growth and development of all cells. It enhances learning and memory, and normalizes sleep patterns.

B12 is depleted by sedatives, estrogen, oral contraceptives and alcohol. Anti-gout medication, anti-coagulants and potassium supplements block the absorption of B12. Vegetarians that do not consume eggs or dairy products require B12 supplementation. Diets high in protein require more B12 intake.

What Are B Vitamins?

B vitamins are a complex of water-soluble vitamins. They are called "B Complex" because you do not find any one of them in a specific food or living tissue without the others being present. B vitamins complement each other. They are responsible mainly for the health and maintenance of nerves, eyes, digestion and skin, as well as the processing of carbohydrates, fat and protein, growth, the production of hormones and digestive enzymes, prevention of anaemia, maintenance of the sex glands, sebaceous glands and bone marrow.

Because of their solubility they cannot be stored in the body, so whatever is not utilized is rapidly excreted. However, a certain balance is advisable making a B Complex supplement ideal rather than taking large amounts of just one or two B vitamins. The B-complex vitamins are a group of similarly structured compounds, which is why they are referred to as a "Complex" vitamin. This complex of vitamins consists of B1 (thiamine HCL), B2 (riboflavin 5-phosphate and riboflavin HCL), B3 flush free (inositol hexanicotinate) and Niacinamide, B5 (D-pantothenic acid, calcium), B6 (pyridoxal 5-phosphate and pyridoxine HCL) and, B7 (biotin), B12 (cyanocobalamine), and folic acid.

Why Do I Need B Vitamins?

The Nutrition Almanac states that B vitamins "may be the single most important factor for maintenance of the nerves."B vitamins are essential for healthy skin, hair, eyes, mouth and liver. Water-soluble B vitamins are not stored in the body and must be replenished daily. Natural Factors Stress B tablets are nutritional insurance to fortify your daily diet with important vitamins and coenzymes.

Stress & Lifestyle Connection

Stress is usually thought of as a negative factor in our daily lives but it is necessary part of life. Without stress life becomes boring. The key to stress, as with everything else in life, is balance. Enough to keep you interested but not enough to become overwhelmed. Individuals have different thresholds for stress. What is seen as stressful to one person may not be stressful to another.

The result of constant stress can be tense muscles, headaches, stomach cramps, teeth grinding, decreased immunity, exhaustion and insomnia. Emotionally stress can lead to memory problems, depression, emotional outbursts and panic attacks. It is believed that constant stress is a factor in the development of many chronic diseases.

We often ignore the first signs of stress, such as headaches and insomnia, and use medication to stop the symptoms. We use stimulants, like caffeine, to allow ourselves to keep working when the body is trying to tell us to slow down. The masking of stress symptoms eventually causes the body to breakdown. The standard North American diet is deficient in vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. It is high in saturated fat, refined carbohydrates and chemical additives and preservatives. These substances not only do not give your body usable energy, but they also inhibit the use of good quality food by depleting enzymes and hormones necessary for energy conversion. The body must also deal with the toxic by-products of foods like bleached flour and sugar, artificial sweeteners and flavours and trans-fatty acids. All of these stressors compromise the health of an individual.

Irregular sleeping and eating patterns make one susceptible to stress related illness. Sleep is an essential component of our body's repair mechanisms. During sleep the body is in an anabolic, or building, state. It has time to regenerate cells and replenish hormones, enzymes and neurotransmitters. Insomnia prevents the repair of normal damage from the body's daily activity. The brain also requires sleep in order to process information that is learned throughout the day.

Irregular eating patterns stress the body by not providing nutrients at regular intervals. When the body is lacking nutrients it compromises the body's functioning. When an individual finally does eat the body rushes to use the nutrients and store whatever it does not need, in anticipation that the next meal may not come for a while

Lack of exercise contributes to stress by compromising the circulation of all molecules around the body, including food particles, oxygen and hormones. Circulation is also responsible for flushing waste products out of the cells and taking them to the appropriate organs for processing and excretion. The venous system contains no values so blood flow back to the heart is dependent on movement of the surrounding musculature. Exercise also removes tension from muscles and offers an outlet for unexpressed emotions.

Anemia

Anemia refers to a group of common blood disorders. It results in the decreased ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen. This manifests as symptoms of fatigue, exhaustion after small amounts of activity, headaches, constipation, loss of appetite, coldness of the extremities, dizziness, sore mouth and increased susceptibility to colds and flus.

There are several types of anemia. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common. It can be caused by large blood losses, small but recurrent blood loss (excess menstrual bleeding or ulcers), hypothyroidism, or long-term illnesse. Megaloblastic anemia is due to a deficiency of B12 and possibly folic acid. Restlessness, numbness and skin cracks on the sides of the mouth are signs of this type of anemia. Liver disease, Crohn's and celiac disease can cause it.Pernicious anemia is also due to a deficiency of B12. This time it occurs because of lack of the ability to absorb B12 in the stomach.