Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is an essential water-soluble vitamin that plays a number of diverse roles throughout your body’s internal systems. It assists in the creation of both DNA and red blood cells while also providing energy to other cells and maintaining the health of your brain and nervous system. According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended daily amount of vitamin B12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms, and, though B12 deficiency is uncommon in the United States, it can cause adverse side effects such as anemia, mood disruption, and fatigue (1).

You can gain vitamin B12 naturally through your diet when you eat animal products, such as beef, poultry, seafood, and dairy products. However, for vegans, vegetarians, and anyone else who prefers not to eat animal products, vitamin B12 may be slightly harder to come by naturally. If you feel that you or your loved ones are not regularly consuming enough of this important nutrient, then you may want to consider adding a multivitamin or B12 supplement to your routine.

In this article, we will discuss 3 key B12 liquid drops benefits that you may expect to see when taking vitamin B12 regularly: increased energy, better moods, and a reduction in overall health risks.

1. More Energy

As we mentioned, vitamin B12 provides assistance to a variety of cells throughout your body. One of the most notable benefits of this important nutrient comes as a direct result of this assistance: energy boosts. Cells require fuel in order to function properly and carry out their duties in the body. Vitamin B12 helps them obtain the fuel they need by breaking down the food you eat, converting it into the glucose that powers your cells (2). In this way, B12 can increase your metabolic function, which gives you a spike of energy when you need it. In fact, the energy boost from a vitamin B12 supplement can even be used to replace your usual cup of coffee. It may be a healthier alternative for those who are looking to cut out caffeine or unnecessary sugars.

2. Better Mood

Vitamin B12 plays an integral part in the upkeep of your brain and nervous system, helping maintain the health of brain cells and produce important hormones like serotonin. These hormones, known as neurotransmitters, are responsible for regulating your mood, with serotonin being notably referred to as “the happiness hormone” thanks to its ability to stabilize your emotions. Low levels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters have been linked with B12 deficiency, meaning that those who do not regularly consume enough vitamin B12 may be at an increased risk for depression and other mood-related mental illnesses.

In some cases, vitamin B12 may be recommended alongside an antidepressant for the treatment of depression. One study found that individuals who utilized both B12 and an antidepressant were more likely to show improvement in depressive symptoms than those who took only an antidepressant (3). However, though it may help to boost your mood and reduce symptoms of depression, vitamin B12 on its own should not be used as a treatment, and you should consult your physician if you are experiencing mood-related issues.

3. Reduce Health Risks

Just as vitamin B12 helps break down food into glucose, it also is responsible for breaking down another much less desirable substance in your body: homocysteine. Homocysteine is an amino acid found in the blood that is mainly obtained by eating meat. High levels of homocysteine have been linked with an increased risk of several serious health conditions, such as dementia, heart disease, stroke, and macular degeneration. Supplementing with vitamin B12, as well as other B complex vitamins like B6 and B9 which also break down homocysteine, may lower the amount of homocysteine in your bloodstream, thus reducing your risk of developing conditions associated with it.

Vitamin B12 is also essential for a healthy pregnancy. The link between B12 and a healthy brain begins early on, with this nutrient playing an important role in the development of both the brain and nervous system during pregnancy. Maintaining healthy levels of vitamin B12 throughout pregnancy may help decrease the risk of neural tube birth defects, including spina bifida (4). The recommended daily amount of vitamin B12 during pregnancy is slightly higher at about 2.6 micrograms. If you are worried about not consuming enough B12 throughout your pregnancy, be sure to consult with your doctor before starting a supplement, as they can provide you with the best prenatal vitamins to match your needs.

Resources

1. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Vitamin B-12.” Mayo Clinic, 17 July 2021, https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-b12/art-20363663.
2. Morris, Susan York. “Vitamins for Energy: Does B-12 Work?” healthline, 17 September 2018, https://www.healthline.com/health/b12-vitamins-for-energy.
3. Syed, Ehsan Ullah et al. “Vitamin B12 Supplementation in Treating Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” The Open Neurology Journal, 15 November 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3856388.
4. “Roles of Vitamin B in Pregnancy.” American Pregnancy Association, 2021, https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/pregnancy-health-wellness/vitamin-b-pregnancy.