Vitamin B12 for Kids: Everything You Need to Know
We all understand the importance of vitamins for development and growth, and mostly, we are concerned about consuming them or deciding their intake. Vitamins are organic molecules necessary for most of the body functions and their equilibrium. There is a wide range of vitamins that differ in structure and function. The body can synthesize some, and some should be consumed with the food for efficient and appropriate usage. It can be a little challenging to figure out which vitamins should be ingested and which are naturally produced in the body. The subject gets even more sensitive when it's related to your child. Children's bodies require special attention as they are in the climax of development and growth, so you would want to make sure that they are supplied with all the nutrients and vitamins they need. This is a little tricky as the ingestion of excessive amounts of vitamins can be toxic. Generally, water-soluble vitamins are not toxic, while lipid-soluble ones can be. It's a general rule, but some exceptions can be present. Therefore, we will discuss all the aspects of Vitamin B12 for kids: from its requirements to its sources and its importance in children's bodies.
Functions of Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 participates in so many reactions in your child's body and regulates several systems. Firstly, vitamin B12 is essential for forming health, functioning, and normal red blood cells. Therefore when a kid has Vitamin B12 deficiency, he can develop serious blood complications. This is known as megaloblastic anaemia. Anaemia is defined as a lack of red blood cells or haemoglobin, which means that oxygen might not properly be transferred to the cells leading to signs of fatigue and weakness. This type of anaemia involves abnormal, enormous erythrocytes that are not functional as units of the blood.
Moreover, vitamin B12 is vital for your child's nervous system. It ensures the formation of sheaths around the neurons, thus allowing fast and efficient transmission of messages. This is essential, especially for a young kid's brain and nerves. It will enable your kid's mental abilities to increase and be more active, as well as improving your child's overall concentration. Another function of B12, which is a little more complicated and detailed, is its participation in DNA synthesis. Vitamin B12 ensures the chromosome's stability and normal formation.
Additionally, vitamin B12 is important for bone health and its growth. As everyone knows, children's bones can be fragile as they are in the process of developing and growing, so you would want to make sure that your child takes an adequate amount of Vitamin B12 as it prevents osteoporosis. Osteoporosis means the formation of pores in certain parts of the bone, making it fragile and weak. These are the general and most important functions of vitamin B12 which highly interferes with the body's performance.
Sources of Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12, also known as Cobalamin, is a vitamin that the body cannot synthesize. Therefore it is important to consume it in the diet or even as supplements. If you want to supply your kid with a natural source of vitamin B12, you might want to include it in his diet. A lack of vitamin B12 can develop in some vegetarian or vegan children as Vitamin B12 can be found in all animal-derived foods, mostly proteins. You can supply your kid's meal with beef, liver, eggs, or milk.
Moreover, you can also include some fish in his diet, supplying him with adequate amounts of vitamin B12. Besides, you can also use some supplements containing vitamin B12. But when you need to get the supplements, you need to make sure that your child consumes moderate doses as the excess of some vitamins can be toxic. Luckily, vitamin B12, just like other water-soluble vitamins, is non-toxic. It can be excreted from the body by urine if presented in large amounts. This means that you wouldn't have to worry too much about its side effects. If you are looking for vitamin B12 for kids, Viridian Hi-Potency Vitamin B12 can be the answer. This amazing supplement provides the active form of Vitamin B12, as methyl and adenosylcobalamin and contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It might sound like any other vitamin supplement, but this product is exceptional as it is vegan. This is very important since it is almost impossible for vegans to obtain vitamin B12 from their diet, as vitamin B12 is present in very low amounts in plant-derived foods. So, this supplement will provide vitamin B12 for kids, especially vegan ones.
How Can You Detect Vitamin B12 deficiency in your child?
Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms can be mild or can reach severe conditions. These symptoms include fatigue, depression, irritability as well as anorexia. Sometimes you can also notice a sore and red tongue and some mouth ulcers, and disturbed vision. These symptoms are primarily due to the development of megaloblastic anaemia. If you observe these symptoms in your child, you might want to contact a doctor and ask for a medical opinion. Fortunately, this condition can be treated by direct intake of active vitamin B12. This could be through some injections or pill ingestion. This issue should be resolved in a few days and will not permanently impact the health of your child. Moreover, vitamin B12 is closely related to another B-complex vitamin known as folic acid, these two depend on each other, and vitamin B12 deficiency can cause vitamin B9 problems. Thus you should never forget the importance of vitamin B12 for your child's body and its abilities.
After all, vitamins, in general, are important factors that affect the body's functions and homeostasis as they participate in many body reactions. The B-complex vitamins are essential for several metabolic reactions that promote your child's growth as well as the development of his brain and neurons. Having adequate vitamin B12 will provide the basic stepping stones for your kid's normal and healthy lifestyle.