The relationship between vitamin B12 and concentration

Eat more fish, which is good for the brain. This is certainly not the first time you have heard this advice. Among other important nutrients, vitamin B12

in particular enjoys the reputation of keeping the grey cells fit. Is there anything wrong with it or does the diet tip turn out to be a myth? Whether and how vitamin B12 helps your concentration, you can find out here.

Vitamin B12 is actually a whole group of chemical compounds, the so-called vitamin B12 group. Each compound represents a different form of vitamin B12 and has different properties.

What B12 connections do you need?

Experts usually advise on the bioactive and natural forms of vitamin B12. These are:

• Methylcobalamin
• Adenosylcobalamin
• And hydroxocobalamin

We generally take B12 on the diet. Meat and fish in particular are at the top of the list of foods with the highest vitamin B12 content.

If you are vegan, however, the B12 supply looks bleak: according to the current research, plant-based foods contain too little vitamin B12 for human consumption.

Do you live without meat or are you suffering from a disease that reduces the absorption of vitamins? Don’t worry. This deficiency can usually be easily compensated by dietary supplements.

In the body, by the way, the vitamin is important for many processes. These include, for example, blood formation, cell division and the function of the nervous system.

Does B12 therefore also have an influence on brain performance? Let’s take a closer look at that.

Does vitamin B12 help your concentration?

The fact is, you need vitamin B12 for your body to function properly.

Although our organism is very good at storing the vitamin, there may be a deficiency. You are particularly at risk if meat is not on your diet.

Another fact is that decreasing brain power, fatigue and lack of concentration may indicate a lack of vitamin B12.

So if you don’t have enough vitamin B12 in your body, it can also affect your concentration. Especially in the elderly, a deficiency can even accelerate mental breakdown. Other neurological disorders are also possible.

But it is not only the elderly that are at risk. For example, a 2008 national dietary study found that a comparatively large number of women are undersupplied with vitamin B12.

But how exactly do you now recognize a vitamin B12 deficiency?

How to recognize a vitamin B12 deficiency

If you think you are suffering from a vitamin B12 deficiency, your doctor can help you. There are certain studies that can be used to measure B12 levels in the body.

First and foremost, a B12 deficiency manifestsitself that you have too few red blood cells. So if you’re into anaemia, it could be because of your B12 concentration in your body.

Other common symptoms include:

• Hair loss
• Weakness
• Problems with the eyes
• Lack of concentration and memory
• Susceptibility to allergies

If you find these problems known, an examination with the family doctor or the family doctor is the next step.

In addition to incorrect nutrition, the most common causes of vitamin B12 deficiency are disturbances in the intake of certain substances. These can be caused, for example, by intestinal diseases or drug interactions.

If you want to compensate for a deficiency specifically through the diet, there are some foods that are full of vitamin B12.

For vitamin B12 you should resort to these foods

In order to get your concentration back and effectively compensate for a vitamin B12 deficiency, innards should end up on your plate.

After all, the B12 bombs par excellence are all found in this category:

• Beef liver (65 micrograms/100 g)
• Calf liver (60 micrograms/100 g)
• Pork liver (40 micrograms/100 g)
• Calf kidney (25 micrograms/100 g)
• Chicken liver (20 micrograms/100 g)
• Pig kidneys (15 micrograms/100 g)

However, if you are not particularly interested in innards, there is a healthy alternative: the fishmentioned at the beginning. The vitamin B12 concentration is particularly high in:

• Oysters (14.6 micrograms/100 g)
• Herring (11 micrograms/100 g)
• Mackerel (9 micrograms/100 g)
• Tuna (4.3 micrograms/100 g)
• Salmon (2.9 micrograms/100 g)

For a moment, 100g of salmon have only 2.9 micrograms of vitamin B12? That is nothing!

At first glance, the amount is actually not very high. Keep in mind, however, that the daily requirement for the vitamin is only about 4 micrograms.

These other vitamins are good for your concentration and memory

But it’s not just vitamin B12 that’s important for brain and concentration. Other vitamins also help your head on the jumps:

In addition to B12, vitamins A, C, E and K are especially important for maintaining your brain power.

So pay particular attention to a varied and vitamin-containing diet so as not to deprive your body of the basis for important brain performances such as memory and concentration.

Vegetables, fruits, nuts and, above all, meat and fish should be on your menu.

If you take supplementation in case of a deficiency, you can save yourself the trouble. But which method is better?

Dietary supplements, tablets or the good old diet? What really helps your concentration?

To maintain your concentration, it is especially important that your body gets all the nutrients it needs. In the end, it doesn’t matter whether this happens through diet or supplements.

In certain situations, however, the supply of dietary supplements has a decisive advantage. The dose of vitamin B12 contained in capsules may be significantly higher than when eating.

Thus, it is possible to give the body a vitamin boost in case of severe defects in order to bring the concentration of B12 back to normal level. This allows the organism to recover more quickly from the consequences of a deficiency.

In case of doubt, however, you should rely on medical advice for the above-mentioned symptoms or a suspicion of a vitamin deficiency. Your health will thank you.