What is Vitamin B12? What's the use?
Vitamin b12 is an indispensable element in our body. We can obtain vitamin b12 from food in our daily life. However, due to the lack of the endogenous factor of vitamin b12, even if the daily food and fruit are enough, we may suffer from severe anemia. A deficiency is called vitamin b12 deficiency, and with this disease, there are often symptoms of a delayed nervous system.
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is the only vitamin that contains metals. Vitamin B12 in nature is synthesized by microorganisms, higher plants and animals can not produce vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is the only vitamin that requires the help of a gut secretion (an endogenous factor) to be absorbed. Some people due to gastrointestinal abnormalities, lack of this endogenous factor, even if the dietary source of sufficient will suffer from pernicious anemia.
Vitamin B12 is virtually absent from plant foods. It stays in the gut for a long time, taking about three hours (most water-soluble vitamins only take a few seconds) to be absorbed. The main physiological function of vitamin B12 is to participate in the manufacture of bone marrow red blood cells and prevent pernicious anemia. Prevent damage to nerves in the brain. Vitamin B12 is one of the latest B vitamins to be discovered. Vitamin B12 is a polycyclic compound containing cobalt 3. Four reduced pyrrole rings are joined together to form a macroring of gollum (similar to porphyrin), which is the core of vitamin B12 molecule.
So any compound that has this ring in it is called a gollinoid. Vitamin B12 is a light red acicular crystal, easily soluble in water and ethanol, the most stable under the pH value of 4.5 ~ 5.0 weak acid conditions, strong acid (pH<2) or alkaline solution decomposition, in the heat can have a certain degree of damage, but a short time of high temperature disinfection loss, in the case of strong light or UV easily destroyed. The loss of ordinary cooking process is about 30%.
Vitamin B12 can promote the development and maturation of red blood cells, so that the body hematopoietic function in a normal state, prevent pernicious anemia; In the form of coenzyme, can increase the utilization of folic acid, promote carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism; It has the function of activating amino acid and promoting the biosynthesis of nucleic acid, can promote the synthesis of protein, it plays an important role in the growth and development of infants; Eliminate restlessness, focus, enhance memory and balance; It is an indispensable vitamin for healthy nervous system function. It participates in the formation of lipoprotein in nervous tissue and maintains the health of nervous system.