Vitamin B12 has a direct incidence in patients with Covid-19

A study carried out by the University of the Balearic Islands has shown new evidence on the importance of vitamin B12 in the diet

Almost a year has passed since a case of SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in the world. Everything indicates that Covid-19 originated in Wuhan, although later multiple theories have emerged about its possible ‘birth’. Since then, researchers have worked hard to find out the incidence of the virus in relation to different elements, such as vitamin D, vitamin K or vitamin B12.

Covid-19 has since become an obsession for researchers, scientists, and health workers. Some quickly began to work to get an effective vaccine against the virus; that everything indicates that it will begin to be supplied to the population during the year 2021.

On the other hand, health workers came across a new virus and needed to try different treatments to find out which methods or substances helped reduce the severity of the symptoms caused by Covid-19; as well as reducing the risk of mortality.

Thus, in this research context, many studies have highlighted the importance of nutrition in humans. A study carried out by the University of Cantabria, in Santander, found that 80% of Spanish patients had vitamin D deficiency

New evidence links vitamin B12 to Covid-19

A study led by specialists from the University of the Balearic Islands has shown the importance of different micronutrients in the way the virus acts in different people; as well as the incidence of the Coronavirus in European countries such as Spain, France, or Italy.

The work has been published in the well-known nutrition magazine ‘Nutrients’. Its conclusions are conclusive: A poor intake of vitamin D, vitamin C, and vitamin B12 is closely linked to an increased risk of mortality in patients with Covid-19. In addition to containing low levels of minerals such as zin or iron.

The expert in endocrinology, Carlos Puig offers the importance of vitamin B12 against Covid-19: «It is a water-soluble vitamin essential for the proper functioning of the brain and nervous system, as well as for the formation of red blood cells and of various proteins essential for the body. It belongs to the eight vitamins of group B and is involved in numerous physiological processes.

In the same way, the specialist emphasizes the negative effects that a lack of B12 vitamins can cause in the body: «The deficiency of this nutrient can cause fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite or weight, megaloblastic anemia (deficiency of blood cells red), as well as neurological problems that present symptoms such as numbness, balance, tingling in the hands and feet, poor memory, among others. In children, signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency include developmental and growth retardation, movement problems, and megaloblastic anemia. '

Food as a solution

The National Institute of Health of the United States warns about the need of the human being to consume a specific intake of vitamin B12 on a daily basis. In this sense, the aforementioned organism has developed an interesting guide to know what is the sufficient dose that a person requires per day of this micronutrient, depending on factors such as age and sex:

Life stage                                          Recommended amount

Babies up to 6 months of age	0.4 mcg
Babies 7 to 12 months of age	0.5 mcg
Children 1 to 3 years of age	0.9 mcg
Children 4-8 years of age	1.2 mcg
Children 9 to 13 years of age	1.8 mcg
Adolescents 14 to 18 years of age	2.4 mcg
Adults	2.4 mcg
Pregnant women and adolescents	2.6 mcg
Breastfeeding women and adolescents	2.8 mcg

Thus, vitamin B12 can generally be obtained through the consumption of foods of animal origin. The most suitable products to acquire this micronutrient are:

Beef liver and clams, which are the best sources of vitamin B12. Poultry, meat, fish, milk, and dairy products. Certain breakfast cereals and nutritional yeasts.