You are what you eat, as the old saying goes. It’s true. Recent studies have shown that certain foods can help to bolster your happiness. For example, foods that are rich in B12 Vitamins can have a positive affect on mood, energy and memory.

The buzz over B12

Vitamin B12 is an essential water-soluble vitamin that’s found in a variety of foods such as fish, shellfish, meat, and dairy products. Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. It’s also needed to make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy brain functioning and for a healthy nervous system. This powerhouse vitamin helps to fight off depression and anxiety, and increases memory and concentration.

B12 deficiency

Studies show that low B12 levels in the diet can lead to memory loss and irritability. Elderly are the most at risk. However, deficiency can result from being unable to utilize Vitamin B12. Inability to absorb Vitamin B12 from the intestinal tract can be caused by a disease known as pernicious anemia.

Some scientist argue that strict vegetarians or vegans who are not taking iproper amounts of B12 are also prone to deficiency.  They claim that generally, Vitamin B12 is only found in animal foods, so it’s important to get enough lean meat, fish, dairy products and eggs.

To support there argument the top Five Vitamin B12-Rich Foods are:

• Mussels
• Sardines
• Oysters
• Canned Tuna
• Lean Beef

However Dr Vetrano, author of  ‘Rethinking B12′ article, argues that the real problem in so-called B12 deficiency is a failure of digestion and absorption of foods, rather than a deficiency of the vitamin itself.

She further argues that vitamin  B12 coenzymes are found in nuts and seeds as well as in many common greens, fruits, and  many vegetables. She claims that if we ate 100 grams of green beans, beets, carrots, and  peas we would have half of our so-called daily minimum requirement of  Vitamin B12 coenzymes providing our digestion and absorption are normal.

From  Rodale’s The Complete Book of Vitamins, page 236 we find a clarification:   “As you know, the B complex of vitamins is called  a  ‘complex’ because, instead of being one vitamin, it has turned out to be a  large number of related vitamins, which appear generally in the same foods.”

I am sure Dr. Clark would agree that without proper digestion, assimilation of any nutrients is not guaranteed.  Keep in mind that a good digestion starts with an acidic stomach.  A healthy stomach is more acidic than battery acid.  The problem is that as we age you produce less and less acid.  This is often the cause of insufficient absorption.