Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Why It’s More Common Than You Think
What Is Vitamin B12 and Why Is It Essential? Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is a vital nutrient that helps your body produce energy, support brain function, maintain nerve health, and build red blood cells. Without enough B12, your body—and mind—can start to slow down in surprising ways. Why B12 Deficiency Is on the Rise You don’t have to be elderly or severely malnourished to develop a B12 deficiency. In fact, millions of people—especially women over 40 —are unknowingly at risk. Here's why it's becoming so common: 1. Modern Diets Are Lacking in B12 B12 is found naturally in animal-based foods like eggs, dairy, fish, and meat. With more people adopting vegan, vegetarian, or plant-based diets, the risk of deficiency has skyrocketed. Even some processed foods labeled "fortified" don’t contain enough absorbable B12 to meet daily needs. 2. Gut Health Issues Affect Absorption Conditions like IBS, leaky gut, Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease can interfere with nutri...