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Related Concept Videos

Vitamins01:30

Vitamins

Vitamins, derived from the Latin word for life, are essential organic substances required in small quantities for optimal growth and overall well-being. Unlike other organic nutrients, vitamins don't act as sources of energy or building materials but rather facilitate these nutrients' utilization by the body. Vitamins are predominantly coenzymes, assisting enzymes in specific chemical actions, like the oxidation of glucose for energy involving B vitamins. Most vitamins are not produced in our...
Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health01:25

Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health

The growth and maintenance of bone are regulated by a combination of nutritional factors, including vitamins, such as vitamin A, B12, C, D, and K.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis01:23

Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis

The skin plays a crucial role in the synthesis of vitamin D, a vital nutrient for various physiological processes in the body. Vitamin D is unique because it can be synthesized in the skin through a series of chemical reactions triggered by exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight.
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin D3(cholecalciferol).
Sulfur Assimilation01:20

Sulfur Assimilation

Sulfur is an essential element in biological systems, contributing to synthesizing key biomolecules, including amino acids such as cysteine and methionine, and cofactors such as coenzyme A and biotin. Microorganisms primarily assimilate sulfur as sulfate (SO₄²⁻) from the environment, which must undergo a series of biochemical transformations before it can be incorporated into cellular components. As sulfate is highly oxidized, it must undergo assimilatory sulfate reduction to become...
Minerals01:26

Minerals

Minerals are essential nutrients that the human body needs in small amounts to work properly. They play a vital role in many bodily functions, such as building strong bones and transmitting nerve impulses. Some minerals are needed for hormone production or to maintain a normal heartbeat. Major minerals include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium, while trace minerals include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium.
Bioavailability Study Design: Healthy Subjects Versus Patients01:15

Bioavailability Study Design: Healthy Subjects Versus Patients

Bioavailability studies are essential for evaluating a drug's therapeutic efficacy and understanding its absorption patterns under various physiological conditions. Conducting such studies on target patient populations provides more relevant data by simulating real-world disease states. However, practical challenges often necessitate the use of young, healthy adult volunteers as study subjects.Patients may exhibit altered drug absorption patterns due to the effects of the disease itself,...

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Related Experiment Videos

Vitamin B12 Supplementation: Is More Always Better?

Manuela Yepes-Calderón1, Caecilia S E Doorenbos1, Mariken E Stegmann2

  • 1Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.

Nutrients
|May 27, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Vitamin B12 supplementation without proven deficiency shows no consistent benefits for general well-being. Evidence does not support widespread use, with potential risks and inconsistent findings in most populations.

Keywords:
adverse effectscobalaminsupplementationvitamin B12

Related Experiment Videos

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Science
  • Clinical Medicine
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Vitamin B12 supplementation is popular despite a lack of proven deficiency.
  • Perceptions of underdiagnosis, well-being enhancement, and safety drive its use.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the evidence supporting claims of vitamin B12 supplementation benefits in non-deficient individuals.
  • To examine current health authority guidance on vitamin B12 testing and supplementation.

Main Methods:

  • Review of major health authority guidelines regarding vitamin B12 deficiency testing.
  • Analysis of epidemiological data on vitamin B12 deficiency prevalence using biochemical criteria (serum B12 < 148 pmol/L).
  • Synthesis of findings from supplementation studies with varying regimens and durations.

Main Results:

  • Routine testing is advised against for asymptomatic individuals without risk factors.
  • Vitamin B12 deficiency is uncommon (~2%) in high-income countries but frequent (up to 69%) in resource-limited settings.
  • Supplementation shows no consistent benefits for fatigue, mood, cognition, or cardiovascular health in non-deficient populations.

Conclusions:

  • Current evidence does not support widespread vitamin B12 supplementation for general well-being in the absence of deficiency.
  • Benefits are limited to specific subgroups, such as those with hyperhomocysteinemia.
  • While generally safe, rare adverse effects and potential associations with malignancy warrant further investigation, though causality is not established.