Could low D3 or B12 be behind your slump?
Every nutrient that we consume plays a specific role in keeping us healthy, including vitamins D3 and B12. From regulating energy levels and mood to boosting immunity and maintaining cognitive health, these vitamins have a lot in common in terms of how they support us. Read on to learn more about how they work together within the body and the benefits of taking them together.
What is vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is one of the 8 essential B vitamins that are responsible for many functions within the body. Also known as cobalamin, B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning that it can dissolve in water. After the body uses up the B12, any excess amounts exit the body through urine, making it unlikely to have high levels of this vitamin.
Vitamin B12 is involved in everything from DNA synthesis and red blood cell production to nerve function and converting food into energy we can use. It’s safe to say it plays a vital role in our wellbeing!
How do vitamins D and B12 support our health?
Energy production
Both vitamin D and B12 play an important role when it comes to providing us with the energy to take on the day and combating fatigue. B12 is specifically known for helping turn our food into cellular energy that our bodies can use. Studies show that a deficiency in B12 can lead to low energy and reduced exercise tolerance, but can be managed with B12 supplementation.
Additionally, low levels of vitamin D3 have been linked to feelings of tiredness or fatigue. This may be because vitamin D has an influence on pathogenic factors that cause fatigue and biochemical factors that are connected to oxidative stress and inflammation.
While more research is needed on the effects of taking these two vitamins together, it’s clear that both play a role in supporting energy levels and fighting fatigue. This means that maintaining adequate levels of both can help sustain you throughout your daily adventures.
Nervous system support and cognitive health
Vitamins D and B12 play a significant role in supporting our nervous system and cognitive function. More specifically, studies show that vitamin D helps maintain balance within the nervous system and protects healthy brain function. It does this by interacting with neurons and glial cells in the central nervous system. Glial cells are responsible for protecting neurons of the brain.
Similarly, vitamin B12 helps aid nerve function and is involved in the production of DNA, both of which are crucial to a healthy nervous system and brain function. One study found that decreased vitamin B12 levels are linked to low cognitive function in those who are older than 75.
Immune resonse
Vitamin D has long been shown to have a relationship with strengthening our immune response. Its role in boosting antimicrobial peptides within the body and reducing excess inflammation makes it a key player in supporting our immune system.
On the other hand, studies have shown that low levels of vitamin B12 can impair blood cell production, including immune cells. This in turn, can leave us with a weakened immune response and make us more susceptible to infections.
A 2021 study found that when patients hospitalized with COVID-19 took vitamin D, magnesium and vitamin B12 together, it improved their clinical outcomes with fewer individuals requiring oxygen and ICU care. Since both vitamins D and B12 are known to support immunity on their own, taking them together may help to improve the resilience of the immune system.
Practical tips and considerations
Who is at risk of a deficiency?
When it comes to vitamin D, the sun is one of our main sources of making sure we have sufficient levels. However, during long Canadian winter months with lower exposure to sunlight, it may be harder to meet our body’s vitamin D needs.
For vitamin B12, there are certain groups that have a higher risk of developing a deficiency than others. This is because foods rich in B12 tend to be animal products like organ meats, shellfish, poultry and eggs. Naturally, those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet have a harder time getting the B12 they need from diet alone. Other groups at risk also include older individuals and those with digestive disorders that impact nutrient absorbability.
Increasing your intake
When you’re finding that your diet alone is not meeting your body’s vitamin D and B12 needs, turning to a reliable supplement can help. Here are a few of our go-tos:
- D3 Softgels: Offers 1000IU of vitamin D3 per softgel in an organic coconut oil base for enhanced absorption.
- Vegan D3 Drops: Delivers 1000IU of a vegan, lichen-derived form of vitamin D3 in a drop format.
- D3 2500IU: A higher dose of 2500IU of vitamin D3 per softgel in a base of medium chain triglycerides for maximum absorption.
- B12 Drops: Offers 500mcg of methylcobalamin, the preferred and active form of vitamin B12, per drop, in a tasty blueberry flavour.
Since vitamins D and B12 are involved in a variety of crucial processes within the body, including energy production, nervous system function, and immune health, it’s important to maintain adequate levels of both. Try speaking with your healthcare practitioner to see if you can assess your D3 and B12 levels during your next blood test and see if you might benefit from taking a supplement.
Sources:
Cognitive function and vitamin B12 and D among community-dwelling elders: A cross-sectional study
The Influence of Nutritional Factors on Immunological Outcomes
Vitamin D, the immune system, and its relationship with diseases
Vitamin D: The crucial neuroprotective factor for nerve cells
Glial Cells
Vitamin D and Its Role on the Fatigue Mitigation: A Narrative Review
Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence
Are You Getting Enough Vitamin B12? What You Need to Know
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12