Introduction to Vitamin B12

Molecular structure of vitamin B12.

B12 is a water soluble vitamin and is a member of the Vitamin B complex. Also known as Cobalamin (due to its cobalt factor), cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin. Vitamin B12 is produced by the growth of certain micro-organisms and also occurs in the liver. Vitamin B12 has been prepared synthetically. Vitamin B12 cannot be made by plants or animals as only bacteria have the enzymes required for its synthesis. The total synthesis of B12 was reported by Robert Burns Woodward and Albert Eschenmoser, and remains one of the classic feats of organic synthesis.

Vitamin B12 is a vitamin with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood cell also growth and development in children. It is normally involved in the metabolism of every cell of the body, especially affecting DNA synthesis and regulation, but also fatty acid synthesis and energy production. Deficiency can cause anemia. Vitamin B12 neuropathy, involving the degeneration of nerve fibres and irreversible neurological damage, can also occur.

Typically, water-soluble vitamins cannot be stored by the body. Vitamin B12 is special, because the body can store it for years in the liver. Because of this, a vitamin B12 deficiency is very rare.