One of the most overlooked supplements on the market is Vitamin B12.Your body needs this vitamin, in combination with other B vitamins, to maintain a healthy nervous system, maintain energy levels and production of good DNA. All very important processes to your everyday existence.

The number one symptom for Vitamin B12 deficiency is feeling tired and lethargic. The B-Complex vitamins play an important role in carbohydrate digestion and energy production. Without all of the proper components this system can breakdown and cause a these symptoms. If left without diagnosis or treatment, B12 deficiency can lead to a serious medical condition, Pernicious Anemia. The symptoms of B12 deficiency include; shortness of breath, fatigue, rapid heart rate, loss of appetite, diarrhea, tingling and numbness of hands and feet, sore mouth, unsteady gait, especially in the dark, tongue problems, impaired smell and bleeding gums. A high intake of Folic Acid can hide B12 deficiency. This condition is easily fixed by adding B12 rich foods to your diet or taking supplements. In most cases, Vitamin B12 should be taken in conjunction with a Folic Acid supplement and a B-Complex vitamin.

Because of changing diets, and highly processed food, there has been a significant increase in Vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 is found in red meat, eggs, dairy and fish. There are no know sources of Vitamin B12 in vegetables. At one time it was quite common to feast on organ meat, but you would be hard press to find a fast food restaurant serving steak and kidney pie or liver and onions! The modern diets has led to a decline in nutritionally balanced diets. The highest sources of B12 can be found in mollusks/clams (85 micrograms per 3oz portion) and beef liver (47 micrograms per 3oz portion). Over cooking can lead to the breakdown of the vitamins. If those are not to you your liking then salmon, trout and beef are moderate sources with about 5 micrograms per 3 oz portion. Over cooking these foods can significantly reduce the quantity and quality of nutrients.

If oysters and organ meat are not to your liking then Vitamin B12 supplements will work perfectly well. There are a number of forms of B12, and this list will help you pick the proper supplement for your conditions. When in doubt, contact your doctor or use Methylcobalamin.

Methylcobalamin is a coenzyme form of Vitamin B12 which is biologically active. This means that your body can use it as is, and does not require any metabolic steps to make it body friendly. The product comes in a sublingual tablet(dissolves under your tongue) because your digestive system modifies the molecule. The sublingual method allows the vitamin to directly enter your bloodstream, providing rapid benefits.
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Vitamin B12 is a safe, reliable and inexpensive vitamin. For health-conscious individuals, a regular intake of a prescribed amount of vitamin B12 is a key element for preserving a balance in the human body. B12 could be obtained from food sources or could be taken in the form of supplements orally or via injections.

In combination with other B-group vitamins, vitamin B12 ensures the smooth functioning of vital life processes of the human body. It is important for maintaining a healthy nervous system and DNA production. Vitamin B12 helps to regulate the formation of red blood cells in the body. Other benefits of vitamin B12 include its role in maintaining and increasing energy levels in the human body.

Vitamin B12 is highly beneficial in various forms. Methylcobalamin, the coenzyme form of vitamin B12 is a body-friendly version, which means that no metabolic steps are required for its ingestion and it can be used it in its normal form. It is available as a sublingual tablet that dissolves under the tongue (because the digestive system might modify this molecule). Through this method, vitamin B12 can directly penetrate the bloodstream and yield numerous benefits. Hydroxocobalamin is another form of vitamin B12 that has been recognized as an effective cure for cyanide poisoning.

Research studies reveal a clear, inverse correlation between homocysteine (an amino acid found in the human body) levels and vitamin B12 levels. Blocking the formation of homocysteine leads to endothelial dysfunction (a narrowing of the arteries) and is a precursor of atherosclerosis; vitamin B12 helps to curb atherosclerosis. A supplement of vitamin B12 also augments the efficiency of folic acid’s capacity to lower homocysteine levels. Researchers are of the opinion that in conjunction with folic acid, an adequate dose of vitamin B12 helps to counter heart diseases and thrombosis. The synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), a compound involved in immune function and mood, depends on the association of folate and vitamin B12.
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What is St John’s Wort?
Extracts of Hypericum perforatum L. (St John’s wort) are now successfully competing for status as a standard antidepressant therapy. Because of this, great effort has been devoted to identifying the active antidepressant compounds in the extract. From a phytochemical point of view, St John’s wort is one of the best-investigated medicinal plants. Researchers in Europe have studied St John’s Wort for decades. They discovered a combination of elements in the plant, foremost of which is “hypericin”, react with specific chemicals in the brain to temper emotional discomfort, lift depression, and calm the nerves. Working very much like the common synthetic prescription antidepressants (maprotiline hydrochloride and imipramine), natural extracts from St. John’s Wort have shown to relax and soothe the psyche with minimal side effects

St John’s Wort Benefits
St. Johns Wort today has been found to be very beneficial in healing wounds and is especially good for dirty, septic wounds. St. Johns Wort has been used in case of putrid leg ulcers, that noting heals. Like the leach that was used not too many years ago for wound cleansing it does not destroy the healthy tissues and healthy cells but it cleans the dirt out of septic wounds. It helps reduce the inflammation in septic sores, in boils, in cellulite and lymhangitis.
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What is creatine?
Creatine is an amino acid (amino acids are the building blocks of protein) which is made in the body by the liver and kidneys, and is derived from the diet through meat and animal products. Creatine (creatine monohydrate) is a colorless, crystalline substance used in muscle tissue for the production of phosphocreatine, an important factor in the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the source of energy for muscle contraction and many other functions in the body.

What does creatine normally do in the body?
In the body, creatine is changed into a molecule called “phosphocreatine” which serves as a storage reservoir for quick energy. Phosphocreatine is especially important in tissues such as the voluntary muscles and the nervous system which periodically require large amounts of energy.

Why do athletes take creatine?
Studies have shown that creatine can increase the performance of athletes in activities that require quick bursts of energy, such as sprinting, and can help athletes to recover faster after expending bursts of energy. Creatine is best for the serious bodybuilder. It helps increase muscle mass, rather than muscle endurance, so it’s not well suited for athletes participating in endurance activities. However, the increase in muscle mass may be due to water retention and not an increase in muscle tissue.

Why have I been hearing so much about creatine and neuromuscular disorders?
Two scientific studies have indicated that creatine may be beneficial for neuromuscular disorders. First, a study by MDA-funded researcher M. Flint Beal of Cornell University Medical Center demonstrated that creatine was twice as effective as the prescription drug riluzole in extending the lives of mice with the degenerative neural disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease). Second, a study by Canadian researchers Mark Tarnopolsky and Joan Martin of McMaster University Medical Center in Ontario found that creatine can cause modest increases in strength in people with a variety of neuromuscular disorders. Beal’s work was published in the March 1999 issue of Nature Neuroscience and the second paper was published in the March 1999 issue of Neurology.
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