▶ Previous Artlcle : #3-2. B vitamins acting on the nervous, cardiovascular and hematopoietic systems

 

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

 

Vitamin B12 is the only vitamin that contains a mineral (cobalt) and is nicknamed ‘red vitamin’ or ‘wine injection’ because it is reddish in color.

 

It is composed of three types: cyanocobalamin, hydroxycobalamin, and methylcobalamin, and among these, methylcobalamin is known to be the active form of vitamin B12 (Figure 4).

 

 

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Methylcobalamin is mainly for oral use, as it needs no intrinsic factors, etc. when absorbed into blood in the stomach, compared to two other types.

 

On the other hand, cyanocobalamin and hydroxycobalamin are given by injection routes in many cases.

 

Cyanocobalamin is only permitted to be injected intramuscularly or subcutaneously, and due to the toxicity of the cyano group, hydroxycobalamin is preferred to cyanocobalamin.

 

Hydroxycobalamin can be given as an intravascular injection besides intramuscular and subcutaneous injections.

 

Cobalamin has long been known to be a vitamin that treats megaloblastic anemia.

 

In addition to its function as one of homocysteine-lowering vitamins as described above, it acts mainly on the cranial nerves to help maintain cell functions through methylation of nerve cells.

 

Therefore, cobalamin is quite helpful in improving cognitive functions such as memory. 

 

 

Figure 3. Structure of vitamin B9  

 

 

 

-To be continued