Persistent fatigue often hides a deficiency in this vitamin that we don’t think about enough.
Our daily rhythm often gives way to persistent fatigue which we readily attribute to stress, overwork or a few bad nights. Gold “the feeling of constant exhaustion is not limited to sleep disorders or overwork” say researchers in a recent study. “It could be that your diet is also quietly depriving you of energy”. What vitamin should you look for in what you eat? Not the C. But another…
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University (Japan) studied health data from 602 healthy people to highlight this key energy vitamin. To do this, they precisely measured their blood nutrient levels and simultaneously assessed their psychological and physical state. Their initial observations shed light on a specific molecular culprit: homocysteine, a naturally occurring compound in the body that, when accumulated in excess, becomes harmful to the body.
According to the researchers’ observations, the participants with the highest levels of homocysteine suffered from a blatant vitamin B12 deficiency. They explain in the journal Nutrients that high concentrations of homocysteine in the blood generally hide low intakes of vitamin B12. The latter plays the role of “cleaner” in our body, helped in its task by vitamin B9 (folic acid). When we lack it, homocysteine accumulates, which directly disrupts our nervous system as well as the production of molecules essential for our daily energy. The accumulation of homocysteine, caused by the lack of these vitamins, is thus correlated with fatigue.
That’s not all: the study also shows a clear distinction between men and women in the face of this decline. The lack of vitamin B12 results in physical fatigue in men, while in women, it causes a marked drop in daily motivation. Professor Hiroaki Kanouchi, who led the research, is categorical: “To prevent increased homocysteine levels, it is important to avoid vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies.” The problem is that the body does not know how to produce vitamin B12. We must therefore get it from our diet.
If certain foods such as black radish can fight against fatigue or even guava juice, it is especially products of animal origin that should be favored in the event of persistent fatigue to stock up on vitamin B12: offal, fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), meat, eggs and dairy products. Health authorities recommend an intake of 4 micrograms per day of vitamin B12 for an adult. This dose is equivalent to a steak of salmon per week, two glasses of milk per day or two eggs every two days. For vegetarians and vegans, vigilance is required because the risk of deficiency is major. In case of persistent fatigue, a blood test is necessary. If the deficit is confirmed, the use of food supplements or enriched foods becomes essential to regain lasting vitality.
