EVERYONE! ESPECIALLY VEGETARIANS!!!! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW THE FOLLOWING! YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!
There was a lot of easy to understand information here, but too much to post in this box. IF YOU ARE A VEGETARIAN, PLEASE READ! YOUR LIFE CAN DEPEND UPON IT! Our problem as a vegetarian is not PROTEIN. Our problem is vitamin B12 - YOUR LIFE AND WELL-BEING DEPENDS UPON THIS VITAMIN! Please read and take care of yourself:
REFERENCE/LINK:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/05/19/warning-potentially-life-threatening-vitamin-deficiency-affects-25-percent-of-adults.aspx
Mercola.com
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B proactive - It's a good idea to ask your doctor about having your B12 level checked if you:
are over 50 years old
take a proton-pump inhibitor (such as Nexium or Prevacid) or H2 blocker (such as Pepcid or Zantac)
take metformin (a diabetes drug)
are a strict vegetarian
have had weight-loss surgery or have a condition that interferes with the absorption of food
A serious vitamin B12 deficiency can be corrected two ways: weekly shots of vitamin B12 or daily high-dose B12 pills. A mild B12 deficiency can be corrected with a standard multivitamin.
In many people, a vitamin B12 deficiency can be prevented. If you are a strict vegetarian or vegan, it's important to eat breads, cereals, or other grains that have been fortified with vitamin B12, or take a daily supplement. A standard multivitamin delivers 6 micrograms, more than enough to cover the average body's daily need.
If you are over age 50, the Institute of Medicine recommends that you get extra B12 from a supplement, since you may not be able to absorb enough of the vitamin through foods. A standard multivitamin should do the trick.
REFERENCE: Harvard Health Publications - Harvard Medical School
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/vitamin-b12-deficiency-can-be-sneaky-harmful-201301105780
