A Review: Introduction To Vitamin B12 & Its Association With R.O Water

Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin for humans because it plays a vital role in cell divisions and growth of the cell. Vitamin B12 deficiency, also known as cobalamin deficiency, is the medical condition in which the blood and tissue have a lower-than-normal level of vitamin B12. Symptoms can vary from none to severe. Mild deficiency may have few or absent symptoms. B12 deficiency is more widespread in the population than has been assumed so far. Since a deficiency in this vitamin can lead to irreversible neurological damage, early diagnosis is essential. Conditions such as smoking, alcohol, and antacid use are certain causes for incidence of vitamin B12 deficiency. Possibility is raised for new and yet unidentified factors being associated with this increased prevalence. One of these factors frequently questioned is use of Reverse Osmosis (RO) processed water for drinking. Suboptimal B12 status (serum B12 < 300 pmol/L) is very common, occurring in 30-60% of the population, in particular in pregnant women and in less-developed countries. Thus, many tens of millions of people in the world may suffer harm from having a poor B12 status. Public health steps are urgently needed to correct this inadequacy.