Vitamin B-12 (cobalamin) is a water soluble vitamin that plays essential roles in red blood cell formation, cell metabolism, nerve function and the production of DNA. Food sources of vitamin B-12 include poultry, meat, fish and dairy products. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you might be prone to deficiency because plant foods don't contain vitamin B-12. Left untreated, a vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue, muscle weakness, intestinal problems, nerve damage and mood disturbances.
Vitamin D is necessary for building and maintaining healthy bones. That's because calcium, the primary component of bone, can only be absorbed by your body when vitamin D is present. Your body makes vitamin D when direct sunlight converts a chemical in your skin into an active form of the vitamin (calciferol). Vitamin D isn't found in many foods, but you can get it from fortified milk, fortified cereal, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Depending on where you live and your lifestyle, vitamin D production might decrease or be completely absent during the winter months. Sunscreen, while important, also can decrease vitamin D produciton. Without vitamin D your bones can become soft, thin and brittle. Insufficient vitamin D is also connected to osteoporosis and some types of cancer.
34th Street Chiropractic and Wellness offers a wellness analysis through bloodwork to check both vitamin B-12 and vitamin D levels. If a deficiency is present, we can administer injections or prescriptions to treat these deficiencies. If you or someone you know might be interested in this service, please call 212-502-1803 to schedule an appointment, or schedule an appointment throught our webiste at healthcarechiropractic.com.