Vitamins

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin B3
• Vitamin B5
• Vitamin B6
• Biotin
• Folic acid
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K

Dietary Minerals

• Calcium (Ca)
• Calcium Part 2
• Chlorine (Cl)
• Chlorine Part 2
• Cobalt (Co)
• Cobalt Part 2
• Copper (Cu)
• Copper Part 2
• Iodine (I)
• Iodine Part 2
• Iron (Fe)
• Iron Part 2
• Magnesium (Mg)
• Magnesium Part 2
• Molybdenum (Mo)
• Molybdenum Part 2
• Nickel (Ni)
• Nickel Part 2
• Phosphorus (P)
• Phosphorus Part 2
• Potassium (K)
• Potassium Part 2
• Selenium (Se)
• Selenium Part 2
• Sodium (Na)
• Sodium Part 2
• Sulfur (S)
• Sulfur Part 2
• Zinc (Zn)
• Zinc Part 2

Other Sites

• Alternative-health-101.com
• Financial-101.com

Cobalt

We get the cobalt, with the chemical symbol Co, that our bodies need as part of a Vitamin B-12 dietary supplement. It has very little direct effect on the body on its own, but as part of Vitamin B-12, it performs an essential role in maintaining the health of the body in the prevention and treatment of pernicious anaemia.

It does so by aiding the body in its work of producing red blood cells and in the support it provides for the health of the central nervous system. To make sure you do get the right daily amount of cobalt through Vitamin B-12, the recommended dose is 1.5 mg per day.

You do get amounts of cobalt for your body needs from the foods rich in B-12, which are mainly meats. This makes it difficult for vegetarians to obtain the daily doses that they need because these foods are not part of their diet. You can obtain cobalt from some varieties of mushroom and seaweeds, but vegetables and fruits do not contain any of this mineral. Food sources of the mineral include:

• Fortified cereals
• Haddock
• Tuna
• Trout
• Molluscs
• Clam
• Salmon
• Liver
• Poultry
• Pork
• Beef

There are no symptoms associated with a deficiency of cobalt in the body. On the other hand there are many medical conditions that can develop as a result of a deficiency in Vitamin B-12. For this reason, it is important for vegetarians to take daily supplements when they are not getting the amounts needed by the body from the foods they eat.

These conditions include anaemia, fatigue, constipation, and unexplained weight loss. It can also affect the functions of the nervous system resulting in tingling feelings or numbness in the arms and legs, depression, confusion, poor memory and soreness in the mouth.

In young children a deficiency could affect the normal growth and development of the body and the mind. While you will develop medical conditions when you do not have enough cobalt through Vitamin B-12 in your body, consuming too much of this mineral can lead to other conditions caused by toxicity. Taking more than 30 mg of Vitamin B-12 per day is not healthy for your body.

continue to Cobalt Part 2