Vegetarians, watch this: The Science of Vitamin B12
Summary
TLDRThis video script explores the critical role of cobalt, a rare metal essential for lithium-ion batteries and vital for life as a component of vitamin B12. It discusses the evolutionary reasons why animals, unlike plants, can't synthesize B12, leading to widespread deficiency, especially in India's vegetarian population. The script highlights the importance of dietary sources, fortified foods, and supplements to combat this deficiency, emphasizing the intricate relationship between our food habits and long-term evolutionary factors.
Takeaways
- 🔋 Cobalt is a rare metal essential for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries due to its thermal stability, preventing fires.
- 🌏 The majority of the world's cobalt production comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a region known for conflict.
- 🍽️ Cobalt is also vital for all non-plant life forms as it is a key component in the enzyme cobalamine, or vitamin B12, necessary for DNA, fatty acids, and amino acids production.
- 🧬 Life forms have been unable to synthesize vitamin B12 for nearly 2.7 billion years, relying on dietary sources due to the complexity and energy intensity of its production.
- 🌱 Plants have evolved a different biochemical pathway, independent of cobalt and vitamin B12, for managing DNA, fatty acid, and protein synthesis.
- ⚠️ Deficiency in vitamin B12 can lead to serious health issues, including problems with red blood cell function, neurological issues, fatigue, and potentially heart problems.
- 🥩 The typical Indian diet often lacks sufficient vitamin B12, with studies showing nearly half of the population is deficient.
- 🐄 Herbivores like cows and elephants have a symbiotic relationship with gut bacteria that produce vitamin B12, sourced from soil in their diet.
- 🍖 Red meat, particularly liver, and seafood are rich sources of vitamin B12, while chicken, milk, and eggs contain smaller amounts.
- 🌾 Fortified foods and supplements are alternative sources of vitamin B12, especially important for those with cultural or dietary restrictions.
- 🌱 Vegan diets are at a high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency since they exclude all animal-based foods, and plant sources are unreliable.
Q & A
What is the primary metal used in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries?
-Cobalt is the primary metal used in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries due to its thermal stability, which prevents the batteries from catching fire.
Why is cobalt essential for lithium-ion batteries?
-Cobalt is essential for lithium-ion batteries because of its thermal stability, which is crucial for preventing the batteries from catching fire.
What is the connection between cobalt and life forms?
-Cobalt is a crucial component of cobalamine, also known as vitamin B12, which is essential for the production of DNA, fatty acids, and amino acids in all forms of life that are not plants.
Why can't animals produce cobalt in their bodies?
-Animals cannot produce cobalt because it is a component of vitamin B12, which is synthesized through one of biology's most complex and energy-intensive processes involving over 30 steps.
How did the evolution of life forms affect the production of vitamin B12?
-Over 2.7 billion years ago, single-cell bacteria found it too difficult to synthesize vitamin B12 and instead opted to consume organisms that contained it, a trait that has been passed down to all animals.
Why don't plants depend on cobalt and vitamin B12 for DNA, fatty acid, and protein synthesis?
-Plants evolved a different biochemical pathway that does not require cobalt and vitamin B12 for these processes.
What are the consequences of vitamin B12 deficiency in humans?
-Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to improper functioning of red blood cells, neurological problems, constant fatigue, and in extreme cases, heart problems.
Is the typical Indian diet sufficient in providing vitamin B12?
-No, multiple studies have shown that almost half of the Indian population is vitamin B12 deficient, primarily due to low meat consumption and the absence of vitamin B12 in plant-based foods.
How do herbivores like cows and elephants obtain vitamin B12?
-Herbivores have a symbiotic relationship with specific gut bacteria that produce vitamin B12, which they acquire from soil when consuming grass.
What are some sources of vitamin B12-rich foods?
-Top sources of vitamin B12 include red meat such as beef, mutton, and pork, especially liver. Seafood is also a rich source, while chicken, milk, and eggs contain smaller amounts.
Why are vegans at a high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency?
-Vegans are at high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency because their diet does not include any animal-based foods, which are the primary sources of this vitamin, and plants do not produce vitamin B12.
What are the common sources of vitamin B12 for those who may not consume enough through diet?
-For those who may not consume enough vitamin B12 through diet, fortified foods such as breakfast cereals and nutritional yeast, as well as supplements prescribed by a doctor, can be sources of this essential vitamin.
Why might the Indian population have survived with low levels of meat consumption over centuries?
-The Indian population might have survived with low levels of meat consumption due to the inclusion of milk products in their vegetarian diet, which provide some B12, and possibly due to higher levels of B12-producing bacteria in the past due to less sanitary conditions.
Outlines
🔋 The Crucial Role of Cobalt in Technology and Life
This paragraph introduces the significance of cobalt, a rare metal indispensable for lithium-ion batteries, which are used in various technologies such as smartphones, laptops, and solar power plants. Cobalt's thermal stability is highlighted as a key factor in preventing battery fires. The script then draws a parallel between cobalt's role in technology and its biological importance, as it is a central component of cobalamine, also known as vitamin B12. The necessity of cobalt for the production of DNA, fatty acids, and amino acids in animals is emphasized, as well as the evolutionary reasons behind why animals cannot synthesize vitamin B12 and must obtain it from their diet. The paragraph concludes by discussing the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in the Indian population due to low meat consumption and the importance of animal sources for obtaining this essential vitamin.
🌱 Herbivores' Symbiotic Solution to Vitamin B12 and Dietary Recommendations
The second paragraph delves into how herbivores, such as cows and elephants, overcome the challenge of obtaining vitamin B12 by forming a symbiotic relationship with gut bacteria that produce the vitamin. This bacteria originates from soil and is ingested with grass. The paragraph contrasts this with humans, whose gut bacteria are unable to produce vitamin B12 due to their location in the colon. The script then provides dietary recommendations for ensuring adequate vitamin B12 intake, emphasizing the importance of red meat, seafood, and fortified foods. It also addresses the use of supplements for those with a deficiency and the particular risks faced by vegans. The paragraph concludes by reflecting on the historical context of meat consumption in India and the potential reasons for the high prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in the population.
🌾 The Evolutionary and Cultural Impact on Vitamin B12 Intake
The final paragraph discusses the broader implications of vitamin B12 deficiency, suggesting that the shift from a hunter-gatherer diet to one based on grains and legumes may have introduced this deficiency in certain populations. It challenges the notion of blindly accepting traditional diets as superior and encourages the use of scientific knowledge to identify and address nutritional deficiencies. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of improving dietary habits to enhance the quality of life, highlighting the intricate relationship between evolution, cultural eating habits, and modern health concerns.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Cobalt
💡Lithium-ion batteries
💡Congo
💡Cobalamine
💡Vitamin B12 deficiency
💡Evolution
💡Indian diet
💡Fortified foods
💡Supplements
💡Herbivores
💡Supernova
Highlights
Cobalt is an essential metal for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries due to its thermal stability.
Most of the world's cobalt production comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a conflict zone.
Cobalt is also crucial in cobalamine, also known as vitamin B12, which is vital for all animals except plants.
Vitamin B12 is central to the production of DNA, fatty acids, and amino acids.
Life forms have not been able to synthesize vitamin B12 for almost 2.7 billion years due to its complex and energy-intensive production process.
Evolution has favored the path of obtaining vitamin B12 from food rather than producing it internally.
Plants have evolved a different biochemical pathway and do not depend on cobalt and vitamin B12 for DNA, fatty acid, and protein synthesis.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to issues with DNA and RNA synthesis, resulting in red blood cell dysfunction, neurological problems, fatigue, and heart problems.
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency may not appear for 1 to 2 years due to liver storage.
Almost half of the Indian population is vitamin B12 deficient, with 74% being deficient or borderline deficient.
Vitamin B12 is primarily obtained from animal sources, and low meat consumption in India contributes to its deficiency.
Herbivores like cows and elephants have a symbiotic relationship with gut bacteria that produces vitamin B12.
Humans cannot produce vitamin B12 in their gut, unlike the bacteria found in the digestive systems of herbivores.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms, and it is abundant in red meat, liver, and seafood.
Chicken, milk, and eggs contain some vitamin B12, but not enough to meet daily requirements without consuming large quantities.
Fortified foods and breakfast cereals are common sources of vitamin B12 in diets that do not include meat.
Supplements can be prescribed by doctors for those with a vitamin B12 deficiency and a diet that cannot accommodate enough of it.
Vegan diets are at high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency and often require supplementation.
Cultural eating habits and the shift from a hunter-gatherer diet may have introduced vitamin B12 deficiency in certain populations.
Identifying and fixing vitamin B12 deficiency with food or supplements can improve the quality of life.
Transcripts
[Music]
this video is made possible because of
one particular rare metal it is
absolutely essential for the
manufacturing of lithium ion batteries
and unfortunately this element is mined
in some of the worst conflict zones on
the planet most of the world's
production comes from the Democratic
Republic of Congo now it's been decades
but we have not been able to find a
replacement for this metal in lithium
ion batteries that are used in every
smartphone laptop and solar power plants
because it's the thermal stability of
this element that prevents your lithium
ion battery from Catching Fire something
that has happened quite a few times so
you might be wondering what all of this
has to do with food and nutrition the
name of this metal is Cobalt and just
like how it is critical to lithiumion
batteries and despite how hard it is to
mine in places like Congo we have no
choice but to use it would it blow your
mind if I told you that Cobalt plays a
similar extremely crucial role in every
form of life that is not a plant all
animals require Cobalt for a very simple
reason it is crucial in an enzyme that
is Central to the production of DNA
fatty acids and amino acids in short
absolutely critical for life this
molecule is called cobalamine also known
as vitamin
[Music]
B12 so the question is why would life
become so dependent on such a rare metal
and why don't animals produce it in
their body if it was that important to
understand this we have to go back and
think about how Evolution works all of
us descended from simpler mammals and
those descended from fish and and those
fish came from single- cell bacteria
ultimately and what is astonishing is
that going back almost 2.7 billion years
no life form has been able to synthesize
vitamin B12 as far back as the first
eukaryotic cell animal life depended on
eating something that produced or had
vitamin B12 inside itself to get its own
Supply the reason it turns out is that
making vitamin B 12 is one of biology's
most complex processes it has over 30
steps and is very energy intensive so
this is where Evolution comes in in any
generation the easier more convenient
path is more likely to succeed it's like
this given the choice between working
really hard to earn money and stealing
money Evolution will likely select
stealing money so as far back as 2.7
billion years years ago single cell
bacteria were like this is too difficult
I am just going to eat someone who has
vitamin B12 and since then every animal
has simply opted to get it from food
with the rather important exception of
plants plants evolved a completely
different biochemical Pathway to manage
DNA fatty acid and protein synthesis so
they do not depend on Cobalt and vitamin
B12 to do this this is an important and
relevant fact to remember later in this
video that brings us to what happens if
you are deficient in vitamin B12 because
it is essential for DNA and RNA
synthesis any biological function that
requires lots of new cells to be made
all the time like red blood cells will
not function properly and you will also
experience neurological problems
constant fatigue and in extreme cases
heart problems and because your liver
stores vitamin B12 for 3 to 5 years you
will not see symptoms for 1 to 2 years
if your diet is deficient which brings
us to a more basic question does the
typical Indian diet give you enough
vitamin B12 and the shocking answer is a
big no multiple Studies have shown that
almost 47% almost half of the Indian
population is vitamin B12 deficient and
if you consider borderline deficient
it's almost 74% % deficient to
understand why remember our 2.7 billion
year old story animals cannot produce
vitamin B12 and plants don't produce it
at all so you can only get vitamin B12
from animal sources and because per
capita meat consumption is very low in
India it is not surprising that vitamin
B12 deficiency is exceedingly common a
logical question to ask if you can only
get vitamin B12 from animal sources how
do cow elephants rhinos and other
herbivores deal with this problem they
have managed to form a symbiotic
relationship with a specific gut
bacteria that only lives inside
herbivore stomachs and produces vitamin
B12 and how did that bacteria get into
their digestive system when the cow eats
grass there are bits of soil stuck to it
and this bacteria comes from the soil so
you might ask we have gut bacteria too
so can't they make it unfortunately no
in our guts the bacteria that can make
this is too far down the colon so we
don't absorb it so how do you ensure
that you get enough vitamin B12 in your
diet you need 2.4 microG per day this is
a very very small amount this is the
list of vitamin B12 rich foods top tier
number one red meat beef mutton pork
particularly liver because that is where
vitamin B12 is stored one serving will
give you way way more than your daily
requirement two Seafood also a very rich
source of vitamin B12 bottom tier
chicken milk and eggs these also have
some vitamin B12 but remember you will
have to eat almost 1 kg of chicken or
four cups of milk or a dozen eggs to get
your daily requirement of vitamin B12 so
these cannot be your primary sources so
in reality unless you eat red meat or
seafood getting all your vitamin B12
from an Indian diet is not easy baring
people who live on the coast that eat
fish daily and people in the mountains
that eat red meat more regularly which
brings us to the Second Source fortified
Foods incidentally breakfast cereals
nutritional yeast Etc tend to be
fortified with vitamin B12 in fact
Americans mostly get their B12 not from
meat but from breakfast cereals but of
course they come with a lot of sugar
which brings us to the third Source
supplements now now before you start
eating supplements go get tested and if
you are deficient and your cultural diet
cannot accommodate enough vitamin B12
your doctor can prescribe you
supplements a particular thing to note
vegan diets are at very high risk of
vitamin B12 deficiency because they they
do not include any animal-based Foods
meat eggs or milk products and remember
that point we made about plants you
cannot get B12 from Plants a common myth
is that you can get it from fermented
foods not true a very specific set of
bacteria can produce B12 and there is no
guarantee that your idly Dosa yogurt or
kombucha culture will include those
species so there is no way to be sure so
supplements are often required if you're
vegan some of you might wonder hey if
this is such a serious thing how come
Indians have survived on low levels of
meat consumption over so many centuries
while 70% of the Indian population is
culturally meate eating we still eat
very little meat per capita so there are
a couple of explanations for this one
the Indian vegetarian diet includes a
lot of milk products and in places where
people don't consume milk they consume
seafood and milk while not being a very
rich source still gives you some amount
of B12 over time too another hypothesis
is that till very recently high levels
of hygiene and sanitary conditions were
not very common in India so more
bacteria all around and it's possible
that our gut microbes included some B12
producing bacteria and we were mostly
okay but now in a cleaner more sanitized
world we have a problem three it's also
possible that B12 deficiency is simply
endemic meaning it's just common in the
Indian population and we have just lived
with it but now we can test for it fix
our diets and take supplements to
improve our health to be clear fix it
with food before considering supplements
so Cobalt a metal that can only be
produced when a star undergos a massive
Supernova explosion a metal that is
exceedingly rare on the Earth's surface
turns out to be Central to an enzyme
that helps with DNA fatty acid and
protein synthesis this enzyme is so hard
to produce that all life forms other
than plants just decided that eating
something that already has it is simpler
and it goes to show the complex
intricacies of how life and food evolved
on Earth over billions of years and how
even cultural eating habits that are
merely 2 to 3,000 years old can also
miss some of these much longer term
factors the switch from a hunter
gatherer diet to a diet of grains and
legumes likely introduced this
deficiency as a common problem in this
part of the world so don't fall for fat
diet or blindly accept the superiority
of your traditional diet you can
sometimes improve it with a little bit
of science identifying and fixing B12
deficiency will improve the quality of
your life
[Music]
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