What vitamin B12 does to your brain, body, DNA and red blood cells - Insider

Vitamin B12 is a particularly important nutrient because it helps form red blood cells and DNA.

Vitamin B12 plays a particularly important role in creating red blood cells, which transport oxygen throughout the body.

Without B12, the body cannot make enough hemoglobin to produce fully functioning red blood cells, according to Cleveland Clinic.

The lack of healthy red blood cells due to a vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anemia, which causes pain, trouble walking, memory loss, mood changes, and vision problems.

Because DNA is the building block for all cells, people without enough vitamin B12 can develop megaloblastic anemia, when the body produces large, abnormal red blood cells. .