COBALT – THE VITAMIN B12 ELEMENT, A MALE AND SOMEWHAT TOXIC ELEMENT

by Lawrence Wilson, MD

© November 2011, The Center For Development, Inc.

 

GENERAL

                  Alkaline-forming element, minor trace mineral for nutritional balancing, but important for B12 synthesis.

 

SOURCES OF COBALT

Seafood - sardines, salmon, herring

Meat/Organs - liver, kidney

Nuts/seeds - peanuts

Vegetables - peas, okra

Dairy - butter

Grains - buckwheat, wheat bran, wheat germ

Miscellaneous - molasses, raw sugar, cornstarch, cornmeal

 

FUNCTIONS OF COBALT (and vitamin B12)

                  Circulatory - increases cardiac glycogen

                  Excretory - stimulates erythropoietin in kidney

                  Respiratory - maintains red blood cell production

                  Digestive - maintains gastrointestinal mucosa

                  Nervous - maintains myelin sheath

                  Special Sensory - maintains vision and coordination

Reproductive - prevents congenital abnormalities and gametogenesis

Endocrine - release of glucagon, erythropoietin and T4, inhibition of insulin

                  Muscular - muscle homeostasis and control

                  Skeletal - maintains bone marrow and skin

                  Metabolic - nucleic acid, protein and lipid synthesis

                  Detoxification - methylation and sulfhydryl reactions

 

METALLOENZYMES

á           Glycylglycine dipeptidase - hydrolyzes dipeptides

á           Catalase (in bacteria) - breaks down hydrogen peroxide

á           Pyrophosphatase (in bacteria) - converts pyro- to orth-PO4

 

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS

                  pernicious anemia, a megaloblastic anemia

                  central nervous system damage

                  glossitis, sprue

 

TOXICITY SYMPTOMS    

congestive heart failure                                           insulin inhibition

polycythemia                                                                               pericardial effusion

neurological abnormalities                                thyroid dysfunction

                 

SYNERGISTS

copper, zinc, iodine, molybdenum, iron deficiency, vitamin C, folic acid

 

ANTAGONISTS

                  iron, manganese, protein in diet

 

SUPPLEMENTATION

Because of toxicity, supplementation with cobalt should be avoided.  It is also not usually needed, as it is found in most foods.  Also use caution with vitamin B12 supplements.  Vitamin B12 supplements can easily supply too much cobalt, which can be somewhat toxic. 

 

HAIR ANALYSIS NOTES

A hair cobalt level above about 0.003 mg% or about 0.03 ppm is associated with some cobalt toxicity, usually from taking a lot of vitamin B12.

Cobalt can be one of the ÔamigosÕ.  These are elements that can become oxides and irritants to the body when they are in a toxic form.  To learn more about this very important phenomenon, read The Amigos on this website.

 

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