About the Ultra Trace Minerals - Cobalt Content : Introduction Source Requirements Metabolism Function Deficiency Toxicity

1. ULTRA TRACE ELMENTS
COBALT

2. Introduction
• Cobalt is another essential mineral needed in very small amounts in the
diet.
• It is an integral part of vitamin B12, Cobalamin, which supports red
blood cell production and the formation of myelin nerve coverings.
• Some authorities do not consider cobalt to be essential as a separate
nutrient, since it is needed primarily as part of B12, which is itself
essential.
• Cobalt, as part of vitamin B12, is not easily absorbed from the digestive
tract.
• The body level of cobalt normally measures 80-300 mcg. It is stored in
the red blood cells and the plasma, as well as in the liver, kidney,
spleen, and pancreas.

3. SOURCES
• Cobalt is available mainly as part of B12.
• Meat, liver, kidney, clams, oysters, and
milk all contain some cobalt.
• Ocean fish and sea vegetables have
cobalt, but land vegetables have very
little; some cobalt is available in legumes,
spinach, cabbage, lettuce, beet greens,
and figs.

4. DIETARY
REQUIREMENTS
• The Daily requirements of cobalt is 5 to 8 µg / day.
• Vitamin B12 Contain Approximately 0.045 – 0.09 µg
of Cobalt.

5. METABOLISM
• In the food, vitamin B12 is present as a complex with proteins.
• The free form of vitamin B12 is released by cooking, HCL present in
gastric juice and proteolysis by pepsin in the stomach.
Mechanism :
• Two mechanisms exist for cobalamin absorption.
• Passive absorption - occurring equally through buccal,
duodenal and ileal mucosa, it is rapid but extremely inefficient,
<1% of an oral dose being absorbed by this process.
• Active absorption -The normal physiologic mechanism is active,
it occurs through the ileum and is efficient for small (a few
micrograms) oral doses of cobalamin and is mediated by gastric
intrinsic factor (IF).
• Dietary Cobalamin is released from protein complex by enzyme
in the stomach duodenum and Jejunum.

6. Role of Intrinsic Factor (IF) :
• Intrinsic factor (IF) is produced in the gastric parietal cells of the fundus and body of
the stomach, its secretion parallels that of hydrochloric acid.
• The IF-cobalamin complex passes to the ileum, where IF attaches to a specific
receptor (Cubulin) on the microvillus membrane of the enterocytes.
• In the absence of the intrinsic factor inadequate amounts of cobalamin are absorbed
(the dietary requirement is approximately 200 ng/day).
• When the root cause of the resultant Megaloblastic anemia is absence of or
inadequate amounts of intrinsic factor the condition is called Pernicious Anemia.

7. Transportation of Cobalamin :
• Three plasma transport proteins have been identified.
• Transcobalamine I and III (differing only in carbohydrate
structure) are secreted by white blood cells.
• Although approximately 90 percent of plasma vitamin B12
circulates bind to these proteins, only transcobalamine II is
capable of transporting vitamin B12 into cells.

8. Storage of Cobalamin :
• The liver contains 2000 to 3000 mcg of stored vitamin B12.
• It is also stored in leukocytes, Gastric Mucosa and stored as Complex with
transcobalamin I and II.

9. DEFICIENCY
• A deficiency condition involving solely the trace mineral cobalt
usually does not occur in human beings. As the maximum bodily
concentration of the element is as an integral part of vitamin B12.
Similar to vitamin B12 deficiency disorders, namely pernicious
anaemia and macrocytic Anemia.
• Pernicious Anemia or Addison’s Anemia, is characterised by a steep
reduction in the number of red blood cells owing to a decline in
capability to assimilate vitamin B12, which contains cobalt ions.
• When the red blood cells become enlarged to an unusually large
size, due to insufficient vitamin B12 reserves in the body, then the
ailment is termed as macrocytic Anemia.

10. Causes :
• Nutritional Deficiency – Dietary Deficiency (Vegan)
• Inherited – Pernicious Anemia
• Autoimmune Syndrome and disorder like thyroid disease, Addison’s disease, Tyoe
1 Diabetic Mellitus
• Intestinal Causes- Malabsorption, Crohn’s disease
• Drugs
• HIV Infection

11. TOXICITY
• The incidence of cobalt toxicity is rare. Yet, when it happens,
cobalt is very toxic to the heart muscle.
• It can cause heart muscle disease (toxic cardiomyopathy) after
too much exposure. An increase in red blood cells
(polycythemia) may be a symptom of too much cobalt. Not
treating this issue can cause congestive heart failure.
• Too much intake of cobalt may cause enlargement of the
thyroid gland (goiter).
• It can also reduce the Activity of the thyroid.
• Cobalt may also increase blood glucose levels.
• People with Leiber Syndrome may lead to Vision loss .

12. Function
• As a part of Vitamin B12, Cobalt is essential in the production of red blood cells and the production of
antibacterial and antiviral compounds that prevent infections.
• Cobalt also plays a key role in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates as well as the synthesis of
proteins and conversion of folate in their active form.
• In the nervous system, cobalt is responsible for preventing demyelination leading to multiple sclerosis,
which is a condition that results in damage to the membrane that covers the nerve fibers in the brain
and spinal cord. Such prevention ensures the efficient transmission of nerve impulses
• As a part of Vitamin 12,it prevent Anemia,particularly Pernicious Anemia.
• Radioactive Cobalt-60 is used to treat Certain Cancers.
• Cobalt and Vitamin B12 are interlinked with each other in the body.
• When the amount of Cobalt decreased, the amount of Vitamin B12 and also when Cobalt increases,
Vitamin b12 will also increase.

13. References:
• m.netmeds.com - Author- Divya Bharat (B.tech)
• Dr. Manoj Mathur (MD), Assistant Professor, MLN, Medical
College.
• Dr. Yugandhan.Tummala, Pgb1st
• Ms. Lathija Yadav ( Research Scholar), Dept of food and
Nutrition, MPUAT