If you have type 2 diabetes, your chances of developing vitamin B12 deficiency are greater than those of non-diabetics.  That’s because metformin, a popular drug for diabetes interferes with vitamin B12 absorption, causing severe B12 deficiency.  Other causes for vitamin B12 deficiency include pernicious anemia, bariatric surgery, and gastrointestinal disorders.

Vitamin B12- Cobalamin

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble nutrient that occurs naturally in protein-based foods, including beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, and cheese.  It is one of a group of B vitamins (B complex).  Vitamin B12 performs many crucial functions for your body:

• Vitamin B12 aids in producing red blood cells
• Vitamin B12 protects your nervous system
• Vitamin B12 is required for DNA synthesis
• Vitamin B12 lowers homocysteine levels, thus reducing your risk for heart attack and stroke
• Vitamin B12 helps your body convert fat to energy

Metformin- its effect on B12 levels

Metformin, a hypoglycemic drug for treating type 2 diabetes, interferes with your body’s ability to digest vitamin B12.  According to numerous studies, up to 30% of diabetics who take metformin suffer the effects of vitamin B12 deficiency.  Researchers believe that metformin may hinder the production of intrinsic factor, a protein your body uses to grab vitamin B12 from food sources and absorb it into the bloodstream.  Other suggestions for metformin’s link with B12 deficiency include possible bacterial overgrowth and hindered movement of the small intestines.

Brain Drain Medications- Drugs that Drain the B12 out of you

How much vitamin B12 do you need?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B12 varies by age, and applies to healthy individuals:

• Infants: .4 mcg to .5 mcg
• Toddlers: .9 mcg
• Children, 4-8 yrs. of age: 1.2 mcg
• Children, 9-13 yrs. of age: 1.8 mcg
• Adult males: 2.4 mcg
• Adult females (not pregnant or lactating): 2.4 mcg
• Pregnant females: 2.6 mcg
• Lactating females: 2.8 mcg

Diabetics, Take Heed

For people who diagnosed with chronic illness, the recommended dose of vitamin B12 is much higher.  People who need more than the RDA of vitamin B12 include:

• Elderly individuals
• People with pernicious anemia
• People taking proton pump inhibitors for acid reflux or stomach ulcers
• People with gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn’s disease or Celiac disease
• Diabetics taking metformin

Diabetics need even more B12

According to a recent 7-year survey, type 2 diabetics taking metformin need higher doses of vitamin B12 than originally believed, stating that the current RDA for 2.5 mcg is not sufficient for preventing vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms.

• Of the survey participants who took metformin for type 2 diabetes, 5.8% had vitamin B12 deficiency- low B12 levels in the blood.
• Only 2.4% of diabetics not taking metformin had low levels of vitamin B12.
• About 3.3% of test subjects who did not have diabetes showed signs of vitamin B12 deficiency.
• For diabetics, taking oral vitamin B12 supplements did not affect B12 levels, nor did it reduce the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.
• When intestinal disorders interfere with B12 absorption, the only other method for supplementing vitamin B12 is directly through the bloodstream.

Type 2 Diabetes Often Undetected- Do You Have These Symptoms?

Do you have vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 deficiency is diagnosed through blood testing.  However, many of the signs of B12 deficiency may be masked by other prevailing ailments, so it’s important to know the symptoms.

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include:

• Chronic fatigue
• Depression
• Memory loss
• Anxiety
• Hallucinations
• Aggressive behavior
• Mental confusion, “brain fog”
• Difficulty concentrating
• Painful numbness in hand and feet, “tingling” sensations
• Poor motor coordination
• Clumsiness, stumbling
• Sore tongue
• Altered taste perception
• Eye twitches

Untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency could result in severe nerve damage, early-onset dementia, increased risk for heart attack and stroke, cancer, and death.

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency:

Painful Tingling in Hands and Feet- What’s Up with That?

B12 Deficiency and Absorption: Why the B12 Patch

Diabetics, Put On Your Walking Shoes

Sources:

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12

Association of Biochemical B12 Deficiency With Metformin Therapy and Vitamin B12 Supplements: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2006- PubMed, NCBI

Image credits, from top:

Jon McGovern, Wikipedia, lgringospain, Pink Sherbet Photography

Vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the fastest growing forms of malnutrition, inflicting at least 40% of all adults with symptoms like fatigue, memory loss, painful tingling sensations, and psychosis.  But what researchers know about the effect of B12 deficiency in children is even more troubling…

Infants with B12 deficiency

Scientists have conducted many studies focusing on neurodevelopment issues in infants diagnosed with low cobalamin- severe vitamin B12 deficiency.  One such study conducted by UC Davis noted symptoms of neurological disorders in breast-fed infants born to women with undiagnosed pernicious anemia, including:

• Irritability
• Failure to thrive
• Low growth rate
• Lethargy
• Anorexia
• Refusal of solid foods
• Developmental regression
• Involuntary movements
• Alterations in skin pigmentation
• Megaloblastic anemia

Babies, B12, and Fertility- B12 Deficiency during Pregnancy

How early can infants develop B12 deficiency?

For adults, vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms may take years to surface. That’s because the liver stores vast amounts of B12, and unless you lack intrinsic factor, your body constantly replenishes its supply of B12 whenever you eat foods like beef, chicken, fish, eggs, and milk.  However, if you follow a vegan diet, or if you are unable to produce intrinsic factor in your stomach, then your vitamin B12 levels will eventually become depleted.

Newborn infants are not born with large stores of vitamin B12, especially if their mothers have pernicious anemia or refrained from eating foods with B12 during pregnancy or while nursing. Even though they are born neurologically healthy and of a normal birth weight and size, symptoms of B12 deficiency usually manifest between four to ten months of age, but can occur as early as the second month.

Brainy People are high on B12, according to Brain Health Study

Vitamin B12 supplements as treatment

After receiving vitamin B12 supplements, infants began recovering rapidly from neurological illness, and eventually experienced a reversal of symptoms, confirming scientists’ beliefs that B12 deficiency causes nerve damage, brain atrophy, and chemical imbalances in the brain.

Find out if you or your infant has B12 deficiency by taking a simple blood test. If diagnosed, your doctor may recommend sublingual vitamin B12 pills, intramuscular B12 shots, or a vitamin B12 patch.

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency

Many other neurological and emotional ailments are attributed to low B12 levels:

• Memory loss
• Depression
• “Brain fog”
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Anxiety
• Hallucinations
• Clumsiness
• Poor motor control
• Frequent stumbling
• Painful tingling in hands and feet
• Arms and legs going numb
• Sore, red tongue
• Altered sense of taste

Read more about B12 deficiency symptoms:

Juvenile Vitamin B12 Deficiency- the Dinosaur of all Disorders, say Scientists

Brain Drain Medications- Drugs that Drain the B12 out of you

Pernicious Anemia: Your 13 Most Frequently Asked Questions, Answered!

Sources:

Effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on neurodevelopment in infants: current knowledge and possible mechanisms

Image credits, from top:

**ShutterGirl**, Insight Imaging: John A Ryan Photography, christopherallisonphotography.com

Recent study on brain health proves that people who eat a diet rich in B vitamins, including vitamin B12, have healthier brains, and are least likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.  Here are the results of the study that focused on senior brain health in relation to diet and nutrition.

Eat this to avoid brain shrinkage…

According to a study published by Neurology, senior citizens in their 80’s who eat a combination of foods high in vitamins and nutrients have better cognitive skills and more brain volume than seniors who fail to meet the requirement.  Blood tests indicated which senior citizens had the highest levels of vitamins like B12 and B6, and which elderly individuals had vitamin deficiency.

The study found that the following vitamins are conducive to good brain health:

• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
• Vitamin B9 (Folate, Folic acid)
• Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
• Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin D

Scientists also noted that foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids are also beneficial for optimal brain health.

…and avoid eating this

Scientists also noted decreased cognitive functioning and less brain volume in senior citizens who ate foods high in trans fats, including fried foods, pizza, margarine, and high-fat packaged goods.

Which foods are highest in vitamin B12?

Here is a list of foods that contain brain-healthy vitamins such as B12, taken from Medline Plus:

• Vitamin B1, Thiamine: yeast, cereal grains, beans, nuts, and meat
• Vitamin B2, Riboflavin: milk, meat, eggs, nuts, enriched flour, and green vegetables
• Vitamin B6, Pyridoxine: cereals, beans, vegetables, liver, meat, and eggs
• Vitamin B9, Folate: leafy green vegetables, fruits, dried beans, peas and nuts
• Vitamin B12, Cobalamin: meat, fish, and dairy products
• Vitamin C, Ascorbic acid: fruits and vegetables, especially citrus, red and green peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and greens
• Vitamin E: vegetable oils, margarine, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens
• Vitamin D: egg yolks, saltwater fish, and liver

How do I know I’m getting enough vitamin B12?

Even if you eat plenty of foods high in B12- lean beef, chicken, seafood, eggs, and cheese-, you are not immune from vitamin B12 deficiency.  People who lack intrinsic factor, a protein produced by the stomach to absorb B12 from food, cannot digest vitamin B12 and are at risk for developing pernicious anemia.

The following individuals must have their vitamin B12 levels checked regularly through blood testing:

• Senior citizens
• Patients of gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn’s disease or Celiac disease
• Anybody who has had a gastric bypass, or any other surgery involving the removal of the ileum
• Diabetics on metformin
• Acid reflux sufferers taking medication for chronic heartburn

Read more about vitamin B12 and brain health:

Here’s Your Brain on B12 Deficiency- Memory Loss and Aging

How to keep Vitamin B12 Deficiency from Shrinking your Brain

Vitamin B12- How much do you need?

12 Ways to Avoid Alzheimer’s Disease

Feed your Brain Something You’ll never Forget

Sources:

Diet Patterns Linked With Brain Health

Vitamins, Omega-3s May Keep Brain From Shrinking: Study

Nutrient biomarker patterns, cognitive function, and MRI measures of brain aging

Image credits, from top:

mtsofan, jalb, moogs, primerano

Keeping your heart healthy requires making many lifestyle changes; most people don’t realize that avoiding vitamin B12 deficiency is just as essential for your heart as eating heart-healthy foods, exercising, and reducing stress.  Below are some pointers for preventing cardiovascular disease, including reasons why extra vitamin B12 supplements are beneficial for a healthy heart.

1- Monitor your vitamin B12 levels

Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, supports many necessary functions in your body.  Vitamin B12 helps you produce plenty of red blood cells, helps maintain your nervous system, assists in building DNA, and generally improves metabolism, cognitive functioning, strength, and energy.

Vitamin B12 is also an essential nutrient in the prevention of heart disease and stroke.  By lowering homocysteine levels, vitamin B12 also lowers your risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. The American Heart Association urges people to eat a healthy diet that includes folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 for optimal heart health.

Goal: Get tested! Elderly individuals, people diagnosed with pernicious anemia, patients of gastrointestinal disorders, or anybody who has had gastrointestinal surgery involving the removal of the ileum (gastric bypass) cannot absorb vitamin B12 in the stomach, and must take B12 supplements in order to avoid suffering B12 deficiency.  To find out if you are at risk, request a blood screening for vitamin B12 deficiency from your doctor.

Read more about vitamin B12 and heart disease-

B Vitamins prevent Cardiovascular Disease- B6, B12 and Folate

2- Get moving

All health experts agree that incorporating at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, at least 5 days per week, is the single most important lifestyle change you can make for your heart.  Conversely, increasing evidence indicates that living a sedentary lifestyle- watching several hours of television each day, sitting at a desk for long periods without breaks, and shunning exercise- is one of the biggest contributing factors to heart disease.

Goal: Break it down! If you’re daunted by the idea of spending 30 minutes on a treadmill, plan three 10-minute breaks in the day for exercise, instead.  Walk your dog or do a window-shopping run around the mall (without stopping!).  If you work at a desk, set your timer to alert you to get up and stretch at regular intervals.

Staying Fit with Fibromyalgia: 13 Pain-Free Workouts

3- Eat more heart-healthy foods

Prevent cardiovascular disease by following a low fat, low cholesterol diet.  Avoid saturated trans-fats, and opt instead for small doses of healthy monounsaturated fats, like olive or canola oils.  If you normally eat red meat, switch instead to lean poultry, which also contains plenty of vitamin B12.  In addition to cutting down on fats, you should also eat more vitamin-enriched foods that are low in salt and refined carbohydrates.

Goal: Spice it up! Train your tongue to like nutritious, low-fat foods that have fewer “empty” calories.  Go for high-fiber vegetables, grains, and legumes, lower-fat meats, cheeses, and spreads, and shake things up with dashes of cayenne pepper, ginger, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and granulated garlic.  By focusing on the spices, you’ll feel more satisfied, and less likely to miss that fatty mouth-feel of fried foods.

The Best- and Worst- Cooking Oils for Heart Health

4- Mind your weight

Numerous studies conclude that obesity is one of the greatest health risks that affect people today.  Being overweight overburdens your entire body, contributing to illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, and other life threatening conditions.

Goal: Size it down! By cutting down the size of your plate, you alternatively cut down your dress size.  Try using smaller plates, include veggies, omit surgery drinks, eat slower, and resist the urge to go for seconds.

Vitamin B12 for Weight Loss- Why it Works

5- Don’t ignore the elephant in the living room

If you think you might be suffering some of the symptoms of heart disease, such as breathlessness, heart palpitations, increased sweating, call your doctor right away.  Ignoring even the smallest signs can be a matter of life or death.

Goal: See your doctor! Pay attention to bodily cues, and schedule a checkup, immediately.

6- Keep your emotions in check

Stress, anxiety, and depression are all taxing on your heart.  Succumbing to anger increases your chances for heart attack, as well.

Goal: Talk it out! When you feel nervous, sad, or stressed, confide in a friend or close family member.  If you’re uncomfortable asking others for help, schedule a meeting with a psychiatrist or social worker, instead.

Can Elevated Homocysteine (Low B12) cause Mental Illness?

7- Snuff out the cigarettes

At the very least, you should quit smoking in order to improve your heart health and your lungs.  Smoking is linked with many kinds of cancer, asthma, and chronic bronchitis.

Goal: Don’t give up! If you’ve tried to quit smoking in the past, then try again.  Research shows that the more times you attempt to quit smoking cigarette, the greater the chances of eventually reaching that smoke-free goal.  Ask your healthcare provider about quit-smoking programs, or try using a patch.

Smoking and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

8- Cut down on alcohol

If you drink more than two alcoholic beverages per day, then you need to cut it down.  Research shows that drinking too much alcohol is dangerous for the heart, as well as the liver.

Goal: Seek help! If the notion of keeping your alcohol drinking down to one or two beers each day sounds overwhelming, then you might require extra assistance from Alcoholics Anonymous.

B12 and Alcohol Consumption

9- Sleep soundly

If you snore, then you might be a candidate for heart failure or stroke, according to latest research on the heavy risks of snoring.  Obstructive sleep apnea is one of many factors that may lead to cardiovascular disease.

Goal: Wear your mask! So far, the best treatment for severe sleep apnea is wearing a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device (CPAP) while sleeping.

10- Take care of your choppers

Over time, your teeth develop a layer of plaque that contains bacteria.  Unless you brush and floss regularly, you can get gum disease, causing bacteria to seep into your blood supply and contributing to heart disease.

Goal: Floss it! Floss and brush morning and evening, and floss after meals.

What your Gums have to Say about your B12 Level

11- Set reasonable goals

Don’t fall victim to the “all or nothing” attitude.  You don’t have to become a health and fitness enthusiast, but nor should you throw up your hands in despair.  Accept that with every one success come numerous setbacks, and that lifestyle changes happen slowly, over a period of weeks, months, or even years.

Goal: Take baby steps! All successful weight-loss and fitness experts encourage you to set small, reachable short-term goals, in addition to the long-term goal of better health.  This allows you to feel a small measure of success, and gives you the motivation you need to stay on the wagon.  Congratulate yourself for losing 10% of your weight, losing a dress size, or every time you make a healthy food choice.

12- Respect your medications

Don’t think that just because you feel better, that you can stop taking your blood pressure medications.  Many heart patients make that common mistake.  If you are unhappy with a side effect of certain medications, then ask your doctor for an alternative.  Conversely, don’t rely on medications alone to keep you healthy. It is essential to follow a heart-healthy diet, in addition to exercising and reducing stress, for optimal cardiovascular health.

Goal: Get organized! Keep your meds somewhere where you won’t forget them.  If necessary, store a batch of precut tablets in a pill keeper.

Brain Drain Medications- Drugs that Drain the B12 out of you

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency:

Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Are you at Risk?

Pernicious Anemia: Your 13 Most Frequently Asked Questions, Answered!

Why do my Arms and Legs often Fall Asleep? B12 and Paresthesia

Sources:

5 Essential Heart Health Habits

17 Worst Habits for Your Heart

Homocysteine, Folic Acid and Cardiovascular Disease

‘Wake Up’ To Health Risks Of Heavy Snoring

If you suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disorder (IBD), then you probably won’t appreciate extravagant (albeit well-meaning) gifts like World’s Largest Cheese Ball, Seven-Spice fruitcake, or a subscription to the Beer of the Month club.  It’s hard for non-IBD sufferers to know what kind of gift to get for somebody with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.  Make it easier on them- print out this handy list, and avoid unnecessarily awkward gift-giving scenarios.

#1 The Vitamin B12 Patch

Most people don’t realize they suffer from low B12 levels until it’s too late, and they start feeling symptoms like extreme fatigue, fuzzy thinking, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, depression, and painfully tingling sensations in the hands and feet.  And if you suffer from gastrointestinal disorders such as IBD, then you are at high risk for getting vitamin B12 deficiency, as you are not able to digest vitamin B12 in the stomach.  The only way to prevent vitamin deficiency is to deposit vitamin B12 directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system completely.  Nip B12 deficiency in the bud by supplementing with vitamin B12 every day.

Gastrointestinal Surgery for Crohn’s (IBD) and B12 Warnings

#2 Numi Organic Tea Flowering Gift Set

Who wouldn’t appreciate this lovely, aesthetically appealing gift of tea?  Drop a tea bud into a pot of hot water, and watch as it slowly “blossoms” into a breathtaking underwater bouquet.  Choose from an assortment of organic black, white, green or oolong teas.

7 Natural Remedies for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

#3  Charmin To Go

Part of coping with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis means always being prepared for bathroom emergencies, and these flushable bathroom wipes are the best thing since sliced bread! This is a great stocking-stuffer for anybody with IBD.

On the Run with Crohn’s? 6 Ways to Ease Public Restroom Anxiety

#4 Travelon Hand Soap Toiletry Sheets

Let’s face it- you can’t always count on hand soap.  And while you’re ready to negotiate on comfort and convenience at rest stops, you’re not about to invite extra bouts of diarrhea from fecal contamination.  These soap sheets from Travelon are amazing- they’re compact, they last forever, they dissolve easily with very little water, and one small pack contains 50 sheets! Also available- body wash, shampoo, conditioner, shaving lotion, and laundry soap.

#5 Leather Toiletry Bag

Take your bathroom supplies with you without looking conspicuous.  This leather toiletry bag lets you bring your basic bathroom necessities like flushable wipes, Travelon soap sheets, and an extra vitamin B12 patch without raising any eyebrows.

#6 Heating Pad

Sooth lower back pain, ease hemorrhoids, or just get rid of an annoying headache by keeping an electric heating pad handy.  This should be a staple in the home of every chronic pain sufferer.

#7 Coca-Cola Personal Fridge with AC Adapter

If you spend an inordinate amount of time in bed, then you’ll appreciate having a compact refrigerator for storing things like iced tea, water, meds, or a soothing snack.  This cooler is great for people who live on a second floor, and don’t have the ability…or energy to climb up and down stairs.  Or, keep this in your car for emergency trips to the hospital.

#8 Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers

Uncle John has been entertaining restroom readers for 25 years, and it’s easy to see why.  Each tome is chock full of miscellaneous bits of interesting stories, anecdotes, facts, trivia games, and mini biographies.  It’s like having a compact library, right where you need it most.  You’ll probably never get through the whole book, but if you do, there are dozens of Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers to choose from, including one for kids!

#9 The Foul Bowel

By John Bradley, the Foul Bowel offers helpful facts, tips, and resources for all people suffering from Crohn’s disease.

101 Helpful Sites for Kids ‘n Teens with Crohn’s (and their Parents)

#10 Creative Colitis Cookbook

Not sure what to cook that won’t upset your tummy?  Take the blah out of your staple dinner routine by following some of the innovatively healthy recipes in the Creative
Colitis Cookbook for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Read more about vitamin B12 and Crohn’s disease:

Dressing after Crohn’s Surgery- 5 Post- Ostomy Fashion Tips

Crohn’s- 9 Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) Myths to Ignore

Walk into a convenience store, and you can’t even see the sugary sodas for all the energy drinks cluttering up the aisles, touting vitamin B12 among their many other energy-boosting ingredients.  Why are more Americans turning to vitamin-infused 5-hour energy shots for instant get-up-and-go, and do these products work?

Energy drinks- is it all bull?

The label on the can promises extra vitamin B12 -cobalamin- for “maximum energy,” athletic endurance, and increased mental focus, without causing nasty side effects associated with most energy drinks (nervousness, paranoia, and insomnia).  At least, that’s the claim.  But how healthy are vitamin B12 drinks, and does the “energy blend” of vitamins and nutrients really have that much impact on your energy level?

Let’s look at the most common ingredients in a 2-ounce bottle:

• Niacin- 30mg (150% RDA)
• Vitamin B6- 40mg (2000% RDA)
• Folic acid- 400mcg (100% RDA)
• Vitamin B12- 500mcg (8333% RDA)
• “Energy Blend”- 1870mg

Oh, and don’t forget the caffeine

Yes- all energy drinks contain loads of caffeine, in addition to all the healthy nutrients.  That “energy blend” referred to on the label includes about 138mg of caffeine- ounce for ounce, the same amount of caffeine as in a cup of brewed coffee, and twice as much caffeine as you’ll find in a cup of instant coffee.

Boost Energy Now! 20 Practical Tips for Fighting Fatigue

Why include vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 has gained a lot of popularity these days as the “energy vitamin,” and for good reason.  Vitamin B12 helps your body convert carbs into energy.  Vitamin B12 also helps produce amino acids, promotes a healthy metabolism, builds red blood cells, improves cognitive functioning, protects your nervous system, and lowers your risk of getting a heart attack or stroke.  (See B Vitamins prevent Cardiovascular Disease- B6, B12 and Folate)

Some side effects of having low vitamin B12 in your system include

• chronic fatigue, despite getting plenty of sleep
• exhaustion after exercise
• depression
• trouble concentrating
• memory loss
• confusion
• paranoia
• hallucinations
• irritability

Tired of being Tired all the Time…It’s Tiring!

Some of the more physical, neurological side effects of having B12 deficiency include

• arms or feet constantly going numb, or “falling asleep”
• painful tingling sensations in the hands, feet, or tongue
• sore, reddened tongue
• altered taste perception
• tinnitus (ear ringing)
• weak muscles
• poor motor control
• clumsiness
• frequent stumbling while walking or running
• inability to balance on one leg

Painful Tingling in Hands and Feet- What’s Up with That?

Over a long period, low vitamin B12 levels could lead to pernicious anemia, early onset dementia like Alzheimer’s disease, neurological damage, osteoporosis, cancer, stroke, heart attack…even death.

Why you’re better off getting your B12 elsewhere

Nobody’s disputing that it’s important to get your daily fix of vitamin and minerals. But it’s important to make sure you get a potent, fully digestible form of vitamin B12.  The problem with many energy drinks is that they only work if your body is able to absorb vitamin B12.  And most people who suffer severe fatigue and loss of concentration because of low vitamin B12 levels lack the necessary chemicals for vitamin B12 absorption from dietary sources and distributing it to the blood supply.

In fact, if you don’t produce “intrinsic factor,” then no amount of vitamin B12 food sources, drinks, sprays, or pills will give you the boost of energy and mental focus you need to get through the day.  To get vitamin B12 into your blood, you will have to bypass the digestive system.

First, find out if you have B12 deficiency by asking your doctor for a blood test. Supplementation may include vitamin B12 shots.  Additionally, many people who require extra vitamin B12 opt to use a vitamin B12 patch.

Read more about vitamin B12 for energy:

The Vitamin B12 Patch for Energy

Is Vitamin B12 the Secret to the Fountain of Youth?

I was Blinded by B12 Deficiency, says Vitamin B12 Patch Fan

Sources:

Caffeine in 5-Hour Energy

5 HOUR ENERGY DRINK INGREDIENTS

Image credits, from top:

nattu, Nina Matthews Photography, Annie Mole

Recently, scientists discovered an ancient mutant gene putting vitamin B12 deficiency around the timeline of 11,600 B.C., causing a rare form of vitamin B12 anemia known as Imerslund-Gräsbeck Syndrome (IGS) – the second-oldest disease-causing mutant gene known to mankind.

What causes Imerslund-Gräsbeck syndrome (IGS)?

According to researchers, mutations in either the amnionless (AMN) or the cubilin (CUBN) gene cause this rare form of vitamin B12 deficiency (IGS), which inhibits vitamin B12 absorption in children born with either mutated gene.  Children born with IGS lack intrinsic factor, a chemical required to digest vitamin B12 in food sources, such as beef, chicken, fish, cheese, and eggs, and eventually show symptoms of severe juvenile cobalamin deficiency.  This discovery adds to our knowledge that B12 deficiency is an inherited disorder.

What is vitamin B12, and why is it so important?

What are the symptoms of Imerslund-Gräsbeck syndrome (IGS)?

IGS originated in the Middle East, affecting children of Jewish, Turkish, or Arabic descent.  Children with (IGS) vitamin B12 deficiency exhibit the following symptoms:

• Increased risk for infection
• Everyday fatigue, regardless of diet or sufficient sleep
• Difficulty concentrating, symptoms similar to Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Partial paralysis

Untreated, childhood vitamin B12 deficiency can also lead to pernicious anemia, a potentially fatal disease.  A blood test is required to diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, and treatments include constant vitamin B12 injections, as prescribed by your physician- possibly for the rest of your life.  Vitamin B12 without prescription is also available in pill form or as a transdermal vitamin B12 patch system.

Top Ten Signs of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Who is at risk for getting vitamin B12 deficiency?

Aside from individuals with the inherited vitamin B12 deficiency disorder, other people that are at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency include:

• Anybody who has had gastrointestinal surgery, such as gastric bypass,  involving the removal of the ileum, a portion of the small intestines required for vitamin B12 absorption
• Anybody taking medications that inhibit absorption of vitamin B12, including the diabetes drug Metformin, acid reflux medication, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory medications
• Vegans who don’t supplement with vitamin B12 regularly
• Many patients of autoimmune disorders that affect the stomach, such as fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, or celiac disease
• Alcoholics
• Elderly individuals who lack sufficient stomach acids to digest vitamin B12

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency causes:

Brain Drain Medications- Drugs that Drain the B12 out of you

Pernicious Anemia: Your 13 Most Frequently Asked Questions, Answered!

Sources:

Scientists Discover Second-Oldest Gene Mutation

Ancient founder mutation is responsible for Imerslund-Gräsbeck Syndrome among diverse ethnicities

Image credit:

sassiinsa

What’s the difference between fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)? Health experts often differ in diagnosing fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue symptoms, as they tend to overlap.  Judge for yourself- here are some facts on symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition that causes pain, tiredness, and stomach upset in its sufferers.  FM is somewhat of a medical phenomenon, as scientists are still unsure exactly what causes fibromyalgia.  Theories abound, and researchers continue to conduct studies on possible causes of fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia symptoms:

The most prevalent symptom of fibromyalgia is chronic pain: About 70% – 80% of fibromyalgia patients suffer severe muscular soreness.  Pain occurs mostly along the spine, the shoulders, hips, and neck, but can also happen in other parts of the body.  FM sufferers may also experience joint stiffness similar to arthritis pain.

• Other common symptoms of fibromyalgia are gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea), severe fatigue, sleep difficulties, and “brain fog” (concentration problems).
• According to the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention, approximately five million US citizens suffer from fibromyalgia.
• In order to diagnose fibromyalgia, a doctor must confirm eleven out of eighteen fibromyalgia “tender points” in his patient.
• More women than men suffer from fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia FAQs- 6 Need-to-Know Fibro Facts

Why am I always tired?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) goes by a few other names: immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS) and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).  CFS is another “invisible disease” that affects the body and the mind.  Like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome is also an illness for which scientists are still attempting to determine the cause.  The leading theory is that CFS is an autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system.

Boost Energy Now! 20 Practical Tips for Fighting Fatigue

What are the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome?

While fibromyalgia symptoms center on pain, CFS symptoms are primarily related to extreme unending tiredness.  Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome include:

• being tired all the time, despite getting plenty of sleep, eating well, and generally taking good care of yourself,
• complete exhaustion after low-impact exercise, examinations, or long periods requiring mental focus, followed by a recuperation period,
• poor short-term memory,
• brain fog,
• waking up fatigued, and never feeling fully rested,
• flu-like aches and pain,
• headache,
• sore throat,
• poor reading comprehension,
• difficulty grasping appropriate words while communicating,
• anxiety

What’s the difference between CFS and FM?

The fact that symptoms of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia so often overlap makes it difficult for doctors to diagnose, and confusing for patients to understand.  Here are some basic similarities and distinguishing facts of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome:

• Not all people who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome also experience chronic pain symptoms such as those in fibromyalgia.  However, most fibromyalgia patients also suffer from extreme, persistent fatigue- approximately 50% – 70%, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
• About one million people have chronic fatigue syndrome, compared with five million fibromyalgia sufferers.
• While some physicians believe that fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are two separate conditions that often overlap in one patient, others believe that chronic fatigue is one of many symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome, and not disorder in its own right.
• Stress and physical exertion are both common triggers of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms.

Chronic Depression, Chronic Pain- It’s All the Same, say Experts

Vitamin B12 deficiency in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue

Other illnesses share similar symptoms with FM and CFS, causing yet more confusion in diagnosis and treatment.  Additionally, other conditions like pernicious anemia may occur at the same time as CFS, and may go undetected as a result.

• A high correlation exists between vitamin B12 deficiency and fibromyalgia.  Any condition that causes gastrointestinal problems will likely also result in poor digestion of vitamin B12.  Untreated, B12 deficiency can escalate into severe pernicious anemia.
• Symptoms of B12 deficiency may include nerve pain (tingling, pins and needles) in the hands and feet, numbness in the hands and feet, decreased energy, loss of mental focus, fatigue, depression, anxiety, sore tongue, altered sense of taste, short-term memory loss, clumsiness, and difficulty walking, running or jumping without stumbling.
• Other disorders and illnesses linked with vitamin B12 deficiency are inflammatory bowel disease (IBD- Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), lupus, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, celiac disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes.
• Because vitamin B12 deficiency shares so many symptoms with chronic fatigue syndrome, it might go untreated.  For that reason, it is advisable for people suffering from CFS or FM to get their vitamin B12 blood levels checked routinely.

Read more about fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome:

Back Pain Exercises and Fibromyalgia- the Do’s and Don’ts

40 Things NOT to say to a Fibromyalgia-Chronic Fatigue Sufferer

7 Reasons You Have Brain Fog…And What to do About It

Sources:

The Fibro Fact Page: Basic Brief Information about Fibromyalgia

The Common Threads of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – Fibromyalgia Center- Everyday Health

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

The CFIDS Association of America

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Stuart Miles

Are constant eyelid twitching and eye spasms driving you batty?  Myokymia might be a sign of pernicious anemia caused by low B12 levels.  Learn how to stop eye twitching by stopping vitamin B12 deficiency in its tracks.

What is myokymia?

Myokymia is a disorder that causes muscles in your body to twitch involuntarily.  Myokymia twitches can affect any groups of nerves or muscles in your body, including your arms, legs, fingers, and back.  It can also occur on your face- hemifacial spasms are muscular twitches that begin on one side of your face, usually the eye.  Over time, hemifacial spasms can expand to include the rest of your face, on one side.

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

Why is my eye twitching?

Myokymia is a type of nerve damage called trigeminal neuralgia.  When your eyelid keeps twitching out of control, it is because the nerves that control the opening and closing of your eyes have been damaged. Eye twitches can occur in either the lower eyelid or upper eyelid,

Causes of myokymia

Causes of eye twitching may include stress, excessive alcohol usage, and staring at a computer screen for long periods of time.  Eye spasms can also be a reaction to caffeine, or may signify low levels of cobalamin- vitamin B12.

B12 deficiency symptoms

Vitamin B12 benefits include red blood cell production, protection of the nervous system’s myelin sheathe, cognitive functioning, DNA synthesis, and lowered homocysteine levels. If your body does not store adequate amounts of vitamin B12, you may get B12 deficiency, and ultimately severe pernicious anemia, a type of megaloblastic anemia blood disease.

B12 deficiency causes emotional and cognitive disorders such as:

• Chronic fatigue
• Memory loss
• Decreased mental focus
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Paranoia
• Aggressiveness
• Hallucinations

Top Ten Signs of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Pernicious anemia symptoms include severe nerve damage, including eyelid spasms caused by myokymia.  Lower eyelid twitches are most common with B12 deficiency patients.  Other symptoms of nerve damage caused by pernicious anemia include:

• Numbness and painful tingling in the hands and feet
• Arms or legs constantly “falling asleep”
• Prickly feeling in the tongue
• Altered taste perception
• Sore or swollen tongue

Why do my Arms and Legs often Fall Asleep? B12 and Paresthesia

Stop eye twitching

If you suspect that you have vitamin B12 deficiency, then consult your physician and request a blood test for B12 levels. If diagnosed with low B12, then your doctor will prescribe vitamin B12 supplements.  If you have pernicious anemia, then you might have to get routine B12 shots indefinitely. Once you start taking vitamin B12, you will notice a decrease in pernicious anemia symptoms immediately, and total reversal of symptoms by the time your B12 levels return to normal.

Find out why more people diagnosed with pernicious anemia are supplementing with a vitamin B12 patch…

I was Blinded by B12 Deficiency, says Vitamin B12 Patch Fan

What’s the Difference between B12 Patches and B12 Pills, Anyways?

Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Sources:

Hemifacial Spasm Information Page: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Signs of B12 Deficiency

Myokymia – Types, Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Eyelid Myokymia

Image credits, from top:

cameronparkins, graur codrin, Tambako the Jaguar

 
Vitiligo is a skin disease that often occurs with vitamin B12 deficiency- Find out if taking B12 supplements can treat your vitiligo symptoms and get rid of white patches on your skin forever.

What is vitiligo?

Vitiligo is a skin disorder that causes you to lose brown pigmentation, resulting in white patches on your skin.  Hair growing in white skin spots caused by vitiligo may turn white, as well.  About 1% of all people in the world have vitiligo, including roughly two million US citizens.  Although vitiligo affects people of all races, it is more noticeable in darker skinned ethnic groups.

Vitamin B12 for Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails

What causes vitiligo?

Doctors are uncertain what exactly causes the skin disorder vitiligo, but they believe it might be an autoimmune disorder.  Also, they have noticed strong correlations with certain chronic conditions.  People who suffer vitiligo usually fall into one of four groups:

• Hyperthyroid (overactive thyroid gland) patients
• Pernicious anemia (B12 deficiency) patients
• Addison’s disease (underactive adrenal gland) patients
• Alopecia areata patients (people with patches of baldness)

What are the symptoms of vitiligo?

Vitiligo causes telltale patches of white skin (depigmentation), typically on parts of your body that get the most sun exposure, like your hands, feet, and face, particularly around the eyes, mouth, and lips.  Vitiligo can also occur on covered-up parts of your body, like your stomach, hips, and armpits, though that is not as common.  Other symptoms of vitiligo may include premature hair greying, including grey eyelash hair.  White patches can also occur in the inside of the mouth.

For some, vitiligo symptoms remain only in one area of the body.  For others, patches of white skin may slowly spread over years to other parts of the body.

How will taking vitamin B12 supplements affect my vitiligo symptoms?

In one clinical study, vitamin B12 and folic acid were administered to patients who suffered from vitiligo.  They were also instructed to keep records of sun exposure.

• More than half of the one–hundred vitiligo patients noticed re-pigmentation in previously all-white skin patches, only 37 of which opted to expose their skin rash to the sun’s heat.
• Six volunteers who took the vitamin B12 and folic acid supplements experienced full reversal of vitiligo symptoms.
• The advancement of vitiligo symptoms halted in 64% of patients who received B12 and folic acid vitiligo treatments.

Scientists confirmed that supplementing with vitamin B12 and folic acid, combined with sun exposure, is more effective for treating vitiligo symptoms than sun exposure alone.

Read more about B12 deficiency:

Eat this to Prevent Hair Loss- 5 Foods for Healthy Hair

7 Commandments for Taming Frizzy Hair

Sources:

Improvement of vitiligo after oral treatment with vitamin B12 and folic acid and the importance of sun exposure- PubMed, NCBI

Vitiligo Treatment, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Signs on MedicineNet.com

Image credits:

Stuart Miles