Is it possible to get too much of a good thing, like too much vitamin B12, or too much of any vitamin?  Experts say yes- overdoing it on certain vitamins can cause vitamin toxicity, and the damage can range from annoying to severe.  So before you down a bottle of vitamin C to head off a cold, have a look at what health experts have to say about vitamin B12 and others.

Vitamin B12- How much do you need?

Vitamin B12- What is it?

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is a water-soluble vitamin that occurs naturally in animal-based foods like beef, chicken, fish, eggs, and milk.  Vitamin B12 supports many vital bodily functions, like protecting your nerve cells, building healthy red blood cells, synthesizing DNA, boosting cognitive functioning, increasing energy, and protecting you from heart disease and stroke.

Vitamin B12 deficiency causes symptoms like fatigue, depression, memory loss, brain fog, low attention span, paranoia, painful “pins and needles,” and numbness in the hands and feet, stomach problems, decreased motor control, muscular weakness, and impaired walking.

Vitamin toxicity

According to the Institute of Medicine’s list of Tolerable Upper Intake Levels, certain vitamins like vitamin B12 are safe to take in mega doses, while other vitamins must be used in moderation.  Taking too much of a certain vitamin may result in stomach discomfort, birth defects, organ damage, or cancer, according to many published studies.

Below is a list of vitamins, including recommended daily amount and risks of vitamin toxicity:

Vitamin B12

There is no upper limit for taking vitamin B12, according to the Institute of Medicine.  That means that you can experiment with as much vitamin B12 as you like without causing any damage.  Any amount that your body doesn’t use is excreted with your urine.

How much vitamin B12 do you need? Scientific evidence suggests that even people who don’t have vitamin B12 deficiency gain enormous health benefits- increased energy and mental alertness- by taking generous doses of vitamin B12.

• One clinical study focusing on high-dose vitamin B12 found that taking 2,500-5,000 mcg of vitamin B12 every few days led to a 50%-80% increase in energy, mental focus, and overall wellbeing after only a few weeks.
• In a double-blind crossover study on vitamin B12 for treating tiredness, people who suffered daily fatigue but didn’t have vitamin B12 deficiency or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) experienced a boost of energy, increased concentration skills, and improved mood after taking 5,000 mcg of vitamin B12 twice daily for two weeks.
• Another study on people who didn’t have low vitamin  B12 levels resulted in similar findings with varied doses of vitamin B12, from 3,000 mcg four times per week to 9,000 mcg daily.

Also read: Will Vitamin B12 Boost Energy if I don’t have B12 Deficiency? YES!

Vitamin A

The upper limit for vitamin A supplementation is 3,000 IU for adult males and females.  Health experts strongly advise meeting your vitamin A requirement through dietary sources like eggs, fortified milk, and liver, as opposed to pill form.  Unless you have vitamin A deficiency, a risk factor for Crohn’s disease and celiac disease, there is no need to supplement with extra vitamin A.

Vitamin A toxicity may result in:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Blurred vision
• Muscular weakness
• Skin peeling
• Liver fibrosis
• Birth defects
• Damage to the central nervous system
• Osteoporosis
• 18% increased risk for lung cancer, according to the Alpha-Tocopherol Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study

Vitamin C

The upper limit for vitamin C is 2,000 mg per day for adult males and females.  Food source of vitamin C include citrus fruits, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers.  While vitamin C is essential for protecting your immune system, there is inadequate scientific proof that taking extra amounts of vitamin C will help to ward off a cold or reduce cold symptoms.

Vitamin C toxicity may result in:

• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Flatulence
• Kidney stones

Vitamin D

The Institute of Medicine recommends taking no more than 100 IU of vitamin D per day, unless you have vitamin D deficiency.  While it is not possible to get too much vitamin D from sun exposure, taking excess vitamin D in pill form may cause vitamin toxicity.

The Vitamin B12 Patch for Energy

Vitamin D toxicity may result in:

• Rapid uncontrolled weight loss
• Polyuria (excess urine secretion)
• Heart arrhythmias
• Heart and kidney damage from excess calcium levels in the blood
• Kidney stones

Vitamin E

The maximum daily dose of vitamin E is 1,000 IU for adult males and females.  Dieticians recommend getting your vitamin E from food sources like wheat germ, sunflower seeds, and broccoli, as opposed to taking vitamin E pills.

Ironically, health experts used to advise taking extra vitamin E to prevent cancer, but have now reversed their recommendation, based on current research indicating that taking surplus vitamin E may instead increase your risk of cancer by 17%.

Vitamin E toxicity may result in:

• Increased risk for cancer
• Increased risk for hemorrhagic stroke
• Osteoporosis

Please tell us…

Do you have vitamin deficiency, such as vitamin B12 deficiency or vitamin D deficiency? How has vitamin deficiency impacted your life, now that you have been diagnosed? Are you aware of any vitamin toxicity symptoms that are not included in this article?

Spread the love…

Know anybody who could be helped by this information?  Please share this article on Facebook, Google+, or by emailing a link.

We love to hear from you…please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, or questions below!

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency:

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

Diagnosing Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Pernicious Anemia: Top 10 Tests

What are the Symptoms of Pernicious Anemia- B12 deficiency?

Sources:

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Tolerable Upper Intake Levels, Vitamins

Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets

Vitamin B-12: placebo or neglected therapeutic tool?

A pilot study of vitamin B12 in the treatment of tiredness

Deficiencies You Can Deal With

Images:

YaiSirichai, winnond, Toa55, zirconicusso, healingdream

Chronic pain affects close to 50 million Americans with symptoms like severe headaches, nerve pain, muscular soreness, and back pain.  Chronic pain is a nervous system disorder, and does not usually result from any visible injury. Below are 15 common causes of chronic pain, including vitamin B12 deficiency, and 15 potential treatments, including vitamin B12 supplements.

What is chronic pain?

If you break your leg, and it hurts for months afterwards, is that chronic pain?  No.  When you sustain an injury, your nervous system responds by sending out pain signals; that is referred to as “acute pain,” and it is a normal reaction.

With chronic pain, your nervous system continues to fire pain signals, even in the absence of any previous bodily injury.  Chronic pain can last for many months or years, and make it difficult for the pain sufferer to handle everyday commitments.

Chronic pain causes

Below are the 15 most common causes of chronic pain:

1. Neuropathy, including vitamin B12 deficiency and diabetic neuropathy
2. Multiple sclerosis (MS)
3. Fibromyalgia
4. Headache, including migraines and cluster headaches
5. Lower back pain
6. Arthritis pain, including osteoarthritis
7. Psychogenic pain
8. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
9. Endometriosis
10. Visceral pain, including pancreatitis and active hepatitis
11. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
12. Interstitial cystitis
13. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction
14. Shingles
15. Vulvodynia

Also read: I have Fibromyalgia…Which Supplements should I take?

Chronic pain treatments

Only about 58% of chronic pain sufferers find relief through prescribed painkillers.  The best way to treat chronic pain is with a multi-pronged approach that incorporates physician-approved medication, relaxation techniques, vitamins, and holistic treatments for pain.

Below are 15 effective pain treatments:

1. Pain relievers, including acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and aspirin
2. Opioids (narcotics), including codeine, morphine, and oxycodone
3. Antidepressants, including tricyclic antidepressants (Elavil, Tofranil, Anafranil, Norpramin, Sinequan, and Pamelor) and some SNRIs (Effexor and Cymbalta)
4. Anticonvulsants Tegretol, Dilantin, Neurontin, Lyrica, and Lamictal, particularly with migraine headaches
5. Vitamin supplements, including vitamin B12, which is linked with pernicious anemia, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, and multiple sclerosis
6. Herbal supplements
7. Massage
8. Relaxation
9. Acupuncture
10. Biofeedback
11. Chiropractor care
12. Low-impact exercise, including walking, stationary bicycling, swimming, yoga, and tai chi
13. Physical therapy
14. Nerve stimulation
15. Cognitive behavioral therapy, particularly helpful with psychogenic pain

Also read: Pernicious Anemia- Vitamin B12 Deficiency is Nerve Rattling- Peripheral Neuropathy

Please tell us…

Do you suffer from a type of chronic pain that isn’t listed above?  Which of the 15 pain treatments have you tried, and which have been the most helpful?  If you currently use prescription painkillers or narcotics, have you considered replacing them with natural supplements that do not cause side effects?

Spread the love…

Know anybody who could be helped by this information?  Please share this article on Facebook, Google+, or by emailing a link.  As always, we welcome your comments!

Read more about chronic pain and vitamin B12 deficiency:

9 Conditions that Mimic Fibromyalgia and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia- Is there a Difference?

If Vitamin B12 Deficiency Mimics Multiple Sclerosis, How do you tell the Difference?

Sources:

Top Causes of Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain

NINDS Chronic Pain Information Page

Images:

ZaldyImg, Ambro, Ribkov Dagim, lululemon athletica, Maggie Smith

Gastritis, the wearing down of your stomach lining, is sometimes caused by vitamin B12 deficiency from pernicious anemia.  Other illnesses or conditions related to chronic acid reflux, abdominal pain, bubbling indigestion, and stomach bloating from gastritis are listed below…

What is gastritis?

More than just a stomachache, gastritis is what happens when your stomach lining becomes severely damaged- worn away and inflamed.  Gastritis can be a chronic condition that worsens over time, or it can be sudden, because of a stomach infection.

What are the symptoms of gastritis?

The most common symptoms of gastritis include:

• Chronic acid reflux, including at nighttime
• Bloated stomach, even after light meals
• Stomach cramps
• Heartburn
• Hiccupping
• Nausea
• Frequent vomiting
• Vomiting blood or dark grainy substance
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Black feces

Leaky Gut Syndrome Symptoms and Causes

Eight ailments linked with gastritis

1) Pernicious anemia

Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when your stomach is unable to produce intrinsic factor, a necessary protein for digesting vitamin B12.  While some health sites claim that pernicious anemia causes gastritis, it is most likely the other way around.  Stomach damage from gastritis includes the inability to make intrinsic factor in the small intestine’s ileum, leading to vitamin B12 deficiency from pernicious anemia.

Without intrinsic factor, you develop vitamin B12 deficiency, which causes symptoms like fatigue, depression, anxiety, painful tingling in your hands and feet, and many kinds of nerve damage.

2) Autoimmune disorders

Other autoimmune disorders that are linked with gastritis are Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, fibromyalgia, and lupus. (Also read Four Reasons to check your Vitamin B12 Levels with Crohn’s Disease)

3) Alcoholism

Excessive alcohol use can, over time, cause severe damage to your many body organs, including your stomach.  Gastritis and vitamin B12 deficiency are both caused by alcohol abuse.

4) Bile reflux

If bile from your liver rises into your stomach and esophagus, it can cause gastritis and esophageal cancer.  Only surgery can reverse bile reflux and protect you from incurring damage to your stomach.

5) Stress

Anxiety, depression, and daily stress are harmful for both your body and mind.  Accumulated stress may cause gastritis from stomach ulcers.

6) Medications

Certain prescribed and OTC drugs can cause severe gastritis; these include sleeping pills and anti-inflammatory painkillers like aspirin.

7) Chronic vomiting

Gastritis may happen because of frequent vomiting from bulimia, migraines, or other chronic conditions that irritate the stomach.

8) Bacterial infection

Helicobacter pylorus (H. pylori) bacteria dwell in your stomach lining.  Unless it is treated with antibiotics, bacterial infection from H. pylori may cause gastritis, stomach ulcers, and stomach cancer.

Treatment for gastritis

Vitamin B12 shots

The only way to prevent pernicious anemia or vitamin B12 deficiency is routine supplementation of vitamin B12 shots, which are available by prescription.  In addition to the B12 shots, a vitamin B12 patch may also be used to provide extra vitamin B12, as a means of avoiding vitamin B12 deficiency relapse symptoms like fatigue, nerve pain, and stomach cramps between visits to the doctor.

Antacids

For chronic heartburn and gastritis, your doctor may prescribe strong antacids.  Please note that protein pump inhibitors (PPI’s) are a common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency.  If you choose to use PPI’s over an extended period, then you may need to supplement with vitamin B12 in order to avoid vitamin B12 deficiency. (Read Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) – B12 Deficiency and 5 other Health Risks)

Change your diet

In addition to taking medications for gastritis, a simple change in diet will also prevent bloated stomach, acid reflux, heartburn, and abdominal pain.  Avoid eating very spicy foods, choose healthy cooking oils, and take probiotics that contain “good bacteria.”

Eat slower

Learn to eat like the Italians!  Sit down at every meal, practice mindful eating, and savor every bite slowly and deliberately.  Chewing slowly and efficiently is essential for preventing gastritis symptoms like indigestion and nausea.

Antibiotics

For gastritis caused by H. pylori infection, you will need to take a strong regimen of antibiotics and probiotics to prevent stomach irritation.

GI Surgery

If gastritis is occurring because of a life-threatening condition, your doctor might recommend surgery to correct the disorder.  Bile reflux patients and Crohn’s disease patients are candidates for gastrointestinal surgery. (Please read Gastrointestinal Surgery for Crohn’s (IBD) and B12 Warnings)

Please tell us…

Do you have pernicious anemia or vitamin B12 deficiency?  Do you continue to suffer from gastritis symptoms, even though you take vitamin B12 shots regularly?

Do you feel that your doctor addresses all your illness symptoms- fatigue, brain fog, nausea, stomachaches, diarrhea, and frequent “pins and needles?”

Do you have any questions, comments, or suggestions?  Please feel free to use the comment box below.

Spread the love…

Know anybody who could be helped by this information?  Please share this article on Facebook, Google+, or by emailing a link.  As always, we welcome your comments!

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and gastritis:

Pernicious Anemia and Stomach Cancer Risks: What you need to Know

Gut Bugs:Winning the Bacteria Battle

Sources:

Gastritis: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More

Images:

smoking2much, delphaber, Simon Howden, Ambro

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that causes symptoms similar to vitamin B12 deficiency- pain, tingling, numbness, brain fog, and anxiety.  Natural supplements to treat Lyme disease after antibiotics have cured the infection include vitamin B12 and several other essential nutrients and herbs.

How is Lyme disease spread?

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, and it is spread by deer ticks.  Anybody who lives in densely wooded grassy areas is at risk of being bitten by a tick carrying this bacterium.  Once infected, antibiotics must be administered immediately in order to avoid lasting nerve damage.

Symptoms of Lyme disease

Symptoms of Lyme disease may occur several weeks after exposure to an infected tick.  Because symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to autoimmune disorders like pernicious anemia-vitamin B12 deficiency, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome, Lyme disease is sometimes not diagnosed until after severe nerve damage has occurred.

Common symptoms and comorbid conditions of Lyme disease are:

• Red rash
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Nerve pain
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Tremors
• Stiff neck
• Balance problems
• Impaired concentration
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pains
• Anxiety
• Headaches
• Photophobia
• Arthritis
• Bell’s palsy (facial paralysis)
• Bannwarth’s triad (lymphocytic meningitis, cranial nerve palsy and radiculoneuritis)

9 Conditions that Mimic Fibromyalgia and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Supplements that treat Lyme disease

Chronic Lyme disease occurs when people are recurrently infected by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi.  In addition to taking antibiotics to cure the infection, many chronic Lyme disease sufferers may use the following supplements to boost the immune system and relieve symptoms of pain, fatigue, and anxiety.

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Vitamin B12 is essential for protecting the nervous system and reversing demyelinating disorders such as vitamin B12 deficiency, multiple sclerosis, and Lyme disease.

Here are some ways that vitamin B12 protects you from Lyme disease symptoms:

• Vitamin B12 helps your body produce myelin, a fatty substance that coats your nerve fibers and shields them from harm.  With vitamin B12 deficiency and Lyme disease, your myelin sheathe may become worn down, exposing you to harmful toxins that may kill or damage your nerve cells.
• Vitamin B12 also helps your body produce healthy red blood cells.  Without sufficient stores of vitamin B12, your red blood cell count goes down, resulting in decreased oxygen flow to the brain, causing symptoms of fatigue and brain fog.
• Because protein pump inhibitors (PPI’s) are often prescribed to treat Lyme disease, it is essential to include vitamin B12 as part of your treatment plan.  PPI’s interfere with your body’s ability to digest vitamin B12 in the stomach, and long-term usage of protein pump inhibitors is a common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency.
• To prevent nerve damage from Lyme disease, doctors recommend 1000 mcg of vitamin B12 each week.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

Taking 50-100 mgs of vitamin B6 each day is healthy for the metabolism, energy production, and increased healing.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)

In order to further boost your immune system and eliminate toxins from your body, doctors recommend taking large doses of vitamin C daily.

Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol)

Your body makes vitamin D3 whenever you are exposed to sunlight.  Taking extra doses of vitamin D3 is beneficial for strengthening your immunity.

GABA (Gama Amino Butyric Acid)

GABA is an amino acid that your body produces to relax the muscles.  Many Lyme disease patients find relief in taking GABA supplements to calm their nerves, treat anxiety, sleep peacefully, and prevent muscle spasms or seizures. The maximum recommended dose of GABA is 1500 mg, three times per day.

Probiotics

With regular antibiotic use, it is essential to take “friendly bacteria” in order to avoid stomach pains, diarrhea, and nausea.  Many yogurts and kefirs are infused with probiotics.  Additionally, probiotic supplements may be taken.  Doctors recommend 5 – 10 billion CFUs of lactobacillus acidophilus each day.

Olive Leaf Extract

Olive leaf extract is a natural antibiotic, in addition to having anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-yeast properties.  Although alternative antibiotic treatment is not recommended for Lyme disease, many people use olive leaf extract for extra protection from bacterial infection.

Oil of Oregano

Another natural antibiotic, the oil of pressed oregano contains carvacrol, a chemical which researchers believe is helpful for reducing infection.

Raw Garlic

To boost the immune system and kill harmful bacteria, many Lyme disease patients swallow one or more cloves of raw garlic each day.

Cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa)

Followers of herbal medicine hold by 20 mg of Cat’s claw, three times per day, for curing pain symptoms and reducing infection.

Please tell us…

Have you been contracted with Lyme disease?  If so, what treatments did you use besides antibiotics to cure nerve pain?

Do you currently take vitamin B12 shots for relieving neuropathy, or are you using a vitamin B12 patch?

Please feel free to comment, ask questions, or offer suggestions.  We would love to hear from you!

Spread the love…

Know anybody who could be helped by this information?  Please share this article on Facebook, Google+, or by emailing a link.  As always, we welcome your comments!

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency:

Brain Fog: 20 Causes and Symptoms

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

Sources:

Lyme disease- Mayo Clinic.com

Lyme disease

Immune Boosting Vitamins and Lyme Disease

Images:

Wikimedia, RambergMediaImages

Do your legs keep going numb?  It could be vitamin B12 deficiency.  Peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage from pernicious anemia-vitamin B12 deficiency. Symptoms like pain, burning, tingling sensations in your fingers and toes indicate peripheral neuropathy that may be cure with vitamin B12 supplements.

They’re like Fed Ex for your nervous system

Your peripheral nerves operate outside your brain, shunting messages between your brain and your spinal cord.  They communicate signals about taste, touch, hearing, smell, and sight.  The peripheral nerves also transmit messages influencing your motor skills, muscular coordination, and autonomic reflexes like breathing, heartbeat, bowel control, and blood pressure.

Damage to your peripheral nerves is called peripheral neuropathy.  Depending on which nerves are impaired, symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may include disorientation, “brain fog,” loss of muscle control, “pins and needles” sensations, and digestive disorders.

Pernicious anemia-vitamin B12 deficiency is a common cause of peripheral neuropathy. (Read Do you have Franken-DNA from Pernicious Anemia?)

I think I’m having a nervous breakdown…

Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy vary from patient to patient.  Nerve damage caused by pernicious anemia may differ from neuropathy resulting from alcoholism, for example.

• Burning, tingling, and painful numbness in the toes, feet, legs, fingers, hands, and legs
• Decreased ability to differentiate between hot and cold
• Loss of muscular control
• Muscular feebleness
• Tripping
• Muscular twitching, including eyelids
• Indigestion, heartburn, and bloating even after small meals
• Vomiting
• Acid reflux
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Bladder problems
• Sexual dysfunctions
• Sensation of food getting stuck in your throat
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Excess sweating

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

What causes peripheral neuropathy?

At least 20 million US citizens suffer from one of many different types of peripheral neuropathy.

About 30% of the time, doctors are unable to find a cause or cure, and the diagnosis is “idiopathic peripheral neuropathy.” (Meaning, we don’t know why you’re having nerve pain.)

Another 30% of nerve pain is related to diabetes.  Diabetic neuropathy is one of the leading known causes of painful tingling, numbness, and soreness in the feet.

The remaining 30% is caused by an assortment of conditions and ailments:

• Autoimmune disorders like pernicious anemia  and rheumatoid arthritis
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Tumor
• Kidney disease
• Infection
• HIV
• Toxic reaction to alcohol, drugs, or chemotherapy
• Poor circulation
• Hypothyroidism
• Heredity

Type 2 Diabetes and Vitamin B12 Deficiency- Are you at Risk?

Treatments for peripheral neuropathy

Not all kinds of peripheral neuropathy can be cured.  However, understanding the cause, be it vitamin B12 deficiency or Crohn’s disease can help your doctor prescribe proper coping mechanisms and lifestyle habits to avoid complications such as infections or injuries.

• If vitamin B12 deficiency is the cause, then you will need to take vitamin B12 supplements for life.
• If pernicious anemia or digestive disorder is the cause of vitamin B12 deficiency, then you will have to use delivery methods that dispense vitamin B12 directly into your bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system.
• With diabetic peripheral neuropathy, you must check your feet often for blisters and cuts, in order to prevent infections.
• Daily exercise helps to improve circulation and relieve nerve pain.
• Get regular foot and hand massages to improve circulation.
• Don’t sit in the same position for a long time, and don’t put pressure on your arms and legs.
• If you suffer from Crohn’s disease or other GI disorders, then eat light meals that are low in fat, and avoid processed foods.
• Alternative treatments that may alleviate nerve pain include herbal supplements, antioxidants, acupuncture, and biofeedback.

Please tell us…

Do you experience a combination of any of the symptoms described?

Most doctors don’t request vitamin B12 blood tests in routine checkups. When was the last time you had your B12 levels checked?

Spread the love…

Know anybody who could be helped by this information?  Please share this article on Facebook, Google+, or by emailing a link.  As always, we welcome your comments!

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and nerve pain:

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

Pernicious Anemia and B12 Deficiency- Historically Fatal, Still Formidable

Can Vitamin B12 Deficiency Cause Brain Lesions?

Sources:

About Peripheral Neuropathy: Facts

Peripheral neuropathy- PubMed Health

Peripheral Neuropathy- Mayo Clinic.com

Images:

Nina Matthews Photography

What do vitamin B12 deficiency, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis have in common?  More than you realize.  For one, vitamin B12 deficiency occurs often with fibromyalgia, MS, and chronic fatigue syndrome.  Another clue is homocysteine, an excitotoxin that rattles your nervous system, sometimes with debilitating results.

Part I introduced you to excitotoxins…now in Part II, find out how to keep neurotoxins from disrupting your life.

Born with it: Clumsiness and Two Left Feet from Dyspraxia

What illnesses are linked with excitotoxicity?

Many neurodegenerative illnesses and other conditions are linked with elevated levels of excitotoxins such as homocysteine:

• Fibromyalgia
• Migraines
• Multiple sclerosis
• Pernicious anemia (Vitamin B12 deficiency)
• Hypoglycemia
• Seizures
• Stroke
• AIDS dementia
• Huntington’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Infections
• Lyme borreliosis

“Glutamate and aspartate are doubled in viral meningitis, acute multiple sclerosis (MS) and myelopathy compared with control subjects and patients with peripheral facial nerve palsy.”

What causes elevated homocysteine levels?

When your body produces homocysteine, it is immediately broken down by vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxal phosphate).  Vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 keep your homocysteine levels down to a healthy minimum.

However, if you have vitamin B12 deficiency-pernicious anemia, then you don’t have enough vitamin B12 to break down homocysteine.  As a result, homocysteine levels spike, permeating your neurons, causing irreparable damage to your nerve cells and increasing your risk for stroke, heart attack, blood clots, and Alzheimer’s disease.

“…increased homocysteine levels in the central nervous system characterize patients fulfilling the criteria for both fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.”

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

Only supplementation of vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 can lower your homocysteine levels back to normal.  If you have pernicious anemia, then dietary forms of vitamin B12 are ineffective.  Only direct insertion of vitamin B12 into your bloodstream can prevent further damage to your nervous system.

For maximum vitamin B12 therapy, experts recommend adding as much vitamin B12 as possible.  If prescription vitamin B12 shots, which contain 1000 mcg of vitamin B12 aren’t enough to reverse symptoms, then you have the option of supplementing with a weekly vitamin B12 patch, as well.  Combined, many sufferers of vitamin B12 deficiency find relief in as little as a few days following vitamin B12 therapy.

Please tell us…

• Do you have one or more of the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency as described?
• Do you suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency and other comorbid illnesses such as fibromyalgia or multiple sclerosis?
• How likely are you to change your diet and increase your vitamin B12, now that you know about the risk factors involved?
• Please share your comments!

Spread the love…

Know anybody who could be helped by this information?  Please share this article on Facebook, Google+, or by emailing a link.  As always, we welcome your comments!

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency:

Vitamin B12 Deficiency is Excitotoxic, Part I

Pernicious Anemia and Stomach Cancer Risks: What you need to Know

Can Vitamin B12 Deficiency Cause Brain Lesions?

Sources:

Relief of fibromyalgia symptoms following discontinuation of dietary excitotoxins

Neurotransmitters in cerebrospinal fluid reflect pathological activity-PubMed, NCBI

Increased concentrations of homocysteine in the cerebrospinal fluid in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome- PubMed, NCBI

Cytochemical detection of homocysteine in pernicious anemia and in chronic erythremic myelosis- PubMed, NCBI

Excitotoxins

Images:

What do vitamin B12 deficiency-pernicious anemia, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis have in common?  More than you realize.  For one, vitamin B12 deficiency occurs often with fibromyalgia, MS, and chronic fatigue syndrome.  Another clue is homocysteine, an excitotoxin that rattles your nervous system, sometimes with debilitating results.

What are excitotoxins?

Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills defines excitotoxins as amino acids “that react with specialized receptors in the brain in such a way as to lead to destruction of certain types of brain cells.” Because they damage your nerve cells, excitotoxins are also referred to as neurotoxins.

Damaged nerve cells are one of the many side effects of vitamin B12 deficiency-pernicious anemia.

Homocysteine, for example, is an excitotoxin.  Too much homocysteine causes your brain’s nerve cells to malfunction, breaking down the myelin sheathe and the blood-brain barrier (BBB), letting in free radicals, and potentially killing brain cells that can never be replicated.

Elevated homocysteine levels are also one of many side effects of vitamin B12 deficiency-pernicious anemia.

Can Vitamin B12 Deficiency Cause Brain Lesions?

Common excitotoxins

The following amino acids are classified as excitotoxins (neurotoxins):

• Homocysteine (L-cysteine)
• Glutamate (found in MSG and hydrolyzed vegetable protein)
• Aspartate (found in aspartame)
• Beta amyloid

Symptoms of excitotoxicity

The following symptoms may indicate nerve damage caused by excitotoxins:

• Chronic headaches (migraines)
• Painful tingling and numbness in your hands and feet (vitamin B12 deficiency)
• Muscular pain in specific sensitive spots (fibromyalgia)
• Unexplained constant tiredness, despite sleeping well and not overexerting oneself physically (chronic fatigue syndrome)
• Loss of muscular control (multiple sclerosis)

Coming in Part II, find out which illnesses are linked with excitotoxins, and what you can do to prevent nerve damage…

Please tell us…

• Do you have one or more of the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency as described?
• Do you suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency and other comorbid illnesses such as fibromyalgia or multiple sclerosis?
• How likely are you to change your diet and increase your vitamin B12, now that you know about the risk factors involved?
• Please share your comments!

Spread the love…

Know anybody who could be helped by this information?  Please share this article on Facebook, Google+, or by emailing a link.  As always, we welcome your comments!

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency:

Will Vitamin B12 Boost Energy if I don’t have B12 Deficiency? YES!

9 Conditions that Mimic Fibromyalgia and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Sources:

Relief of fibromyalgia symptoms following discontinuation of dietary excitotoxins

Neurotransmitters in cerebrospinal fluid reflect pathological activity-PubMed, NCBI

Increased concentrations of homocysteine in the cerebrospinal fluid in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome- PubMed, NCBI

Cytochemical detection of homocysteine in pernicious anemia and in chronic erythremic myelosis- PubMed, NCBI

Excitotoxins

Images:

Wikimedia

Short-term memory loss happens, and not just to the elderly.  The most common causes of severe memory loss are dementia (Alzheimer’s disease), drug abuse, brain damage, and neurological illness.  Even minor memory loss can be debilitating, if it goes on for years.  Reduced cognitive skills- brain fog, mental fatigue, irritability, lack of focus, and yes- memory loss are usually symptoms of an underlying condition that requires medical attention.

Here are 6 unusual causes of memory loss that you haven’t considered:

Not getting your vitamin B12

One of the many symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency is cognitive impairment.  Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is necessary for red blood cell distribution.  If you have low levels of vitamin B12, then your brain is not receiving enough oxygen, and the results are symptoms like short-term memory loss, decreased mental focus, forgetfulness, chronic fatigue, and difficulty understanding new concepts.

Other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• “Pins and needles” in hands and feet
• Painful numbness in the extremities
• Lack of muscular coordination
• Muscular pains
• Frequently dropping things and stumbling
• Diarrhea
• Skin itching
• Eye twitches

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

Overeating

A recent study published by the Mayo Clinic reveals that elderly individuals who eat between 2,100 and 6,000 calories each day are twice as likely to suffer mild cognitive impairment (MCI) than people who don’t overeat.

• Survey information collected from 1,233 elderly residents of Olmstead County, Minnesota found a direct link between high caloric intake and memory loss.
• Study participants were asked to submit a questionnaire regarding their eating habits, including calorie intake.
• While none of the participants suffered from dementia, 163 did experience symptoms of cognitive impairment such as memory loss.
• After reviewing survey results, scientists noted that most of the people who had MCI overate, making them twice as likely to suffer from short-term memory loss.

Being a male

In a recent report by the Mayo Clinic on aging, researchers found that elderly men are more likely to suffer from short-term memory loss than are women of the same age.  In a study of 1,450 test subjects, 296 showed signs of milk cognitive impairment, with an incidence rate of 7.2% for males and 5.7% for females.

Being stressed out

When you’re stressed, anxious, or depressed, you become fatigued.  Your brain becomes overstimulated, and unless you give it a break, you’ll suffer signs of cognitive impairment, such as short-term memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and disorientation.  There exists a high correlation between many types of mental illness (bi-polar disorder, severe depression, and anxiety disorder) and attention deficit disorders.

Autoimmune disorder

“Brain fog” is a common complaint among people who suffer from autoimmune disorders such as fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and celiac disease.  If you also suffer symptoms like severe stomach pain, diarrhea, constant muscular soreness, or daily headaches, then consult your doctor immediately.  (Also read: 6 Degrees of Vitamin B12- B12 Deficiency and Autoimmune Disease)

Not getting your Omega-3’s

A recent study published by Neurology indicated that people who are low in omega-3 fatty acids have significantly less brain mass and more symptoms of cognitive impairment than people who eat healthy amounts of omega-3’s.

• Using MRI testing and blood samples, researchers observed 1,500 elderly individuals who had no prior history for dementia.
• Participants who had the lowest levels of DHA omega-3 fatty acids had the least brain mass, putting them in the bottom 25% range.
• Also, subjects with the lowest omega-3 intake performed poorly on cognitive skill testing, including visual memory, abstract thinking skills, and executive function.
• Overall, low omega-3 levels accounted for accelerated brain aging and atrophy by two years.

Please tell us…

• Do you have trouble remembering words that used to roll off your tongue?
• Do you find yourself forgetting to do things unless you write yourself a memo?
• Have you been tested for vitamin B12 deficiency?
• Please let us know your thoughts by commenting below!

Spread the love…

Know anybody who could be helped by this information?  Please share this article on Facebook, Google+, or by emailing a link.  As always, we welcome your comments!

Read more about memory loss and vitamin B12:

5 Ways to Ruin your Memory without getting Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Brain Fog: 20 Ways to Deal

How to keep Vitamin B12 Deficiency from Shrinking your Brain

Sources:

Overeating May Double The Risk Of Memory Loss

Mayo Clinic Finds Mild Cognitive Impairment is Common, Affects Men Most

Red blood cell omega-3 fatty acid levels and markers of accelerated brain aging

Memory loss: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

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DerrickT, TheAlieness GiselaGiardino², David Castillo Dominici, stockvault

Pernicious anemia is rarely fatal, thanks to vitamin B12 supplements, but it can still be detrimental.  Stomach cancer risks and pernicious anemia are closely correlated, according to the most recent cancer research.    If you suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency, you might require routine stomach cancer screenings.

What is pernicious anemia?

Pernicious anemia (megaloblastic anemia) is an illness that occurs when your immune system attacks the parietal cells of your stomach, inhibiting production of intrinsic factor.  Without intrinsic factor, your body is unable to digest vitamin B12 (cobalamin) from dietary sources like meat, poultry, fish, and milk, and as a result, you acquire vitamin B12 deficiency. Pernicious anemia is classified as an autoimmune disorder.

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 is extremely crucial for many biological functions, including producing red blood cells for oxygen distribution, building healthy DNA, protecting your nervous system, supporting cognitive functioning, and producing energy.

Without proper stores of vitamin B12, you may experience the following symptoms:

• Extreme fatigue, exhaustion, on a daily basis
• Poor memory
• Poor attention skills
• Difficulty focusing
• Difficulty remembering numbers
• Irritability
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Hallucinations
• Paranoia
• Unusually aggressive behavior
• Muscular soreness and weakness
• Painful tingling in hands and feet
• Numbness in hands and feet
• Eye twitching
• Muscle spasms
• Poor physical balance
• Frequent stumbling and dropping things
• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramps

Absorbing Vitamin B12, a Metabolic Gastrointestinal Journey

What are the symptoms of stomach cancer?

If you suffer from pernicious anemia or vitamin B12 deficiency, then it is essential to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of stomach cancer, while also eliminating conditions that mimic stomach cancer, such as stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

• Heartburn
• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Nighttime acid reflux
• Constipation
• Decreased appetite
• Stomach bloating after eating a full meal
• Stomach problems without overindulging
• Feeling of food getting caught in your throat while eating
• Chronic fatigue
• Bloody stool
• Rapid weight loss

Leaky Gut Syndrome Symptoms and Causes

Stomach cancer risk factors

Stomach cancer is one of the three most deadly forms of cancer in the world, but routine screening minimizes your risk considerably.   If you are including in any of the following categories, including pernicious anemia, then it is crucial to inform your doctor and request periodic testing for gastric cancer.

The most common risk factors for stomach cancer include:

• Pernicious anemia
• Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID)
• Helicobacter pylori infection
• Stomach lymphoma, or mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma
• Gender, male
• Old age, between the ages of 60 and 90
• Smoking cigarettes
• Stomach surgery
• Type A blood
• Family history of stomach cancer, or any type of cancer
• Stomach polyp larger than 2 centimeters
• Epstein-Barr virus infection

Prevent vitamin B12 deficiency and stomach cancer

• Pernicious anemia is treatable only with non-dietary vitamin B12 supplements, such as prescription vitamin B12 injections.
• Other popular methods of supplementing with vitamin B12 include sublingual vitamin B12 tablets, vitamin B12 patches, and liquid vitamin B12.
• The best way to prevent stomach cancer is to screen regularly and alert your doctor to any new symptoms such as fatigue, chronic indigestion, nausea, decreased appetite, and blood in the stool.
• Also, if you smoke, then quit immediately.
• If you suffer from heartburn, then treat it, as it masks warning signs of stomach cancer.
• Finally, follow a healthy diet, including fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, and abstaining from processed foods, saturated fats, and white sugar and flour.

Please tell us…

• Before today, were you aware of the strong link between pernicious anemia and stomach cancer?
• Has this article motivated you to eat healthier, quit smoking, or take regular vitamin B12 supplements?
• Please share your comments, questions, and suggestions below!

Spread the love…

Please share this article with your friends, family, or anybody you care about!

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and pernicious anemia:

Diagnosing Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Pernicious Anemia: Top 10 Tests

Do you have Franken-DNA from Pernicious Anemia?

Sources:

Gastric cancer- PubMed Health

Stomach Cancer: Symptoms and Signs | Cancer.Net

What are the risk factors for stomach cancer?

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mediaspin, rick, nokhoog_buchachon

If you feel fatigued, and suspect B12 deficiency, then see your doctor immediately.  Before diagnosing vitamin B12 deficiency or pernicious anemia, your doctor will run a vitamin B12 blood test for vitamin B12 levels in your blood, in addition to measuring your red blood cells and homocysteine levels.  Here are ten tests still used today to diagnose vitamin B12 and pernicious anemia.

Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms:

Vitamin B12 deficiency can be difficult to catch, because it masks itself as many other conditions.  Sometimes, B12 deficiency occurs as a secondary side effect of a primary illness like fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, or celiac disease.  Other times, vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms are overlooked because of underlying conditions such as depression or diabetes.

The most common symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency and pernicious anemia are:

• Chronic fatigue that is not relieved by sleep and does not result from overexertion
• Depression, long-term
• Anxiety
• Aggressive behavior that is unusual
• Paranoia
• Difficulty focusing or paying attention
• Short-term memory loss
• Frequent forgetfulness
• “Brain fog”
• Forgetting words on “tip of tongue”
• Forgetting numerical codes like phone numbers or PINs
• Hallucinations
• Painful tingling and numbness in extremities (hands, feet, arms, and legs)
• “Pins and needles”
• Painful tingling or burning sensation in tongue and mouth
• Red, swollen tongue
• Altered taste perception
• Decreased balance and muscular coordination
• Frequent stumbling and dropping things
• Diarrhea
• Sleep difficulties

What are the Symptoms of Pernicious Anemia- B12 deficiency?

10 Tests that diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency and pernicious anemia

1) Serum vitamin B12 level: First, your physician will request a vitamin B12 blood test to determine if your vitamin B12 blood (cobalamin) levels are indeed low.  Usually, if test results are positive, then vitamin B12 supplementation begins immediately.  (See below, vitamin B12 therapy)

The vitamin B12 blood screening is the most important test for diagnosing vitamin B12 deficiency, and if you respond well to vitamin B12 supplements, then further testing is not usually required.

However, if your doctor suspects pernicious anemia, then he might order one or more of the following additional tests:

2) Complete blood count (CBC): A blood test to screen the amount of red and white blood cells.  With pernicious anemia, your red blood cells become engorged and misshapen, resulting in low distribution of red blood cells throughout your body.

3) Serum folate level:  Many people who have vitamin B12 deficiency also are deficient in the B vitamin folate.

4) Serum  lactate dehydrogenase (LDH): Your doctor might order a blood test measuring LDH levels.

5) Reticulocyte count: This test looks for reticulocytes (slightly immature red blood cells).

6) Homocysteine test:  High homocysteine levels in your blood may indicate vitamin B12 deficiency, folate deficiency, or vitamin B6 deficiency.

7) Gastrin level: a test measuring the amount of the hormone gastrin in your blood may help doctors diagnose the cause of vitamin B12 deficiency.

8) Methylmalonic acid (MMA) test- With vitamin B12 deficiency, methylmalonic acid levels go up.  The MMA test provides more proof of the existence of vitamin B12 deficiency.

9) Intrinsic factor antibody test:  Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disorder in which sufferers are not able to product intrinsic factor, a necessary hormone for absorbing vitamin B12.  Before diagnosing pernicious anemia, your doctor has to confirm the existence of an antibody in your system that inhibits intrinsic factor production, thereby causing vitamin B12 deficiency.

10) Bone marrow staining: Sometimes, your physician might require a bone marrow biopsy in order to determine other potential causes of pernicious anemia or general red blood cell disorders.

Do you have Franken-DNA from Pernicious Anemia?

What about the Schilling test for vitamin B12 deficiency?

In the past, doctors have used the Schilling test to diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency.  The Schilling test involves swallowing harmless, radioactive doses of vitamin B12 and tracking its progress in your body.  However, because it involves fasting and the use of low-dose radiation, and because it may cause side effects like nausea, the Schilling test is rarely used.

Schilling test—a test in which a harmless amount of radiation is used to assess whether a vitamin B12 deficiency exists (rarely used)

Vitamin B12 therapy

Once diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency, your doctor will likely prescribe vitamin B12 shots, beginning with 1000 mcg of vitamin B12 per week.  These B12 shots are only available upon prescription.

• After the first month, B12 shots may be decreased to once per month, upon doctor’s orders.
• If B12 deficiency symptoms (fatigue, muscular pain, and brain fog) continue despite vitamin B12 injections, you may supplement with additional over-the-counter (OTC) vitamin B12.
• OTC vitamin B12 includes sublingual vitamin B12 tablets that dissolve under the tongue and dime-sized vitamin B12 patches that may be adhered behind the ear.
• Once your vitamin B12 levels are normal, your doctor will likely stop vitamin B12 shots in favor of OTC vitamin B12.
• Sublingual vitamin B12 requires supplementation three times per day.  Side effects may include unpleasant taste and burning, tingling sensation on the tongue.
• Sublingual vitamin B12 must be dissolved under the tongue as indicated; if they are chewed or swallowed, then vitamin B12 will not be absorbed.
• Vitamin B12 patches cause no discomfort or side effects, and require one application per week.

Please tell us…

• Aside from taking the blood test for vitamin B12, have you received any of the other tests mentioned?
• Please share your experience with vitamin B12 supplementation.
• We welcome all comments, questions, or suggestions!

Spread the love…

Please share this article with your friends, family, or anybody you care about!

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and pernicious anemia:

WhichTests check Absorption of Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12- How much do you need?

Sources:

Anemia – B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia – Exams and Tests

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

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