Vitamin B12 deficiency causes pernicious anemia, which creates horrible symptoms like painful tingling in your hands and feet, numbness, chronic fatigue, memory loss, depression, and even chronic clumsiness.  What’s really behind all these debilitating symptoms, you wonder?  Deranged DNA…

You’re mad, I tell you- Mad!

Pernicious anemia (PA) tends to creep up on you, like a scary monster in a B movie.  You might not even realize you have B12 deficiency until you start noticing weird symptoms.  Your hands and feet fall asleep on you while you sit at your computer.  It feels like thousands of fire ants are crawling up your legs. Sometimes, you could swear that your mouth was on fire, like you ate a red chili pepper.

Only you didn’t…

Then PA attacks your brain, causing brain fog.  You struggle to find the right words in conversation, left hanging while you awkwardly try to remember what you were trying to say.  You walk into a room and immediately forget what you came in for.  You forget to buy things on your mental shopping list.  You wake up feeling drugged, exhausted, even though you had plenty of sleep the night before.

If you didn’t have your name printed clearly for you on your driver’s license, you just might forget it…

Pernicious Anemia and B12 Deficiency- Historically Fatal, Still Formidable

Pernicious anemia is Abby-normal

Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disorder in which your body interferes with production of a very necessary protein- intrinsic factor.  Intrinsic factor is produced in your stomach, and you need it to digest vitamin B12 (cobalamin). Without intrinsic factor, your body cannot extract vitamin B12 from food sources like beef, chicken, fish, and eggs.  Instead, the vitamin B12 just passes through your intestines, without ever entering the blood stream.

Say goodbye to B12…

DNA production goes awry

If pernicious anemia sounds frightening, it’s because it does wicked things to your body.  You need vitamin B12 for many important bodily functions, like protecting the nervous system, enhancing cognitive development, and maintaining adequate supplies of energy.

Most importantly, your red blood cells need vitamin B12 for DNA synthesis.  With pernicious anemia, DNA synthesis in the red blood cells comes to a standstill, while RNA synthesis keeps chugging along.

And then, things get really weird…

Franken-DNA is born

The result is microcytic anemia, a type of megaloblastic anemia causing enlarged red blood cells.  Not only are your blood cells too big to function normally, but they are also deformed.  Your poor large red blood cells remain trapped inside your bone marrow, unable to leave because they have grown enormous in size.

Remember Alice, trapped in the White Rabbit’s house?  Yeah, it’s kind of like that.

Hey, where’re all the red blood cells at?

Trapped in your bone marrow!  And your body needs red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout the body.  But with vitamin B12 deficiency, very few red blood cells manage to escape their “prison” in your bones, because they are too big to exit. Your red blood cell levels go way down, and you start to feel tired, anxious, and wiry.

It’s because you are not getting enough oxygen.

Top Ten Signs of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Treating macrocytic anemia

Managing macrocytic anemia is simple enough if you know what’s causing it.  Pernicious anemia from low B12 levels is just one cause.  Other causes of enlarged red blood cells are alcoholism and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), among others.  With alcoholism, B12 deficiency symptoms can still be the underlying cause of macrocytic anemia.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can be treated with vitamin B12 supplements.  However, if your body can’t digest vitamin B12 because of lack of intrinsic factor, then you will have to use vitamin B12 supplements that bypass the digestive system and go directly into the bloodstream.

Examples of vitamin B12 supplementation used for pernicious anemia are routine B12 shots, sublingual B12 pills, and vitamin B12 patches.  The B12 shots require a doctor’s prescription, and can be painful, as they have to be inserted into thick muscular tissue.  B12 pills and vitamin B12 patches are readily available over-the-counter (OTC).  Many patients have reported a burning sensation while using sublingual B12 tablets that dissolve under the tongue.  No discomfort or irritation is reported with usage of the vitamin B12 patch.

Did you find this article helpful?  Please share your opinion!

Have you noticed any of the symptoms described?  If you know anybody who exhibits any of these symptoms, please share this information with them.

Read more about pernicious anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency

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

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

Sources:

Macrocytosis

Macrocytosis: What causes it?

Macrocytosis and Macrocytic Anaemia

Images, from top:

twm1340, Purestock

Fibromyalgia sufferers, listen up: It’s no secret that forgetfulness is one of the many symptoms of chronic pain syndromes.  “Brain fog” makes it hard to remember important schedules, to-do lists, and…what was I going to say?  You have enough on your plate without having to worry about whether or not you took all your fibromyalgia pain medications, what time the pharmacy opens, or what website you used to order your vitamin refills.

If you’ve got an iPhone or iPad, then use it to your advantage!  Here are some great tricks that let you get the most chronic pain management out of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod without spending a cent.

Trick #1: Pimp your home screen!

Dilemma: “My favorite website doesn’t have an app!”  Let’s say that you like a website, and you use it often to order vitamins, prescription refills, or other necessities that you can’t live without.  You want to be able to access this site immediately from your iPhone home screen…but there isn’t an app for that. You can make your own custom icon and stick it on your home screen!  Here’s how it’s done:

Go to your favorite page.  For example, the page you use to order your vitamin B12 patch refills.

Click on the arrow at the bottom of the screen.

Now, choose “Add to Home Screen.”

The official title of the home page is Vita Sciences but you can change it to B12 Patch; just remember to keep it short and easy to identify.

That’s it! Now you have a shiny new custom-designed icon on your home page that you can’t get at the iTunes store. This is a great trick that you can use for any and all websites.  Use it for pages that you use often, or just for something that you want quick access to in case of emergency. Pretty nifty, huh?

Trick #2: Set up vitamin and medication alerts!

The iTunes app store offers lots of daily reminders that are inexpensive.  You can track everything from your menstrual period, to your food diet points, to your bill schedule.  Sure, you could buy a pill reminder for 99-cents, but why bother? Your iPhone already came with an excellent calendar, and it’s just humming to remind you to take your pain medications, vitamin supplements, or to open up a fresh weekly vitamin B12 patch. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to program it, either.  Here’s how:

Go to your calendar.  Click the “+” sign at the top right corner to add an event.  (Question: When did remembering to take your pain medicine become an event? Answer: Since brain fog became one of the symptoms.)

Okay.  Type in all the important details, like name of event (It’s B12 Patch day!), location (Behind the ear), repeat sequence (weekly), and most importantly, alert time.  Steve Jobs must have foreseen that fibromyalgia patients would need to use it, because he cleverly programmed two alerts to remind you to take your vitamins; one initial reminder, and then another one, in case you already forgot the first warning. This is an essential tool for people who are forgetful, which is anybody who suffers from:

• Fibromyalgia
• Pernicious anemia
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Motherhood

And here’s your gentle reminder to take your vitamin B12 patch.

Trick #3: Get these great apps!

Here are some free iTunes apps that are worth a second look:

This is the Chronic Pain Tracker Lite: This free app lets you document your pain history in a way that is simple and functional.  You can keep track of pain triggers, pain severity, location of pain, medications, and even add your own personal notes. This free version allows you to list up to 20 entries.  If you really like it, then you can get the paid version for $14.99, which is still cheaper than getting a health coach.

Also free, the Medscape app is a great tool for accessing up-to-the minute information on pain treatments, breakthrough scientific research, and common pain symptoms.  It’s like having a medical encyclopedia in your pocket, only much lighter. ;-)

Trick #4: Use Google Maps to find your nearest pharmacy- quick!

Google Maps is another excellent iPhone tool for people who have trouble remembering where their closest pharmacy is, even if you’ve been using them for prescription refills for the past 15 years.

Bingo!  I knew Walgreens was somewhere around that neighborhood, give or take a few miles.

Trick #5:  Follow the leaders on Twitter!

Finally, you don’t like to be in the dark.  24-7, people are talking about things that importantly impact your life; things like 9 Conditions that Mimic Fibromyalgia and Vitamin B12 Deficiency, or If Vitamin B12 Deficiency Mimics Multiple Sclerosis, How do you tell the Difference? You want to join in on the conversation, and be “in the know,” right?  The best way to do that is to follow them on Twitter.  This way, if the Fibromyalgia Society decides to coordinate an impromptu Occupy Fibromyalgia sit-in, you’ll be one of the first to respond.

The B12 Patch won’t be leading any protests any time soon, but we do keep you informed on the many topics related to vitamin B12 deficiency, like pernicious anemia symptoms, gastrointestinal disorders, gastric bypasses, diabetes, chronic fatigue, autoimmune disorders, and of course, fibromyalgia.

The elderly need to increase their intake of vitamin B12, in order to avoid memory loss from B12 deficiency.  Brain loss caused by Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is a part of the aging process, but by getting enough vitamin B12 in your blood, you can prevent suffering the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Chicago study links low levels of vitamin B12 with memory loss

A 2011 study that focused on 121 community-dwelling participants of the Chicago Health and Aging Project found a strong correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and memory loss.  Scientists measured methylmalonate levels to determine vitamin B12 deficiency.

• They found a direct relationship between low levels of vitamin B12, reduced brain volume, and decreased cognitive skills, such as loss of short-term memory.
• Scientists noted poorer memory skills, slower thinking processes, and impaired comprehension skills as attributes associated with elevated methylmalonate levels- an indicator of vitamin B12 deficiency.
• Also considered were plasma homocysteine levels, which scientists also connected with loss of brain mass.  High levels of homocysteine are common in vitamin B12 deficiency.
• Scientists concluded that methylmalonate, an indicator of vitamin B12 deficiency, has a direct impact on brain volume, and that vitamin B12 has multiple benefits on brain chemistry beyond just memory skills.
• In 2008, a UK study conducted by the University of Oxford produced similar results; namely, that vitamin B12 deficiency is a likely cause of brain atrophy, dementia, and short-term memory loss among the elderly.

How to keep Vitamin B12 Deficiency from Shrinking your Brain

For the elderly, eating foods with vitamin B12 isn’t enough

Eating plenty of foods rich in vitamin B12 is always a good idea; such foods include protein sources like beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, and cheese. But for the elderly, the problem isn’t really eating enough sources of vitamin B12, but rather digesting them.  Part of the aging process involves making less stomach acids that are necessary for absorbing vitamin B12 from foods.  As a result, many elderly individuals who include meat in their diet still run a high risk for getting B12 deficiency.

Unless blood tests indicate healthy levels of vitamin B12, senior citizens must supplement with vitamin B-12 (cobalamin) with a routine prescribed B12 shot in order to avoid the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.  Another popular option is adding a vitamin B12 patch.

Memory loss in B12 deficiency for the young and old

It isn’t just the elderly who should be concerned with memory loss- short-term memory loss is one of many symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, regardless of age.

Vitamin B12- How much do you need?

Other symptoms of dangerously low B12 levels are:

• Chronic fatigue
• Depression
• Difficulty concentrating
• Anxiety
• Paranoia
• Aggressive behavior
• Hallucinations
• Balance problems
• Poor muscular control
• Numbness or tingling in hands, arms, feet, and legs
• Sore, red swollen tongue
• Altered taste perception

Long-term exposure to vitamin B12 deficiency could result in severe neurological damage, pernicious anemia, increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and cancer, and osteoporosis.

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and memory loss:

12 Ways to Avoid Alzheimer’s Disease

FDA Approves Brain Scan to Detect Alzheimer’s Disease

Adult ADHD Could Lead to Dementia

Sources:

Low Vitamin B12 Linked to Smaller Brains and Cognitive Decline

Vitamin B12 Levels Linked to Memory Skills and Brain Size

Low Vitamin B12 May Speed Brain Shrinkage

Low Vitamin B12 Linked to Smaller Brain Size

Elevated Plasma Homocysteine Is Associated with Increased Brain Atrophy Rates in Older Subjects with Mild Hypertension

Vitamin B12, cognition, and brain MRI measures- A cross-sectional examination

Vitamin B12 status and rate of brain volume loss in community-dwelling elderly

Image credits, from top:

Was a bee, Sean.lewis29, Ambro, photostock

Numerous studies linking elevated homocysteine with mental illness prove that symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency caused by low B12 (cyanocobalamin) in the blood are often mistaken for mental health issues, such as depression, dementia, and schizophrenia.

What is homocysteine?

Homocysteine is an amino acid that your body makes when you eat meat products.  Having too much homocysteine in your blood supply causes damage to your arteries and increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.

B-Gone, Heart Disease

What is B12, and how does it regulate homocysteine?

Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that occurs exclusively in animal-based foods such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs, and milk products.  Some of the riches sources of vitamin B12 are organ meats (liver, heart), oysters, and clams.

Together with vitamin B6 and folic acid, vitamin B12 helps break down homocysteine and keep them at a safe, healthy level.  Without sufficient stores of these essential vitamins, homocysteine levels would escalate, leaving you at a high risk for developing diseases associated with elevated homocysteine levels, such as pernicious anemia, neurological damage, and cardiovascular disease.

Elevated homocysteine plasma levels are one of many symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

B Vitamins prevent Cardiovascular Disease- B6, B12 and Folate

What are symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

Typical early signs of B12 deficiency are:

• Constant fatigue
• Depression
• Disorientation
• Anxiety
• Paranoia
• Memory loss
• Frequent numbness or tingling, “pins and needles”
• Legs or arms constantly “falling asleep”
• Loss of balance
• Weakened muscular control
• Altered taste perception
• Red, swollen tongue

B12 Deficiency: Don’t Ignore the Symptoms

What illnesses are associated with elevated plasma homocysteine levels?

Scientists believe that homocysteine is behind a wide variety of conditions and illnesses, from visual problems and eating disorders, to heart disease and schizophrenia. Currently, most scientists agree that elevated homocysteine levels share a significant correlation with the following diseases:

• Atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries)
• Increased risk of heart attacks
• Increased risk of strokes
• Blood clots
• Alzheimer’s disease

How many studies link elevated plasma homocysteine levels with mental illness?

A growing number of scientific studies prove a significant correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency, homocysteine levels, and mental health problems, such as schizophrenia, depression, chronic fatigue, dementia, and even eating disorders in women.

1- In Beersheva, Israel, a study focused on treating patients of Alzheimer’s and cerebrovascular disease with folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 supplements.  In this randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, scientists of Ben Gurion University noted a marked decrease of schizophrenia symptoms in patients who received the vitamin supplements.

2- In Boston, Massachusetts, a Tufts University study linking low vitamin B12 and cognitive impairment in the elderly noted a direct correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and anemia, macrocytosis, and cognitive problems such as dementia.

3- In another study by Ben Gurion University, scientists measured plasma homocysteine levels in females with eating disorders. They found a significantly high level of homocysteine in females between the ages of 16-20 who had eating disorders.

4- Elevated plasma levels of homocysteine in females with eating disorders were also the focus of this German study that linked excessive homocysteine with depression, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

5- A Swedish study on older patients with mental illness concluded that age and plasma homocysteine levels more accurately predict cognitive functioning skills than brain imaging, as measured by the Mini mental state examination (MMSE).

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and mental illness:

Teen Mental Illness: Unnoticed, Undiagnosed in America

Worried about Low B12 Lab Results?

The Many Benefits of Vitamin B12…

Sources:

Homocysteine Blood Test Information on MedicineNet.com

Effects of dietary supplements on depressive symptoms in older patients: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial- PubMed NCBI

Homocysteine-reducing strategies improve symptoms in chronic schizophrenic patients with hyperhomocysteinemia- PubMed NCBI

Folate and vitamin B-12 status in relation to anemia, macrocytosis, and cognitive impairment in older Americans in the age of folic acid fortification- PubMed NCBI

Plasma homocysteine levels in female patients with eating disorders- PubMed NCBI

Plasma homocysteine, brain imaging and cognition in older patients with mental illness- PubMed NCBI

Depressive symptoms may explain elevated plasma levels of homocysteine in females with eating disorders- PubMed NCBI

Public health significance of elevated homocysteine- PubMed NCBI

Image credits, from top:

digitalart, Suat Eman, jscreationzs, ponsulak

For years, vitamin B12 has been the staple energy vitamin for stars such as Madonna, Justin Timberlake, and Prince.  Now, B12 vitamins are part of Glee star Lea Michele’s regimen against vitamin B12 deficiency. Find out why celebrities such as Lea Michele rely on B12 supplements for added stamina, strength, and mental focus.

The Glee star’s secret to weight loss

How does Lea Michele, who plays the bossy, competitive, (and sometimes infuriating) Rachel on Glee keep her figure?  Recently, she confessed to following a strictly macrobiotic vegan diet, composed of mostly vegetables, grains, and beans. By cutting out meat, chicken, and dairy products from her diet, Lea has managed to lose ten pounds since she first started filming on the set.

Vitamin B12 for Weight Loss- Why it Works

How does she avoid B12 deficiency?

Lea admits to also eating a few servings of fish per week, in order to avoid getting vitamin B12 deficiency.  Since Vitamin B12 occurs only in animal-based foods, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and milk, supplementing with extra vitamin B12 is crucial for avoiding low B12 blood levels.  How does she justify introducing a non-vegan source into her vegan diet?  Apparently, macrobiotic veganism makes special allowances for seafood.  Lea Michele understands that a diet low in vitamin B12 is a diet that leads to B12 deficiency symptoms.

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

People who deplete their stores of vitamin B12 encounter symptoms such as extreme fatigue, muscular weakness, depression, diminished coordination, memory loss, and frequent numbness or tingling sensations (pins and needles) in their hands, arms, legs, and feet. Untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency escalates into pernicious anemia, dementia, neurological damage, osteoporosis, and increased risk for heart attack, cancer, and stroke.

6 Degrees of Vitamin B12- B12 Deficiency and Autoimmune Disease

How does vitamin B12 benefit an active lifestyle?

Vitamin B12 influences a wide range of bodily functions- by ensuring balanced B12 levels in your blood supply, you feel more energized, stimulated, confident, and “gleeful.”

• Vitamin B12 is instrumental in DNA synthesis
• Vitamin B12 protects your nervous system
• Vitamin B12 boosts your metabolism
• Vitamin B12 controls homocysteine levels, reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke
• Vitamin B12 supports cognitive functioning
• Vitamin B12 protects you from vitamin deficiency symptoms of fatigue, depression, anxiety, and “brain fog”
• Vitamin B12 helps you stay on track with your fitness regimen and enables you to make better food choices

Read more about the many health benefits of vitamin B12:

Justin Bieber among 10 Celeb “Beliebers” in Vitamin B12 Shots

The Vitamin B12 Patch for Energy

The Many Benefits of Vitamin B12…

Sources:

Lea Michele Bikini Body Secrets Includes Diet, B12 Shots

Vitamin B12 | ‘Glee’ The star Lea Michele surprisingly fit

Lea Michele Injects B12 and Eats Fish, According to ASOS Magazine

Image credits, from top:

gospelportals, karlnorling,

Did you know that Vitamin B12 is one of the most important vitamins for bones? Osteoporosis is one of many B12 deficiency symptoms. Studies prove that elderly individuals who maintain high levels of B12 are less likely to suffer from fractured or broken bones than those who neglect to supplement with B12 shots.

What is the cause of osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis happens with age for millions of Americans- there exist many factors that cause loss of bone mass, brittle bones, and other symptoms of osteoporosis.  Low calcium absorption is one cause of broken bones and fractured hips in old age, but other causes include:

• Estrogen deficiency in women
• Testosterone deficiency in men
• Thyroid disorders
• Smoking and alcohol use
• Vitamin deficiency, including calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12

What is B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 deficiency occurs from neglecting to eat a diet rich in sources of vitamin B12, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and milk, but it can occur if your body is unable to extract vitamin B12 from foods that you eat.  Such is the case for millions of individuals, either because

• (a) they lack “intrinsic factor,” a protein required for digesting vitamin B12 naturally from foods
• (b) because of drug interactions, such as metformin for diabetes, or
• (c) because of post-gastrectomy complications that resulted in pernicious anemia. (Read Vitamin B12 deficiency after Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss)

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

Unless treated, B12 deficiency causes pernicious anemia (low red blood cells), neurological damage, dementia, osteoporosis, malnourishment, and increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and cancer.  Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are:

• Fatigue, listlessness
• Depression
• Memory loss
• Anxiety
• Psychosis
• Numbness and tingling sensations in hands and feet
• Muscular feebleness
• Frequent stumbling
• Altered taste perception
• Red, swollen tongue
• Unusually pale complexion

What do studies say about the benefits of vitamin B12?

In a study conducted by Tufts University that focused on low-plasma vitamin B12 and bone mineral density (BMD), researchers found that men who had the lowest levels of B12 in their blood also had the lowest bone mineral density, particularly in their hipbones.  Similarly, women who suffered vitamin B12 deficiency exhibited severely low BMD in their spine.

They concluded that vitamin B12 deficiency is a significant risk factor for osteoporosis, which explains why the loss of bone mass occurs so frequently among the elderly:

As you age, your body produces fewer stomach acids needed for digesting vitamins and minerals.

As a result, many senior citizens develop vitamin deficiencies, including B12 deficiency.  Since they are unable to absorb B12 through the digestive system, they must therefore deposit it directly into the bloodstream, either through prescribed B12 shots, or with non-prescription B12 patches.

Another study by the University of Michigan recognized severe osteoporosis as a cause of pernicious anemia from vitamin B12 deficiency.

What are the best vitamins for osteoporosis?

It is crucial to eat a diet rich in all essential vitamins and minerals, in addition to taking regular vitamin supplements.  The best vitamins for bones are vitamin D and vitamin B-12.

If you suspect you have vitamin B12 deficiency, then ask your doctor for a blood test.  If diagnosed, then you will require routine vitamin B12 supplements until your B12 levels are back to normal.

Read more about preventing vitamin B12 deficiency:

Absorbing Vitamin B12, a Metabolic Gastrointestinal Journey

Nine Healthiest Canned Foods: Many Contain Vitamin B12

Pregnancy and B12 Deficiency

Sources:

Fight Osteoporosis: Bone Up On B12

Low plasma vitamin B12 is associated with lower BMD: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study- PubMed NCBI

Reversal of severe osteoporosis with vitamin B12 and etidronate therapy in a patient with pernicious anemia- PubMed NCBI

Post-Gastrectomy Syndrome Overview- Cleveland Clinic

What Causes Osteoporosis? And Why?

Image credits, from top:

starpause kid, Idea go, Paul, Carlos Porto

If you’re having trouble finding balance, B12 deficiency might be the culprit.  Symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency- dizziness and nerve damage like ataxia (unsteady gait, difficulty keeping balance), and numbness or tingling in hands and feet require B12 supplements.

Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms

Vitamin B12 occurs naturally in all meat, cheese, and egg products, but if you are one of millions of people who cannot absorb B12 efficiently, then you will start feeling symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.  Some common emotional and cognitive signs of B12 deficiency are:

• Chronic fatigue, sleepiness
• Memory loss
• Confusion
• Difficulty concentrating
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Aggressiveness
• Paranoia
• Psychoses
• Dementia

Nerve damage caused by B12 deficiency

In addition to psychiatric symptoms, vitamin B12 deficiency causes severe damage to your nerves, notably subacute combined degeneration (SCD) of the spinal cord- a severe neurological disorder caused by B-12 deficiency.  SCD causes damage in your spinal cord, brain, and peripheral nerves, beginning with the myelin sheathe.

1- The myelin sheathe- your nervous system’s “ozone layer”
The myelin sheath is a protective covering that surrounds many of your nerves, providing a shield from potential danger.  The myelin sheathe also accelerates communication between your nerves and your many bodily sensors (hands, feet, tongue, nose, eyes).  Vitamin B12 aids your body in maintaining this essential protective mechanism, and low levels of B12 often result in a breakdown of the myelin sheathe.  

2- Communication breakdown

The nerves of your spinal cord rely on a steady inflow of information from your nerve sensors throughout your body.  Messages from the nerves in your legs, for example, flow along the spinal cord and to the brain, thus controlling movements like running, walking, skipping, and tapping your feet.  Nerve damage causes these signals to become misinterpreted, resulting in poor coordination, or gait ataxia.

3- Gait ataxia- taking the spring out of your step

A typical sign of abnormal neurological behavior resulting from B12 deficiency is gait ataxia, which is difficulty walking.  Gait ataxia is also one of the symptoms of pernicious anemia, red blood cell disease associated with prolonged vitamin B-12 deficiency.  Symptoms of gait ataxia are:

• Unsteady gait, difficulty walking without stumbling
• Difficulty staying balanced on one leg
• Trembling awkward movements, clumsiness
• Muscular weakness in the legs and arms
• Spasticity
• Hypotension (low blood pressure)
• Vision problems, blurriness

4- Paresthesias- “pins and needles” and numbness sensations

An early sign of nerve damage related to vitamin B12 cobalamin deficiency is paresthesias, resulting in numbness and tingling in the hands and feet.  Paresthesias is a kind of peripheral neuropathy that affects the peripheral nerves that run along your spinal cord and to your extremities, thus causing that pins and needles sensation that you often feel in your hands and feet.

Do you have vitamin B12 deficiency?  Go ask a hematologist.

The only way to determine if you are indeed suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency is by getting a blood test.  If a physician diagnoses you with dangerously low levels of B12, then he may recommend B12 injections, which will require a prescription.  There are non-prescription b12 patches, which are painless and easily administered in the convenience of your own home.

Read more about supplementing with the vitamin B12 patch:

• Vitamin B12- How much do you need?
• The Vitamin B12 Patch for Energy
• Absorbing Vitamin B12, a Metabolic Gastrointestinal Journey

Sources:

• Vitamin B12- Evidence- Mayo Clinic
• Vitamin B12 Deficiency & Ataxia- LIVESTRONG.COM
• B12 and Gait Ataxia
• B12 Deficiency and Dizziness
• Neurologic aspects of cobalamin deficiency- PubMed NCBI
• Subacute Combined Degeneration – Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment of Subacute Combined Degeneration – NY Times Health Information

Image credits, from top:

• Stuart Miles
• Ambro
• anankkml
• Jeroen van Oostrom
• graur codrin

Vitamin B12 is essential for your nervous system;  Find out how Vitamin B12 supplements like the B12 Patch can help you live a healthier lifestyle.

What is vitamin B12?

Vitamin B-12, or Cobalamin, is an essential nutrient that occurs naturally in protein food sources, such as beef, poultry, fish, eggs, and milk.  The B12 vitamin is one of the B-complex vitamins.  Other B vitamins are vitamin B9 (folate) and vitamin B3 (niacin).

B12 Benefits

Vitamin B12 is important for many bodily functions.  B12 helps your body produce red blood cells, regulates your nervous system, boosts your immunity, and protects cognitive functioning.  Some other benefits of vitamin B12 include lowering your risk for heart attack, stroke, cancer, and toxic reactions.

B12 Deficiency: Don’t Ignore the Symptoms

Folic acid and B12

Vitamin B12 and vitamin B9, in addition to vitamin B3 are necessary for breaking down and regulating DNA.  According to the Linus Pauling Institute, damaged DNA is one of the many risk factors associated with cancer.  In case studies, women with the lowest amount of vitamin B12 were twice as likely to get breast cancer as women who had healthy B12 levels.

Low B12 and cancer risks

Previous studies examining the effect of alcoholism on breast cancer noted that low folate levels, combined with B12 deficiency, raise one’s risk of getting cancer.  Likewise, female alcoholics who had high levels of vitamin B12 and folate were less likely to suffer from breast cancer than test subjects who were deficient in B vitamins. One such case study conducted by the Institute of Public Health in Mexico concluded that high vitamin B12 levels among female Mexican participants accounted for a 68% lower risk for breast cancer than those who suffered from vitamin B12 deficiency.

What is the best way to get vitamin B12?

The best way to get enough vitamin B12 in your diet is by eating plenty of lean meats, chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Foods that have the highest levels of vitamin B12 are clams, oysters, beef liver, and halibut.  However, eating B12-rich foods does not guarantee against vitamin B12 deficiency.  Some people are unable to digest B12 naturally from foods, and must take B12 supplements in order to avoid symptoms of malnourishment, such as fatigue, depression, irritability, numbness in hands and feet, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating.

Most physicians prescribe vitamin B12 shots, sublingual B12, or b12 vitamins after diagnosing B12 deficiency.  Another popular option is to supplement with nonprescription vitamin B12 patches, which are painless and more convenient.  The B12 patch contains a similar 1000 mcg dosage of vitamin B12 as B12 injections.

Read more about vitamin B12 benefits:

Vitamin B12- How much do you need?

Cruising for a Bruising? Choose Vitamin B12 Shots or Anemia

Signs and Symptoms of 6 Types of Anemia Blood Disease

Sources:

Vitamin B Supplements: Can You Prevent Cancer With Vitamins?

Benefits Of Taking Vitamin B12- LIVESTRONG.COM

Vitamins that Protect and Repair DNA to Prevent Cancer and Slow Aging

Alcohol and risk of breast cancer in Mexican women

Folate, vitamin B12 and postmenopausal breast cancer in a prospective study of French women

Image credits, from top:

jscreationzs, Maggie Smith, Idea go, Paul, Suat Eman

Do you know how much B12 you need in order to avoid vitamin B12 deficiency? Unless you supplement B12 levels with a weekly B12 shot or B12 patch, you could wind up with dangerously low B12.  Find out if your B12 blood levels are normal and how much you need to meet the FDA’s RDA of vitamin B12.

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) is a water-soluble nutrient that your body gets from protein sources, such as beef, chicken, liver, fish, eggs, and dairy products.  Your body uses vitamin B12 for DNA synthesis, protecting your nervous system, and strengthening cognitive skills.  Symptoms that indicate a low vitamin B12 level include constant fatigue, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, tingling or numbness in your hands and feet, depression, agitation, altered taste perception, and red, swollen tongue.

How much B12 is in my blood right now?

By performing a blood test, your doctor can tell you if you are deficient in vitamin B12, or if you have normal B12 levels.  Vitamin B12 blood screening requires a 6-8 hour fast before testing.  Laboratory tests will measure how many picograms (pg) of cobalamin you have per milliliter (ml) of blood in your body.

How much B12 should I have?

• Scientists agree that a normal level of vitamin B12 in your blood is 200 – 900 picograms per milliliter (200-900 pg/ml).
• Test results showing less than 200 pg/ml signal vitamin B12 deficiency.
• For elderly adults, the recommended vitamin B12 level is much higher- Test results showing less than 500 pg/ml indicates B12 deficiency.
• In order to find the cause of a vitamin B12 deficiency, doctors may perform a Schilling test.

What is the recommended dose of vitamin B12?

• The FDA’s RDA of vitamin B12 for healthy adults is approximately three mcg daily for males and females alike, including pregnant and nursing moms.
• For elderly individuals, the recommended dose of vitamin B12 is 25-100 mcg per day.

Scientific study proves that the RDA for B12 is off.

• According to a study conducted in the Netherlands, elderly sufferers of vitamin B12 deficiency need more than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) in order to achieve normal levels of B12.
• Using methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels as a gauge, scientists established that cyanocobalamin supplementation amounting to 200 times the RDA of vitamin B12 is required in order to stabilize B12 levels in patients showing signs of vitamin B12 deficiency.

How much vitamin B12 do you really need?

• Vitamin B12 shots administering a daily dose of 1,000 mcg of cobalamin are  prescribed for the first 10 days following diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency, continuing with a weekly dose of 1,000 mcg for a consecutive 4-week period.
• One vitamin B12 patch contains a 1,000-mcg dose of b12 based on a B12 injection.

Read more about B12 deficiency:

• Vitamin B12 deficiency after Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss
• The Vitamin B12 Patch for Energy
• Cruising for a Bruising? Choose Vitamin B12 Shots or Anemia

Sources:

• Vitamin B12 level: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
• Vitamin B12 Level – Tests, Test Results & Diagnosis – NY Times Health Information
• Vitamin B12: Dosing – MayoClinic.com
• Oral cyanocobalamin supplementation in older people with vitamin B12 deficiency: a dose-finding trial- PubMed NCBI
• Learn More about Vitamin B12 Deficiency.
• USDA: National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: B-12

Image credits (from top):

Danilo Rizzuti, mconnors, jscreationzs

Vitamin B-12 (Cobalamin) originates in most protein foods, but even meat-eaters can get vitamin B12 deficiency. Absorbing vitamin B12 is a tricky process, and people who lack the intrinsic factor protein are unable to digest B12 from natural sources.  Learning about B12 supplement absorption is essential for avoiding B-12 deficiency symptoms.

Vitamin B12- What is it?

Vitamin B12, a member of the B-complex family of vitamins, is a water-soluble protein.  Most of the vitamin B12 that you eat comes from meat sources, as animal microorganisms produce it. Beef, liver, chicken, fish, and shellfish are some of the richest sources of vitamin B-12, in addition to eggs, cheese, and other dairy products.  The only widely confirmed vegan form of B12 occurs in brewer’s yeast.

This is your Body on B12

The benefits of vitamin B12 for your body are expansive.

• Vitamin B12 assists in producing oxygen-spreading red blood cells.
• Vitamin B12 also protects the myelin sheathe, which protects your nervous system.
• Vitamin B12 reinforces cognitive functioning- sufficient levels of B12 help to prevent symptoms of autism, and to delay the onset of dementia.
• Supplementing with vitamin B12 renews energy, memory, mental clarity, and feelings of well-being in individuals who suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency.
• Long-term vitamin B12 deficiency causes depression, anxiety, fatigue, memory loss, numbness, and tingling.  Untreated, it can lead to pernicious anemia, stroke, heart attack, or osteoporosis. (B12 Deficiency: Don’t Ignore the Symptoms)

Most People Digest B12 like this…

Vitamin B12’s journey through your body is a complicated, tricky procedure, and many things can go wrong.

• 1. When you consume dietary vitamin B12 (from food), it immediately clings to hydrochloric acid and pepsin, a gastric enzyme that your body makes- except for when it doesn’t. (More on this later.)
• 2. In your stomach, digestive acids separate vitamin B12 (cobalamin) from its protein part.  Also in your stomach, gastric parietal cells produce a substance called intrinsic factor- a necessary glycoprotein for digesting B12.
• 3. Vitamin B12 combines with “R protein,” thus becoming B-complex.  B complex, along with intrinsic factor, travels to the small intestine.
• 4. In the small intestine, R protein and B-complex separate.  B12 then attaches itself to intrinsic factor.
• 5. The B12/intrinsic factor complex travels through the small intestine, finally arriving at the very bottom, where it reaches the terminal ileum.  The ileum then absorbs the vitamin B12 and distributes it into your bloodstream, where it is then stored in the liver.

Things that can go wrong with vitamin B12 Absorption

Some people are unable to digest vitamin B12 properly from food, and must instead supplement with vitamin B12 injections or B12 patches, which go directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the need for digestion.

You might need a B12 patch if…

• You don’t have intrinsic factor. Lack of intrinsic factor is an autoimmune response, in which autoantibodies destroy intrinsic factor proteins produced in the stomach.  Since intrinsic factor is required in order to digest B12, the only way to avoid B12 deficiency is to bypass digestion by taking vitamin B12 supplements.
• You are among the elderly. The majority of senior citizens don’t produce the amount of stomach acids needed to break down B12 for digestion.  Even the minimum amount of vitamin B12 recommended by physicians is not enough to avoid dementia caused by B12 deficiency, so elderly individuals are a high-risk group.  To prevent early-onset Alzheimer’s disease or neurological damage, transdermal vitamin B12 is advisable.
• You take heartburn medication. As with the elderly, people who have GERD, or others who frequently take medicine for acid-reflux, including pregnant women, are susceptible to B12 deficiency.
• You have had your ileum removed. Gastric bypass patients are at high risk for developing vitamin B12 deficiency, as are other patients of gastrointestinal surgery, such as sufferers of Crohn’s disease.  Unfortunately, many surgeons neglect to warn their patients about complications regarding vitamin B12 deficiency, and many bariatric surgery patients don’t find out about it until the symptoms- depression, fatigue, brain fog- become too hard to ignore.
• You are a vegan. The vegan diet is largely devoid of B-12 sources, so unless you are a vegetarian who eats eggs, fish, or dairy, then you must take regular vitamin B12 supplements in order to avoid B12 deficiency.
• You are diabetic. Metformin, a diabetes drug, interferes with the absorption of vitamin B12.
• You have an autoimmune disease. Many autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome are highly correlated with B12 deficiency.  Scientists are unsure as to the exact cause, but they have noted a decrease in symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, and depression with the inclusion of vitamin B12 supplements.

Related:

Getting Enough Vitamin B12? Three Reasons Why You Might Not Be

Vitamin Deficiencies can drive you Crazy- Seriously! Part 1

Parasitic Worms for Crohn’s Disease- Friendly Gut Bugs

Sources:

The Importance of Vitamin B12 for Your Body

Where is b12 absorbed in the body?

How Is Vitamin B12 Absorbed by the Body?

What Do You Know About Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

Low Vitamin B12 Level in Elderly May Spur Dementia

myelin sheath (anatomy) — Britannica Online Encyclopedia

Images: Wikimedia Commons, Free Digital Photos