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

Many studies show similarities between the symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency and multiple sclerosis (MS).  There is also a very high rate of B12 deficiency among people diagnosed with MS.  How, then, does one differentiate between pernicious anemia (vitamin B12 deficiency) and multiple sclerosis?

What is MS?

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that affects your central nervous system- your brain and spinal cord.  It typically strikes young adults between the ages of 20-40, most of them women.  The exact cause of MS is unknown, but most scientists believe it is an autoimmune disorder.  With multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune reaction attacks myelin, a fatty substance that insulates your nerve fibers responsible for transmitting messages to the rest of your body.  Signs of demyelination are random lesions, or plaques (sclerosis) in the brain and spinal cord, in multiple areas, thus the term “multiple sclerosis.”

What is B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 deficiency occurs when your body is unable to maintain sufficient stores of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) in the blood.  There are several reasons this may happen, such as not eating food sources of vitamin B12 (meat, fish, and milk), or having a gastrointestinal disorder that interferes with vitamin B12 absorption.  With pernicious anemia (PA), your body cannot make intrinsic factor (IF), a protein necessary for digesting vitamin B12, due to an autoimmune disorder.  Among its many other benefits, vitamin B12 is essential for building up the fatty myelin sheath.  One of the symptoms of PA is demyelination, the same type of brain damage that occurs with MS.

*Multiple sclerosis and vitamin B12 deficiency- pernicious anemia are both autoimmune disorders.

*Multiple sclerosis and vitamin B12 deficiency-pernicious anemia both involve damage to the nervous system’s myelin sheath.

What are the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?

The earliest symptoms of MS may include:

• Muscular weakness in one or more limbs
• Tingling or numbness
• Loss of balance
• Vision problems or eye pain
• Slurred speech

As the disease advances, symptoms worsen, including:

• Chronic fatigue, despite getting plenty of rest and not overexerting yourself
• Hypersensitivity to heat, such as hot showers or baths
• Muscular spasms in the legs and arms
• Bladder or bowel control problems
• Lightheadedness, or vertigo caused by nerve damage
• Cognitive impairment- “brain fog,” slowed thinking, lack of concentration, or memory loss
• Vision problems- blurring or graying of vision, or temporary blindness in one eye
• Painful “pins and needles” sensations, numbness, itching, or burning
• Speech and swallowing problems caused by damaged nerves
• Seizures
• Difficulty walking without stumbling, caused by muscle weakness, spasticity, or loss of balance from vertigo
• Paralysis

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

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

• Chronic fatigue
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Paranoia
• Aggressive behavior
• Painful “pins and needles” or numbness in hands and feet
• Sore, swollen red tongue
• Burning mouth sensation
• Difficulty walking without stumbling
• Short-term memory loss
• Difficulty concentrating
• “Brain fog”
• Shortness of breath

*Multiple sclerosis and vitamin B12 deficiency-pernicious anemia both cause nerve damage, including painful tingling or numbness in the hands and feet and impaired gait.

*Multiple sclerosis and vitamin B12 deficiency-pernicious anemia both cause cognitive impairment, like brain fog, memory loss, and low concentration.

Which tests diagnose multiple sclerosis?

There is more than one test used to confirm MS, and your doctor will need to use the process of elimination to exclude other illnesses.  Some common tests and indicators are:

• MRI scan indicating at least two incidences myelin damage- scar tissue (lesions)
• Neurological exams
• Blood tests
• Spinal tap
• Evoked potentials, an electrical test of your nervous impulses

Which tests diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency?

Only one test is required to diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency- a blood test indicating low blood serum levels of vitamin B12.  Patients of pernicious anemia require routine blood tests in order to monitor their B12 levels.

What’s the best treatment for multiple sclerosis?

There is no cure for MS, but various medications are helpful for dealing with the symptoms.

• Some prescribed medicines work by controlling your body’s autoimmune response, thus reducing the frequency and severity of MS symptoms.
• Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a controversial surgery used to treat debilitating tremors in people with MS. Complications may include paralysis, loss of vision, or loss of speech.
• Alternative treatments for MS include physical therapy, exercise like yoga or tai chi, acupuncture, aromatherapy, meditation, massage, and vitamin therapy.

What’s the best treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency?

There are many kinds of B12 supplements on the market, but it’s important to be certain if you are able to digest vitamin B12 in the stomach. If you lack intrinsic factor, or if you’ve had gastrointestinal surgery like gastric bypass, then you will not benefit from dietary forms of vitamin B12.

• Physicians normally prescribe a series of B12 shots for patients with pernicious anemia.  These vitamin B12 injections require a prescription, and not all health care providers cover extensive supplementation of vitamin B12 shots.
• Sublingual vitamin B12 pills that dissolve under the tongue are another option, although they are not very effective, and they often require dosages of three times per day.
• A behind-the-ear vitamin B12 patch is an increasingly popular option for patients who wish to supplement B12 without the need for injections,  The B12 patch also allows you the freedom to take non-dietary vitamin B12 without a doctor’s prescription.

Read more about vitamin B12 symptoms:

Vitamin B12 Deficiency- 4 Causes, 1 Solution

Absorbing Vitamin B12, a Metabolic Gastrointestinal Journey

Sore Burning Tongue, Dry Mouth, and Weird Tastes- What’s the Cause?

Sources:

Multiple sclerosis

Vitamin B12, demyelination, remyelination and repair in multiple sclerosis

WebMD Multiple Sclerosis Guide – Better Information for Better Health

If your body stores vitamin B12 in the liver for years, how does vitamin B12 deficiency happen? Even if you eat plenty of foods that supply vitamin B12 (cobalamin), such as meat and fish, you might still run the risk of developing severe vitamin B12 deficiency that can culminate in pernicious anemia or nerve damage.  What conditions and lifestyle choices affect your B12 levels?

Vitamin B12 deficiency today

Vitamin B12 deficiency is the leading form of vitamin deficiency, affecting nearly 40% of people between the ages of 26 and 83, according to a Tufts University study on B12 deficiency.  For elderly individuals, the risk of low B12 levels is 20%.

Vitamin B12 helps your body protect the nervous system’s myelin sheath; as a result, B12 deficiency symptoms may include painful tingling or numbness in the hands, feet, and tongue, muscular weakness, difficulty walking, frequent clumsiness, altered sense of taste, burning mouth syndrome, and eye twitching.

For a list of more symptoms of B12 deficiency, read B12 Deficiency: Don’t Ignore the Symptoms

Four roads to vitamin B12 deficiency

#1 Not eating meat

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble nutrient that occurs exclusively in animal-based food items.  The basic food sources of vitamin B12 are meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and milk.  Contrary to popular opinion, brewer’s yeast does not contain vitamin B12, although it does supply other essential B vitamins.  Purple and green seaweed are the only naturally rich vegan sources of B12.  So, if you follow a vegan diet and do not eat generous portions of nori every day, then you are likely to develop B12 deficiency over the course of several years.

The top food sources of vitamin B12 are:

• lean beef and chicken
• organ meat (liver, heart)
• fish (halibut, herring, salmon)
• shellfish (oysters, clams)
• Eggs
• Cheese (Swiss, Muenster)
• Milk products (yogurt, whole milk)

Natalie Portman Chooses B12 over Veganism

#2 Not making enough stomach acid

If you’re over 50, there’s a 30% chance that you suffer from atrophic gastritis, a general wearing down of your stomach lining.  As a result, your body doesn’t produce enough stomach acids to fully absorb vitamin B12 and deliver it to the small intestines. Insufficient stomach acids may also lead to bacterial overgrowth, which also interferes with vitamin B12 absorption.

Other people at risk include individuals taking protein pump inhibitors (PPIs) for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), ulcers, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, and long-term antibiotic use.

The 20 Do’s and Don’ts of the GERD Diet

#3 Not making intrinsic factor

Another chemical the stomach produces for digesting vitamin B12 is intrinsic factor.  Certain autoimmune disorders may inhibit your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12 by attacking stomach cells before they have a chance to produce this necessary protein.  Regardless of how many vitamin B12 supplements you swallow, the B12 never reaches the small intestines, so it never enters the bloodstream.  Pernicious anemia, resulting in diminished red blood cell production, is a common occurrence when intrinsic factor is lacking.

“I’ve heard of the X Factor and Fear Factor…But what’s Intrinsic Factor?”

#4 Gastrointestinal conditions and surgeries

The ileum of the small intestine is responsible for digesting vitamin B12.  Located at the very bottom of the intestinal tract, the ileum grabs vitamin B12 and dispenses it to your blood supply.  But if your ileum is not working properly, then you cannot derive the many benefits of vitamin B12.

Gastrointestinal factors that interfere with B12 absorption are:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn’s and colitis
• Celiac disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Gastrointestinal surgery for Crohn’s
• Gastric bypass surgery

Absorbing Vitamin B12, a Metabolic Gastrointestinal Journey

What’s the solution?

It’s simple.  If you are unable to get your vitamin B12 from dietary sources, then the only other option is to bypass the digestive system and redirect B12 directly to your bloodstream.  Below are some popular methods of supplementing vitamin B12 without using the stomach.

• Vitamin B12 shots: B12 require a prescription from a doctor.  Because of the size of cobalamin molecules, B12 shots are usually painful, and must be inserted into thick muscular tissue, such as the thigh or buttock.  Even if you have a high threshold to pain, the idea of having to take vitamin B12 injections for the rest of your life can be worrisome.
• Sublingual B12 pills: The jury’s still out on the effectiveness of sublingual vitamin B12 tablets that dissolve under the tongue; whether they actually enter the bloodstream or just travel through the digestive system is under debate.  Your physician might prescribe B12 pills to be taken three times per day.
• Vitamin B12 sprays and creams: There is insufficient data to support the use of nasal sprays or lotions as a means of combatting vitamin B12 deficiency.
• Vitamin B12 patch: The B12 patch is a popular “alternative” form of vitamin B12 supplementation, although it is quickly becoming accepted as mainstream.  One vitamin B12 patch contains the same amount of cobalamin as a weekly B12 injection. For children and adults who must take regular B12 shots, this is good news.  And unlike B12 pills, you need only remember to take a B12 patch once per week.

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency:

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

6 Food Cravings that Signal Vitamin Deficiency

Ten Bites to Better Brain Power

Sources:

Are you getting enough of this vitamin?

B12 Deficiency May Be More Widespread Than Thought

Spirulina and Vitamin B12

Vitamin B₁₂ Sources and Bioavailability

Brewer’s yeast

Images, from top:

In Sendai , euthman, pikimota

According to a recent study, listening to music can ease pain- great news for fibromyalgia (chronic pain) patients. Many pain clinics already utilize the analgesic effects of music, finding that soothing melodies reduce anxiety and enhance pain relief treatments.

Music therapy for chronic pain?

It’s not the first time researchers have investigated the painkilling powers of music, but this recent study on music engagement confirms what many practitioners of chronic pain management already know- that listening to music puts you in a state of relaxation that enables you to cope with…and minimize pain symptoms.  For sufferers of fibromyalgia, this could be a useful strategy for incorporating natural pain treatments with prescribed analgesic medications.

Boost Energy and Beat Fatigue All Day Long- 8 Sure-Fire Tips

What pain specialists found:

• In this University of Utah study on pain management, 153 volunteers elected to receive painful electric shocks in varying levels of intensity while listening to background music.
• In addition to listening to music, participants performed cognitive tasks that actively engaged them, such as following musical notes and focusing on the melody.
• Scientists noted that volunteers who became engrossed with the music-listening tasks exhibited the fewest pain responses.
• Researchers noted a correlation between personality and pain relief through music engagement.  The most significant results occurred with people who experience anxiety. People who suffer panic, nervousness, or stress often find relief in occupying themselves with some sort of activity; in this case, music provided certain anxiety-prone individuals an opportunity to escape from pain symptoms.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia- Is there a Difference?

How can music help fibromyalgia patients?

On a much grander scale, fibromyalgia patients may implement these findings in their own lives; if listening to music helps relieve small shocks of pain, what strategies may be employed to relieve more severe pain symptoms, like aching joints, sore muscles, or gastrointestinal ailments?

• Boost pain medicine! During fibromyalgia flare-ups, listening to music on your iPod may improve your mood and ease anxiety, increasing the effectiveness of your pain medicine.
• Meditate! If you’re stuck in bed rest, or at the hospital, try turning off the television and turning on a radio.  Close your eyes and picture the music in your mind (Think Fantasia).  By actively engaging your brain with the music, you are also incrementally distracting yourself from the pain.
• Sleep better! If pain symptoms keep you awake at night, listen to the sounds of relaxing mood music on your MP3 device. Many iTunes and Android apps provide the Relaxing Sounds of Nature, to help you go to Sleep!

B12 Deficiency: Don’t Ignore the Symptoms

Alternative treatments for chronic pain

Here are some more helpful tips to help you manage pain symptoms without the need for painkillers:

• Take your B12! Vitamin B12 deficiency is linked with a host of severe pain symptoms, including painful tingling in your hands and feet, painful numbness, burning mouth or tongue, stomach pains, joint achiness, and sore muscles.  Also, B12 deficiency increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, cancer, and severe nerve damage.
• Incorporate exercise! Here’s a great tip- listen to music while doing some gentle exercise routines, like light yoga, Tai Chi, or low-impact aerobics.
• Go under the needle! No, not B12 shots- acupuncture is proven effective at relieving numerous ailments, including fibromyalgia, chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia, gastrointestinal disorders, and chronic fatigue.

Learn more about fibromyalgia and vitamin B12 deficiency:

Fibromyalgia FAQs- 6 Need-to-Know Fibro Facts

Suffering from Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue? B12 to the Rescue!

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

Sources:

Individual differences in the effects of music engagement on responses to painful stimulation- PubMed, NCBI

Really? The Claim: Listening to Music Can Relieve Pain- NY Times

Study: Music Can Ease Pain

Image credits, from top:

Mari Z., just.Luc, canonsnapper, pinkiwinkitinki

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

Infants with B12 deficiency

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

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

Babies, B12, and Fertility- B12 Deficiency during Pregnancy

How early can infants develop B12 deficiency?

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

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

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

Vitamin B12 supplements as treatment

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

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

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency

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

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

Read more about B12 deficiency symptoms:

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

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

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

Sources:

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

Image credits, from top:

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

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

What is myokymia?

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

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

Why is my eye twitching?

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

Causes of myokymia

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

B12 deficiency symptoms

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

B12 deficiency causes emotional and cognitive disorders such as:

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

Top Ten Signs of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency

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

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

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

Stop eye twitching

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

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

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

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

Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Sources:

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

Signs of B12 Deficiency

Myokymia – Types, Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Eyelid Myokymia

Image credits, from top:

cameronparkins, graur codrin, Tambako the Jaguar

What is pernicious anemia, and how is it different from vitamin B12 deficiency or megaloblastic anemia? That is one of many questions that people have about pernicious anemia- questions that are answered here.

1. What’s the difference between pernicious anemia and megaloblastic anemia?

Pernicious anemia is a form of megaloblastic anemia, a disease of the red blood cells.  Pernicious anemia results from vitamin B12 deficiency; for that reason, it is also called vitamin B12 malabsorption anemia.  (It is worth mentioning that pernicious anemia is only one of many conditions caused by B12 deficiency.)  Other names for pernicious anemia are Biermer’s anemia, Addison’s anemia, and combined systems disease (a disorder of the nervous system).

2. What is the relationship between intrinsic factor and pernicious anemia?

Whenever you eat foods that contain vitamin B12- protein foods like beef, chicken, seafood, cheese, and eggs- your digestive system produces a chemical called intrinsic factor that grabs the B12 from your stomach, carries it through the small intestine, and delivers it to the ileum, where the vitamin B12 is then absorbed and dispersed into your bloodstream. That is how most people digest vitamin B12.

People who suffer from pernicious anemia, a deficiency in vitamin B12, are usually not able to manufacture intrinsic factor.  Even if they eat a strict high-protein diet rich in vitamin B12, the B12 will pass through the intestines without ever reaching the bloodstream, causing symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

3. What are the symptoms of B12 deficiency- pernicious anemia?

The most common pernicious anemia symptoms are:

• Extreme fatigue
• Depression
• Trouble concentrating
• Memory loss
• Irritability
• Painful tingling sensations in hands and feet
• Hands and feet often “falling asleep” or going numb
• Sore, red tongue
• Altered taste perception
• Constant stumbling while walking
• Clumsiness
• Muscular feebleness
• Pale complexion
• Diarrhea
• Stomach pains
• Trouble sleeping

Untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency causes low red blood cell production, dementia, severe nerve damage, increased risk for heart attack and stroke, cancer, and osteoporosis.

4. What natural remedies work best for pernicious anemia?

Since pernicious anemia results from vitamin B12 deficiency, the only remedy you need is…more B12!  The real question is: Can your body absorb vitamin B12 naturally from food sources- beef, chicken, fish, milk, and cheese- or not?  Only your doctor can answer that by taking blood tests, and determining if your body makes intrinsic factor.  If it is determined that you lack intrinsic factor, then you will need to take vitamin B12 supplements, most likely for the rest of your life, in order to avoid getting pernicious anemia.

5. Why is a pernicious anemia patient unable to take vitamin B12 orally?

Without intrinsic factor, your body cannot digest dietary sources of vitamin B12- and that includes vitamin B12 pills.  As a rule of thumb, if vitamin B12 passes through a digestive system that does not produce intrinsic factor, then the B12 will pass through without being broken down or digested.  In order to get vitamin B12 into your blood supply, you have to insert it there directly- usually through B12 shots or transdermal means.

6. How long does it take before you start to feel the benefits of vitamin B12 supplements?

Assuming you are getting the correct dose of vitamin B12, and are taking an efficient method of B12 supplements…most patients start to feel notably better within 24 hours of vitamin B12 supplementation.

7. Is Pernicious anemia genetic?

Family history is one of many causes of pernicious anemia.  If your family has a history of suffering from pernicious anemia, then you should take routine blood tests for vitamin B12 deficiency throughout your life.

What are the Symptoms of Pernicious Anemia- B12 deficiency?

8. If I have one autoimmune disease like pernicious anemia, am I more likely to have another autoimmune disease?

Scientists have noted a high correlation between pernicious anemia and many other autoimmune disorders. When other diseases are a factor, pernicious anemia often occurs from drug interactions, comorbid symptoms, or a cyclical relationship with that disease.  Below are some conditions that may accompany pernicious anemia:

• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic fatigue
• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Diabetes
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Celiac disease
• Gastritis
• Chronic heartburn
• Hypothyroidism

Leaky Gut Syndrome Symptoms and Causes

9. I’m only 20 years old.  Could someone my age have pernicious anemia?

Pernicious anemia can happen to somebody of any age group.  Because your body stores vitamin B12 in the liver for several years, you may not know that your body has stopped absorbing it until you start to feel the symptoms, by which time your B12 levels will have dropped severely.  If you suspect you have any of the symptoms of pernicious anemia, then do not hesitate to get a blood test.

10. Can pernicious anemia cause gastritis?

Gastritis- painful inflammation of the stomach lining- has many possible causes.  The most common are alcohol abuse, chronic vomiting, and overusing drugs such as aspirin. Untreated, chronic gastritis can cause blood loss, and may lead to stomach cancer.  Other causes of gastritis are:

• Pernicious anemia
• Stomach infection
• Bile reflux
• Viruses

11. Can pernicious anemia shorten your life?

When scientists first discovered vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, they deemed it a fatal disease, and thus named it “pernicious (malicious) anemia.”  Without B12, your body is unable to make sufficiency red blood cells.  Today, doctors are easily able to diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency through blood tests, administer treatment in the form of pure vitamin B12, and prevent further escalation of pernicious anemia.  Untreated, pernicious anemia can lead to life-threatening illnesses, such as heart attack, stroke, and cancer.

12. Can pernicious anemia cause stomach cancer?

Pernicious anemia may cause gastric polyps, increasing one’s risk for getting stomach cancer or gastric carcinoid tumors.

13. Are there any support groups for others with pernicious anemia?

There are many advocacy groups for pernicious anemia, and most of them are on Facebook.  Here are a few:

Pernicious Anaemia Society

Vitamin B12 Deficiency on Facebook

Pernicious Anemia Awareness on Facebook

Pernicious Anaemia – What do you know?…And what they don’t tell you! on Facebook

Last, but not least- Vitamin B12 Patch on Facebook

Read more about pernicious anemia and vitamin B12:

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

Lupus and Vitamin B12 Deficiency- What’s the Connection?

Babies, B12, and Fertility- B12 Deficiency during Pregnancy

Sources:

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)- University of Maryland Medical Center

Gastritis: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More

Pernicious Anemia- Medscape

Pernicious Anemia Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention on MedicineNet.com

Image credits, from top:

Danilo Rizzuti, digitalart, Salvatore Vuono

Vitamin B12 patch users swear by the increased energy and reduction of B12 deficiency symptoms they have encountered since switching to a B12 patch.

Read what one Vita Sciences B12 patch fan has to say:

Blinded by B12 deficiency…or Multiple Sclerosis?

“Nine months ago, I woke up blind in my right eye. I can’t even explain the terror and trauma if this has never happened to you…after 4 hours at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary ER with an amazing and attentive team of doctors, nurses, and technicians, I was given the new and tentative diagnosis of optic neuritis, and referred to a neuro-opthamalogist who confirmed this diagnosis.  I was told from the very beginning that there was a good chance it was caused by Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

In the meantime, things got worse…

“An MRI confirmed demyelination - but if you know much about neuro problems, it’s another hint at MS and not a confirmation.  However, not long after that, my symptoms took a turn for the worst. I was deteriorating fast – far faster than one would from the Relapsing/Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) that I was on the path to being diagnosed with.

“I was getting severe headaches that felt like my brain was cannibalizing itself, severe burning, tingling pains all over my body, severe muscle spasms that were almost constant, ghost itches that I couldn’t even find to scratch.  I had trouble falling asleep at night because my head would keep jerking violently and my legs would kick.  A few times, I lost control of my faculties in my sleep and regularly fell over when I got out of bed in the morning.  Sometimes when I woke up I wouldn’t be able to tell where my limbs were.

Top Ten Signs of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Oh no, you didn’t just say the “H” word…

“I had, after all, spent 10 years getting called a hypochondriac by multiple healthcare professionals, until I finally got diagnosed with insulin resistance by the best endocrinologist ever who actually took me seriously.  I was sure I didn’t have ten years to waste arguing without dire consequences.

Paging Dr. Wikipedia…

“I asked my doctor if I could be tested for a B12 deficiency.  ‘No,’ she told me.  ‘I’m sorry, you have MS.’

“Okay, the internet is my BFF and from the massive amount of research I did online, reading abstracts, reading full articles, reading the blogs of people with MS, and talking to real life victims… this was not MS.

The Aha! Moment

“I looked deeper into the B12 deficiency to discover that I had been on three medications that inhibit B12 absorption for extended periods (Paxil, Metformin, and Omeprazole).  I had suffered stomach problems since infancy without successful diagnosis, and I am a semi-vegetarian (eat meat a couple of times a year and turn a blind eye – no pun intended – when soups are made with beef or chicken broth).

These are all things that lead to a B12 deficiency.

Vitamin B12 pills are a lost cause

I started taking sublingual B12 tablets while trying to build my case to confront my doctor with my evidence…no change.

“…sublingual pills are like putting a handful of grain into a silo – you will never fill it up just like you will never re-fill your B12 stores with sublingual pills.”

Skeptical, but ready to try the B12 patch

“I did some more research and discovered the B12 patch.  I was a skeptic and was already planning to spend my life getting B12 shots after I won the battle with my doctor, but I was desperate. I could barely work anymore, I was suffering anxiety attacks, and I was so sick and so tired all of the time and didn’t feel like I had the time to fight it out with my doctor.

A very important package arrives

“I got my B12 patches in the mail almost two weeks ago and I am now almost symptom free, except for some tingling, which seems fair enough since my myelin sheaths probably need to heal.  I expect that takes time.  I’m not fully convinced even now that the B12 patch stopped this dead in its tracks- It seems too crazy.  I’m in a watch and wait mode; I will still be following up with my doctor and deciding if the shots are a better option, but for now, I’m just happy to have my life back.

“Problems I didn’t even realize could be caused by a B12 deficiency also seem to be improving; my stomach, my acne, my insulin resistance.  Who knows if it will last- I can only hope.

“I talk about my symptoms in past tense in my post, but up until only a week and a half ago, it was my daily reality.”

Use it or lose it

“To be honest, for the people who don’t have trouble absorbing B12 you probably won’t feel a difference using this product.  But I would use it, just to be sure that you’re getting your B12, because the medical community is apparently not inclined to diagnose a B12 deficiency.

“And if you go down that path, you could get misdiagnosed with MS, psychosis, Alzheimer’s, ALS, and much, much, more.  And it’s not worth losing your quality of life over, if it’s as simple as sticking a patch on your neck, or getting a shot every month – especially since damage can be irreversible if it isn’t caught early enough.

“Please harass your doctor into giving you the appropriate tests.  There is plenty of info out there on B12 deficiencies so you can go to an appointment well informed.  Just visit my BFF, the internet.”

One year later…

“Update – 1 year later: Still using the patches.  My symptoms aren’t 100% gone in the long term, but they are about a quarter as severe as a year ago… maybe less…Still thrilled.”

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms:

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

Benefits and Sources of Vitamin B12, and How to Avoid Deficiency

“I’ve heard of the X Factor and Fear Factor…But what’s Intrinsic Factor?”

Sources:

Amazon review

Image credits, from top:

Photostock, graur razvan ionut, anankkml

If you have vitamin B12 deficiency, then it is important to recognize the symptoms of pernicious anemia.  Low levels of B12 (cobalamin) can, over time, lead to megaloblastic (pernicious) anemia, a life-threatening blood disease.

What is pernicious anemia?

Pernicious anemia is a type of megaloblastic anemia- a blood disease of the red blood cells.  If you have vitamin B12 deficiency, then it may escalate into B12 deficiency anemia.  In pernicious anemia, your body is unable to produce enough red blood cells, due to a lack of vitamin B12.

Avoid vitamin B12 deficiency

The best way to avoid getting vitamin B12 deficiency is to include animal-based protein foods in your diet, particularly beef liver, clams, oysters, poultry, eggs, milk, and yogurt.  Still, eating meat and dairy products does not guarantee you will not become deficient in vitamin B12.

Who’s at risk?

People at risk for developing B12 deficiency are people who exclude primary sources of vitamin B12 from their diet (vegans), the elderly, people who have had bariatric surgery, diabetics taking metformin, anybody using long-term medication for acid-reflux, individuals with gastrointestinal disease (IBD, celiac) and people who cannot produce intrinsic factor, a necessary hormone for digesting vitamin B12.

Signs of megaloblastic (pernicious) anemia

The most common symptoms of pernicious anemia are:

• Muscular weakness
• Frequent tingling or numbness in your hands and feet, described as “pins and needles”
• Difficulty walking balanced
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Depression
• Swollen, red tongue
• Irritability
• Chronic fatigue, constant tiredness
• Hypertension

What tests diagnose pernicious anemia?

The only way to find out if your vitamin B12 deficiency has turned into pernicious anemia is to request the following diagnostic tests:

• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Vitamin B12 blood levels
• Methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels
• Holotranscobalamin II levels
• LDH levels
• Schilling test
• Reticulocyte count
• Bone marrow examination

What is the treatment for pernicious anemia?

Patients of pernicious anemia need to get routine doses of B12 supplements, usually in the form of B12 shots.  The amount and frequency of B12 injections depend on the severity of the pernicious anemia symptoms. For extra doses of B12 between doctor visits, B12-anemia patients have the option of supplementing with oral vitamin B12 or B12 patches.

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms:

“I’ve heard of the X Factor and Fear Factor…But what’s Intrinsic Factor?”

WhichTests check Absorption of Vitamin B12?

Cruising for a Bruising? Choose Vitamin B12 Shots or Anemia

Sources:

Pernicious anemia: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Megaloblastic (Pernicious) Anemia

Pernicious Anemia – Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment of Pernicious Anemia – NY Times Health Information

Pernicious Anemia and Vitamin B-12 Deficiency

Image credits, from top:

blakespot, ssoosay, jimbrickett, James Tan Chin Choy

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,