So you’re sitting at your desk, and suddenly your legs fall asleep.  You try to shake it off, but that annoying numbness and tingling sensation just doesn’t want to leave without a fight.  Paresthesia, a neuropathic ailment often associated with vitamin B12 deficiency, causes “pins and needles,” numbness, and painful burning in your hands, arms, feet, and legs.

What are the symptoms of paresthesia?

Paresthesia causes numbness and tingling sensations, primarily in your hands, arms, feet, and legs.  People who experience paresthesia say they feel like their legs or arms are “falling asleep.” Others describe it as a burning pain in one or more limbs, “pins and needles,” or severe itching.

Is paresthesia serious?

Sometimes, paresthesia happens as a response to hyperventilating, anxiety, or just putting too much pressure on one nerve for too long.  Other times, paresthesia occurs as part of a chronic condition, and the only way to put an end to the constant numbness and prickling sensations is to find out what is causing your symptoms, and the best way to treat it.

What causes your arms or legs to “fall asleep?”

Many chronic conditions, illnesses, or drug interactions can cause neuropathic pain symptoms such as paresthesia.

• B12 deficiency: Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet are usually the first symptoms noticed by sufferers of vitamin B12 deficiency or pernicious anemia.  Vitamin B12 protects the myelin sheath, the fatty layer that protects your peripheral nerves.  Left untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency causes damage to the nervous system, resulting in peripheral neuropathy.  In addition to limbs falling asleep, other symptoms of B12 deficiency are loss of fine motor control, trouble walking, fatigue, memory loss, “brain fog,” depression, disorientation, anxiety, insomnia, stomach upset, breathlessness, loss of appetite, and hallucinations.  Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Are you at Risk?

• Nerve damage: Other types of nerve damage result from Lyme disease and frostbite.
• Elderly individuals suffer from paresthesia caused by vitamin deficiency, in addition to poor circulation in the arms and legs, or peripheral vascular disease (PVD).
• Arthritis: Various types of arthritis cause neuropathic pain symptoms similar to paresthesia, in addition to carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Autoimmune diseases: Lupus, celiac disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS) sometimes cause chronic paresthesia.
• Migraines: If you get migraine attacks, then you might also experience frequent pins and needles, or legs falling asleep.
• Seizures and stroke are correlated with paresthesia.
• Shingles: symptoms include numbness, tingling, and burning sensations in the skin.
• Drugs: Drug interactions that may cause paresthesia symptoms are beta-blockers, beta-alanines, anticonvulsants, narcotics, opiates, and Lomotil. Also read: Brain Drain Medications- Drugs that Drain the B12 out of you

How do you get rid of numbness and tingling?

The quicker you get your blood flowing to your extremities, the sooner you will start to feel relief.  As soon as you feel your arms or legs starting to fall asleep or feel tingly, do one or all of the following:

• 1- Pump your arms.
• 2- Clench and unclench your fists.
• 3- Kick your legs.
• 4- Walk it off.
• 5- Stand up, holding onto a chair or wall for support.  Put all your weight on the foot that is falling asleep, rise up on your tiptoes, and then lower to the ball of your foot.  Repeat the movement, pumping up and down, without resting the heel on the floor, until pain goes away.
• 6- Massage hands, arms, legs, or feet gently.

These are helpful tips for temporarily relieving paresthesia. However, if you experience numbness, tingling, burning, or other painful symptoms frequently, then it is crucial to visit a doctor.  A blood test will determine if you have vitamin B12 deficiency, or one of many other likely conditions.

Read more about vitamin B12:

Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Are you at Risk?

Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Sources:

Paresthesia

Numbness and tingling: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

What makes your arms, legs and feet fall asleep?

Image credits, from top:

Alex Holzknecht, Teleyinex, Zabowski, Josiah Mackenzie, healingdream

Are you at risk for developing vitamin B12 deficiency, one of the leading, fastest growing forms of malnourishment today?  Most people with B12 deficiency don’t even know it.  Find out why B12 is important for healthy living, and whether you are getting enough.

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12, an essential nutrient called cobalamin, occurs naturally in meat and other protein foods such as beef, poultry, fish, eggs, and milk.  Vitamin B12 is one of the B-complex vitamins, and plays many important roles in your healthy lifestyle, and unless you get enough vitamin B12 from your diet or from vitamin B12 supplements, then you might experience the following symptoms:

• Constant tiredness, fatigue for no apparent reason
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Lack of appetite
• Insomnia
• Lack of concentration
• Short-term memory loss
• Irritability
• Muscular aches
• Tingling, numbness or pain in your hands and feet
• Sore, swollen red tongue
• Altered taste perception
• Hallucinations
• Difficulty walking smoothly
• Poor hand-eye coordination and motor skills

Untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency could lead to pernicious anemia, neurological damage, increased risk for heart attack and stroke, osteoporosis, early onset dementia, and misdiagnosis of psychotic illnesses.

Low B12 means Low Thyroid- Hypothyroidism and B12 Deficiency

So, who’s at risk for B12 deficiency?

Even if you eat plenty of meat and milk, you may be susceptible for vitamin B12 deficiency, as there are many other risk factors involved…

If you fit into any one of the following categories, then you are highly susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiency:

• Do you have diabetes? If you are diabetic, and you take metformin, then you are vulnerable to B12 deficiency, since metformin blocks your ability to digest vitamin B12 properly.
• Have you had weight loss surgery? If you have had any bariatric surgery such as gastric bypass, or any other gastrointestinal surgery that involves removing a piece of the small intestine called the ileum, then you need to take vitamin B12 supplements regularly.  The ileum is the bottom-most part of the small intestine, and is principally responsible for absorbing vitamin B12.
• Do you suffer from autoimmune disorders? If you suffer from any autoimmune disease that involves damage to the digestive system, then you are at risk for many forms of malnourishment, including vitamin B12 deficiency.  Examples of autoimmune disorders that correlate with vitamin B12 deficiency are Crohn’s disease, celiac disorder, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and lupus.
• Are you a senior citizen? The elderly are highly susceptible to B12 deficiency.  As you age, your body produces fewer stomach acids that are necessary for digesting vitamin B12 from the foods you eat.  Also, older people tend to eat less and have sensitive stomachs, all of which can lead to malnourishment. In order to avoid B12 deficiency, it is crucial to include extra B12 supplements in your daily vitamin regimen.
• Do you take heartburn medication? If you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or if just take many antacids, then you might become deficient in vitamin B12, as stomach acids are essential for digesting vitamins such as B12 from your food.
• Are you an alcoholic? Frequent alcohol use inhibits your body’s ability to absorb nutrients like vitamin B12 properly, and causes malnourishment.
• Does vitamin B12 deficiency or pernicious anemia run in your family? Some people are unable to produce intrinsic factor, an essential chemical your stomach makes to access and digest vitamin B12 from food sources.  If you have this autoimmune disorder, then you must supplement with a form of vitamin B12 that dispenses the vitamin directly into your bloodstream.  To date, the most popular methods are vitamin B12 shots and vitamin B12 patches.

How can I find out if I have vitamin B12 deficiency?

The only way to find out if you have vitamin B12 deficiency is to visit your doctor and ask for a vitamin B12 blood test.  If you test positive, then he will likely prescribe a regimen of vitamin B12 supplements.

Read more about preventing vitamin B12 deficiency:

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

WhichTests check Absorption of Vitamin B12?

Sources:

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Risk Factors – Am I at Risk of Vitamin B12 Deficiency? – Third Age

Vitamin B12- Mayo Clinic

What Is Vitamin B12 Deficiency? What Causes Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

Image credits, from top:

heather aitken, ValetheKid, soylentgreen23, Martin Kimeldorf’s Pixel Playground

“What is vitamin B12,” you ask? Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is a member of the B-complex vitamins.  A water-soluble vitamin, B12 is stored in your liver and is necessary for avoiding vitamin B12 deficiency.

What are the benefits of vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 wears many hats.  It is essential for a vast number of important bodily functions.

• Red blood cells! Vitamin B12 helps your body produce plenty of red blood cells that are required for carrying oxygen throughout your body.  With enough B12, you would suffer pernicious anemia.
• Memory! Vitamin B12 assists in cognitive skills such as memory, concentration, and comprehension.  Without enough B12, you would suffer early onset dementia, short-terms memory loss, depression, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating.
• Heart health! Vitamin B12 controls the level of homocysteine in your blood, a protein associated with heart attack and stroke.  Without enough B12, you are at a higher risk of dying of heart disease or stoke.
• Bone health! Scientists have found a high correlation between B12 deficiency and osteoporosis- loss of bone mass- in elderly individuals.  Without enough B12, you would suffer from brittle, easily broken bones in your hipbones and spine.
• Senses! Vitamin B12 keeps communication flowing between your brain and various nerve sites, such as your fingers, toes, mouth, eyes, and ears.  Without enough B12, you would suffer neurological damage such as tingling, numbness or pain in your hands, feet, and tongue.
• Nervous system! Vitamin B12 protects the myelin sheathe of your nervous system.  Without enough B12, you would have difficulty controlling your muscles in your arms and legs.
• DNA! Vitamin B12 promotes DNA synthesis.  Without enough B12, you would suffer abnormal cell growth, possibly leading to cancer.
• Metabolism! Vitamin B12 boosts energy.  Without enough B12, you would feel sluggish, confused, chronically fatigued, and be more prone to weight gain.

What foods have vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 occurs naturally in animal-based proteins.  The following food sources have the highest levels of vitamin B12:

• Meat! Beef, particularly lean beefsteak and beef organs, such as liver and heart
• Chicken! Poultry, including lean chicken, turkey, and duck
• Fish! Seafood, including tuna, halibut, salmon, crab meat, clams, and oysters
• Eggs! Don’t skip the yolks- they are extremely high in this B vitamin
• Milk! Dairy products, including milk, hard cheese, yogurt, and kefir

But I eat plenty of protein, and I take vitamin supplements.

Even if you eat plenty of foods with vitamin B12, you are not immune to B12 deficiency.  Many multivitamins and B-complex pills include vitamin B12, but not in sufficient amounts to prevent vitamin B12 deficiency in individuals who are at risk.

The only way to get enough B12 is by taking vitamin B12 supplements. Some popular B12 supplements are vitamin B12 sublingual pills, prescribed vitamin B12 shots, and vitamin B12 patches.

Read more about vitamin B12:

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

What are the Symptoms of Pernicious Anemia- B12 deficiency?

Can Elevated Homocysteine (Low B12) cause Mental Illness?

Sources:

Vitamin B12- Mayo Clinic

What Is Vitamin B12 Deficiency? What Causes Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

Image credits, from top:

ostephy, imelenchon, jzlomek, chamomile, clarita

You might not realize this, but your prescription medications could be giving you vitamin B12 deficiency; certain drugs drain B12 from your system and prevent you from absorbing vitamin B12- cobalamin- naturally from food sources.  If you currently take any of the following medications, then you could be at risk for severe neurological damage.

Who is at risk for getting vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that occurs naturally in most animal protein sources; beef, chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, mussels, eggs, milk, cheese, and yogurt are all rich in this essential B vitamin.  Unless you follow a vegan diet, you probably ingest sufficient amounts of B12.

However, there are certain conditions, demographics, and lifestyle choices that can inhibit your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12, regardless of how many hamburgers you eat.  They are:

• Being among the elderly
• Suffering from gastrointestinal disease, such as Celiac, Crohn’s, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Submitting to bariatric surgery
• Lacking the ability to produce intrinsic factor, a hormone that aids in vitamin B12 absorption
• Suffering from fibromyalgia, or other autoimmune diseases

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

Which medications deplete vitamin B12 levels?

Certain medications may prevent your body from digesting vitamin B12- heartburn drugs, for example.  If you experience symptoms such as chronic fatigue, memory loss, depression, brain fog, tingling or prickly sensations in your hands and feet, or altered sense of taste, you might have depleted your stores of vitamin B12.  The only way to be certain is to get your vitamin B12 levels checked with a blood screening.

The following prescription drugs drain vitamin B12:

Anti-inflammatory medications

• Beclomethasone
• Budesonide
• Dexamethasone
• Fluticasone
• Hydrocortisone
• Methylprednisolone
• Mometasone Furoate
• Prednisone
• Triamcinolone

Antibiotic medications

• Aminoglycosides
• Cephalosporin
• Chloramphenicol
• Macrolides
• Penicillin Derivatives
• Quinolones
• Sulfa drugs
• Tetracycline Derivatives

Anticonvulsant medications

• Phenobarbital

Birth control medications

• Ethinyl Estradiol and Desogestrel
• Ethinyl Estradiol and Levonorgestrel
• Ethinyl Estradiol and Norethindrone
• Ethinyl Estradiol and Norgestimate

Cholesterol lowering medications

• Cholestyramine
• Colestipol

Diabetes medications

• Metformin

Gout medications

• Colchicine

Heart medications

• Potassium Chloride

Proton pump inhibitors- heartburn drugs

• Lansoprazole
• Omeprazole

Ulcer medications

• Cimetidine
• Famotidine
• Nizatidine
• Ranitidine Bismuth Citrate
• Ranitidine Hydrochloride

Read more about preventing vitamin B12 deficiency:

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

Low B12 means Low Thyroid- Hypothyroidism and B12 Deficiency

Sources:

Drugs that Deplete: Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12

Image credits, from top:

Pixomar, africa, Ambro, TeddyBear[Picnic]

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

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

Vitamin B12 supplements essential as part of your weight loss program. What are the benefits of vitamin B12 for weight loss?  Vitamin B12 boosts metabolism, in addition to providing energy and stabilizing the mood.

The Many Benefits of Vitamin B12…

B12 boosts metabolism

Vitamin B12 contains cobalt; together, the minerals that make up vitamin B12, cobalamin, are essential coenzymes that increase metabolism by converting food to energy in the body.  In diagnosing vitamin B12 deficiency, researchers often take into account changes in the metabolic rate, in addition to measuring levels of B12 and homocysteine.

“Elevated methylmalonic acid levels might be a more reliable indicator of vitamin B12 status because they indicate a metabolic change that is highly specific to vitamin B12 deficiency.” - National Institutes of Health

People with high metabolisms tend to lose weight more quickly and efficiently than others who have slower metabolic rates.  In order to burn fat at an optimal rate, it is essential to maintain healthy stores of vitamin B12.

B12 boosts energy

If you have symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, then you experience symptoms such as tiredness, muscular weakness, decreased motor skills, and lack of energy.  Unfortunately, many people who suffer symptoms of low B12 don’t even know it. Often, comorbid conditions such as clinical depression, anxiety disorder, fibromyalgia, diabetes, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), or hypothyroidism (low thyroid) mask the signs of vitamin B12 deficiency.  So, despite taking treatments such as antidepressants, insulin, thyroid medications, or pain relievers, they continue to feel sad and tired all the time, battling with constant “brain fog” without knowing why.

The Vitamin B12 Patch for Energy

Increasing your energy level provides mental focus, determination, and emotional wellness, in addition to improving your quality of life.  These things together assure weight loss success by enabling you to stick to a workout routine, increase your sports performance and stamina, challenge yourself in the gym, and stay on track.

B12 boosts mood

Common symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are depression, chronic fatigue, anxiety, paranoia, and unusually aggressive behavior.  When you are in a bad mood, you are more likely to make poor lifestyle choices, such as smoking, drug use, oversleeping, eating fattening, salty or sugary foods, and sedentary activities like television watching and playing video games.

Eating Your Way Out of Depression with B-12

Scientists have proven a high correlation between depression and weight gain.  If you feel sluggish, depressed, or more fatigued than usual, then you are statistically less likely to follow an exercise regimen or commit yourself to a new weight loss diet.  Only by taking vitamin B12 supplements can you begin to lose weight efficiently and reliably.

Read more about the benefits of vitamin B12:

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

Vitamin B12- How much do you need?

Sources:

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12

Does B12 Speed Up Metabolism?

How Can a B12 Deficiency Affect the Metabolism? Livestrong

What Are the Benefits of Vitamin B12 for Weight Loss? Livestrong

Image credits, from top:

Ambro, photostock

Being tired all the time is a symptom of B12 deficiency, but it can also signal hypothyroidism (low thyroid), a thyroid disease that occurs with low B12 levels.  Because hypothyroid symptoms are similar, vitamin B12 deficiency often goes undetected.

B12 deficiency causes fatigue, depression, and other mood disorders often associated with an underactive thyroid. If you’ve been diagnosed with thyroiditis, then it’s also important also to recognize the symptoms of B12 deficiency, and know whether you might require more vitamin B12 (cobalamin).

What is hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism is an autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) that occurs in the thyroid gland, causing inflammation, and reducing its ability to produce sufficient amounts of thyroid hormones.  Hashimoto’s disease is one example of thyroiditis that causes low thyroid levels.  Sometimes, thyroid treatment for hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), such as radioactive iodine or surgery, can backfire, causing underactive thyroid symptoms.

Why am I always tired?  Symptoms of hypothyroidism

Symptoms of low thyroid include:

• Empty facial expressions
• Husky, gravelly voice
• Chronic fatigue, tiredness
• Sluggish, droning speech patterns
• “Brain fog,” or confusion
• Depression
• Uncontrolled weight gain
• Droopy eyelids
• Puffy, bloated face
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Dry skin and hair
• Sparse hair, including eyebrows
• Tingling and numbness in the hands and feet
• Muscular pain
• Feebleness
• Slow resting heart rate
• Orange-colored skin on the hands and feet
• Heavy menstrual periods in women

Vitamin B12 for Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails

Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble nutrient that is responsible for making red blood cells, controlling DNA synthesis, regulating the nervous system, and improving cognitive functioning.  Without proper levels of B12, you may suffer pernicious anemia, neurological damage, dementia, or heart attack resulting from elevated homocysteine levels.

Low B12 symptoms include:

• Depression
• Chronic fatigue, tiredness
• Anxiety
• Short-term memory loss
• “Brain fog,” or confusion
• Difficulty concentrating
• Neurosis
• Altered taste perception
• Swollen, red tongue
• Tingling and numbness in the hands and feet
• Awkward hand movements
• Loss of balance
• Clumsiness and stumbling
• Sleep problems

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

Thyroid disease and low B12 levels

In a study conducted in Sapir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel, patients with autoimmune thyroid disease received blood screening for vitamin B12 deficiency.  Researchers noted a significantly high percentage of people with AITD who also had B12 deficiency, in addition to pernicious anemia symptoms, a blood disease associated with low B12 levels.

Another study conducted in Pakistan by Aga Khan University produced similar results; namely, a 40% prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency among patients with hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism treatment

If you are a patient of hypothyroidism, then physicians strongly recommend routine blood testing for vitamin B12 deficiency, regardless of thyroid hormone levels.

Read more about B12 deficiency:

6 Degrees of Vitamin B12- B12 Deficiency and Autoimmune Disease

Worried about Low B12 Lab Results?

Female Rapper Missy Elliot, 15 Celebs with Thyroid Disorders

Sources:

Prevalence and evaluation of B12 deficiency in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease- PubMed NCBI

Hypothyroidism- PubMed Health

Vitamin B12 deficiency common in primary hypothyroidism- PubMed NCBI

Hypothyroidism & Vitamin B12 Deficiency- LIVESTRONG.COM

Vitamin B12 deficiency common in primary hypothyroidism

Image credits, from top:

vitasamb2001, jscreationzs, Ambro

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

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

If you’ve had bariatric surgery (gastric bypass surgery, lap band surgery), then you’re at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency. Weight loss surgery causes B12 vitamin malabsorption, in addition to difficulty absorbing other vitamins and minerals. Learn about B12 deficiency symptoms, and ways to get your B12 levels back to normal.

How many types of bariatric surgery procedures are there?

There are many types of weight loss surgeries, including gastric bypass and lap band surgery, but there are two general categories:

• Malabsorptive surgery rearranges and/or removes part of your intestines so that you are unable to absorb vitamins from foods, thus bypassing the digestive process.  There are no longer any strictly 100% malabsorptive weight loss surgeries, but many such as the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass include a combination of (mostly) malabsorptive and restrictive techniques.
• Restrictive surgery shrinks your stomach, thus causing you to feel full earlier and avoid overeating.  Examples are the gastric sleeve and gastric banding (lap band surgery).

Gastric Bypass Stomach Surgery in Mexico- Would you?

Why do I need to take bariatric vitamins and minerals after having bariatric surgery?

If you’ve had weight loss surgery, then you are at a high risk for vitamin deficiencies, particularly vitamin B12 deficiency.  There are two reasons for this:

• If you’ve had malabsorptive surgery, such as a mini-gastric bypass or duodenal switch, then your body is unable to digest water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin B12 from food sources.  One of the procedures of malabsorptive bariatric surgery is the removal of the ileum, the part of your small intestine responsible for digesting vitamin B12.  The only way for you to receive enough B12 to avoid vitamin deficiency is to put it directly into your bloodstream, either through B12 shots or B12 injections.  (Sublingual B12 pills are not your best option for absorbing vitamin B12.)
• With restrictive surgery, such as gastric sleeve, your stomach is unable to contain enough food at one time to avoid vitamin deficiency.

10 Mistakes Gastric Bypass Patients Often Make

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, and why should I be worried?

Vitamin B12 supports many important functions in your body- B12 boosts energy and mental clarity, produces red blood cells, maintains your metabolism, protects your nervous system, strengthens cognitive functioning, and reduces your risk of heart attack or stroke.

Vitamin deficiency is one of many possible gastric bypass complications. In one study on diminished B12 absorption after gastric bypass, 30% of gastric bypass patients suffered from B12 deficiency.

The most common symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are:

• Chronic fatigue
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Short-term memory loss
• “Brain fog”
• Disorientation
• Difficulty concentrating
• Loss of physical balance
• Altered taste perception
• Tingling and/or numbing sensation in hands and feet
• Blurred vision

Left untreated, symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency could escalate into severe neurological damage, pernicious anemia, early-onset dementia, and even premature death.

Read more about weight loss surgery and vitamin B12 deficiency:

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

Bariatric Surgery- 13 Reasons you still need to Exercise

Tired of getting Dumped? 4 Ways to avoid Gastric Bypass Dumping.

Sources:

Types of Bariatric Surgery – The 16 Established & Experimental Weight Loss Surgery Procedures

Evidence for diminished B12 absorption after gastric bypass: oral supplementation does not prevent low plasma B12 levels in bypass patients- PubMed NCBI

Vitamin B12 Absorption & Gastric Bypass- LIVESTRONG.COM

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12

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kornnphoto, nattavut, alancleaver_2000, o5com