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:

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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

Is there any connection between lupus and vitamin B12 deficiency? That’s a question asked often both by people with low B12 and diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Both autoimmune diseases share similar symptoms, and it’s important to know how to tell the difference.

Cruising for a Bruising? Choose Vitamin B12 Shots or Anemia

What is lupus?

Lupus, or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an autoimmune disease that can cause damage to your muscles, bones, organs, and skin tissue.  Like other autoimmune disorders, lupus causes your body’s immune system to attack healthy cells tissue, causing swelling, inflammation, and pain.  Damage to your system may include kidney damage, heart attack, lung damage, joint pain, and blood diseases such as anemia (more on this later).

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Symptoms of B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the most common deficiencies in the US. Even if you eat plenty of sources rich in vitamin B12 (meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and milk), your B12 levels may be at risk if you have had bariatric surgery, take antacid medicine for acid reflux, are among the elderly, have a gastrointestinal autoimmune disease like Crohn’s or celiac disease, or if you are a diabetic taking metformin.

6 Degrees of Vitamin B12- B12 Deficiency and Autoimmune Disease

How does lupus mimic vitamin B12 deficiency?

Many symptoms of lupus mimic those of vitamin B12 deficiency, making it difficult to determine low B12 levels without taking a vitamin B12 blood test.

• Cognitive functioning and mood disorders. Anxiety, depression, headaches, and short-term memory loss are symptoms common to both lupus patients and vitamin B12 deficiency sufferers.
• Chronic fatigue. Chronic fatigue shares a comorbid relationship with lupus and B12 deficiency.
• Nerve damage. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes neurological damage such as aching joints and arthritis-like muscular pain.  Lupus causes swollen joints, arthritis, and inflamed joints.
• Shortness of breath is a symptom of low B12 and lupus.
• Hair loss. B12 deficiency may cause premature hair loss and greying.  Hair loss is also a symptom common to lupus patients.
• Mouth ulcers are typical for vitamin B12 patients and lupus sufferers.
• Skin rashes are a side effect of chronic B12 deficiency.  Likewise, lupus patients suffer skin rashes across the cheeks and nose (malar rash).
• Anemia. One of the most highly correlated symptoms shared by vitamin B12 deficiency patients and lupus patients alike is the susceptibility to anemia.  Left untreated, B12 deficiency can lead to pernicious anemia (megaloblastic anemia).  More than half of all lupus patients suffer from blood disorders, particularly anemia.
• Heart disease and cancer. Lupus and pernicious anemia patients alike are at high risk for contracting heart disease and cancer.
• Bone loss (osteoporosis) is a risk factor for lupus patients and individuals with vitamin B12 deficiency.

Read more about B12 deficiency and autoimmune diseases:

Vitamin B12 and your Bones- Osteoporosis from B12 Deficiency

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Best 15 Twitter Feeds to follow for Autoimmune Disease Info

7 Celebs with Lupus

Sources:

Lupus Hope- Get Your B12 Levels Checked!

Lupus Foundation of America- Blood Disorders

Vitamin B12 For Lupus & Crohn’s Disease- LIVESTRONG.COM

What is Lupus?

Image credits, from top:

Ton Haex, taysm, grietgriet

Vitamin B12 deficiency can start with a few symptoms like tiredness and slight tingling or numbness in hands and feet; ignore the symptoms and low B12 levels could escalate into severe nerve damage, disease or death.

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

Below is a list of some of the most common side effects which may arise from insufficient stores of vitamin B12. (Please note that the severity of the symptoms may vary according to the stage of B12 deficiency.)

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Aggressive behavior
• Hallucinations
• Sleep problems
• Frailness
• Imbalance, difficulty walking with coordination
• Numbness or tingling in the hands and/or feet
• Altered taste perception
• Heart palpitations
• Short-term memory loss
• Also read: B12 Deficiency can really Get on your Nerves

B12 and your body

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble nutrient. Therefore, your body is only able to store it for a short time. Vitamin B12 has many important functions in your body.

• Vitamin B12 is essential for producing plenty of healthy red blood cells and synthesizing DNA. A lack of B12 severely reduces your body’s ability to make sufficient red blood cells for carrying oxygen throughout your body. Pernicious anemia is a life-threatening condition which results from long-term vitamin B12 deficiency.
• Your nervous system is dependent on vitamin B12, which enhances communication between the brain and your many nerve sensors, such as those in your fingertips, feet and mouth. This explains why sufferers of B12 deficiency notice a sensation similar to wearing gloves throughout the day; others report that their food tastes unusual, another clue that the body’s neurons are not operating correctly.  A deficiency of vitamin B12 compromises your nervous system and could result in permanent neurological damage.
• Researchers have found a direct link between vitamin B12 deficiency and brain atrophy among the elderly. I one study which appeared in the Journal of Nutrition, senior citizens who had the highest levels of B12 experienced age-related dementia later in life than elderly individuals who did not have high vitamin B12 levels. Now Eat This: Preventing Age Related Hearing Loss
• Vitamin B12 helps your body monitor homocysteine levels. Elevated homocysteine increases one’s risk for heart attacks.

What diseases are associated with B12 deficiency?

There are many illnesses which occur when B12 levels are low; some conditions may be caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, while others are closely correlated. Below are some common illnesses associated with B12 deficiency, including many which most people don’t realize are affected by vitamin B12 stores.

• Alzheimer’s disease, brain deterioration, cognitive decline, memory loss and other forms of dementia
• Neurological diseases such as Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Cardiovascular disease, caused by high homocysteine levels
• Mental illness, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and psychosis
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Autoimmune diseases, such as AIDS and pernicious anemia
• Cancer
• Infertility

Eating Your Way Out of Depression with B-12

B12 deficiency is often misdiagnosed

According to a Tufts University study, 40 percent of people between the ages of 26 and 83 have low to medium-low B12 levels, indicating a deficiency severe enough to cause neurological disorder symptoms, while 9 percent are depleted enough to the point of irreversible neurological damage and life-threatening symptoms. Approximately 16 percent are close to becoming vitamin B12 deficient.

Why is vitamin B12 deficiency overlooked?

Only a blood test can properly determine if somebody is suffering from B12 deficiency, and most physicians don’t include a B12 screening with yearly check-ups. Also, many of the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are similar to common health disorders, such as diabetes, chronic depression and fatigue.

How can you prevent vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 is found in many high protein foods. Excellent sources of B12 are:

• Lean beef cuts, such as chuck and sirloin
• Poultry
• Fish, particularly salmon, tuna and halibut
• Shellfish, including crab meat, mussels, clams and oysters
• Dairy products, such as swiss cheese, yogurt, milk and cottage cheese
• Eggs

Vegans are at a high risk for developing vitamin B12 deficiency, as their diet specifically excludes food items which provide vitamin B12. Other people who are at risk of getting B12 deficiency are patients of weight loss surgery, diabetics on metformin, individuals with gastrointestinal disease, people who lack intrinsic factor and anybody taking prescription heartburn medication.

The only way to prevent becoming deficient in vitamin B12 is by constantly replenishing your body with B12-rich nutrients. Alternatively, patients diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency are encouraged to take vitamin B12 supplements, such as sublingual B12 tablets, nasal sprays, B12 shots or a weekly vitamin B12 patch.

Find more information on preventing vitamin B12 deficiency:

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

On Becoming Vegan: Avoiding Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Others

We’ve all heard of overeaters binging themselves into a state of depression- a vicious circle which is difficult to get out of. But eating for happiness?

Vitamin B-12 deficiency is linked with depression

Vitamin B12 is essential for many aspects of brain development, such as myelination (the production of a protective layer around the brain) and the distributing of neurotransmitters to and from the brain. So it comes as no surprise that the Mayo Clinic suggests eating foods rich in vitamin B-12 as a means of preventing the onset of clinical depression.

“Eat to live, don’t live to eat.”

That’s a great motto if you happen to be an android. The fact is, eating is a sensual experience which we were meant to enjoy. (Why else would we have taste buds?) The key to good nutrition is finding foods you love that will love you right back.

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Here are some yummy appetizers and entrées which are naturally high in vitamin B-12:

• Fish tacos- Made popular by Rubio’s, the fish tacos is a tasty fusion of Cal-Mex and seafood cuisine.  Take a soft flour tortilla, add some fiery mango salsa, a dab of sour cream and a grilled fish fillet (hint: salmon is high in B-12).  It’s a wrap!

Fresh Catch

• Are you a Sushi lover? Then you’re going to love this- sushi and sashimi recipes typically include such high-in-B12 ingredients as roe (fish eggs), octopus, crab, shrimp, and mackerel. Pass the soy sauce!

Got Bento?

• New England clam chowder- just the name elicits images of salty sea breezes, sailboats and clam bakes. Don’t have any recipes handy? Here is a list of variations on this classic soup recipe.

Soup-er with Saltines!

• Lean cuts of lamb are high in vitamin B-12 and a popular staple of many Middle Eastern cuisines. Here is a flavorful Lamb Moussaka recipe, as featured in epicurious.
• Tuna casserole is one of America’s fave comfort foods and it’s simple to make- combine canned tuna, cooked broad noodles, and a can of concentrated mushroom soup. Top it with some fried onions and pop it in the oven for 30 minutes. Tuna is high in B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids.

Family Favorite

• Hamburgers barbecued with low-fat ground beef chuck are a great source of vitamin B-12. Serve it up on whole-grain buns with a side of oven roasted root veggies for a healthy upgrade from the typical artery-clogging burgers ‘n fries.

Sources:

Newsmax

HealthAliciousNess.com

Have you checked your Vitamin B12 levels lately? If you’re over 30, then you should; your chances of becoming deficient increase with age.

What are some of the symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency?

• Restlessness
• Fatigue
• Memory loss
• Numbness or tingling
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty sleeping
• Increased aggression
• depression

Most of us eat about 15 mcg. of Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) everyday, which is more than the USRDA of only 2 mcg.  Good sources include most meat, fish and dairy products. However, scientists recommend 200 times that amount in order to prevent getting Vitamin B12 deficiency.

Why you need Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is necessary for healthy red blood cell reproduction and neurological functioning. A deficiency can have serious consequences which, left untreated, can be life threatening.

Diseases resulting from Vitamin B12 deficiency include:

Hematological

Megaloblastic anemia

Pancytopenia

Neurological illness

Peripheral neuropathy

Paresthesia

Combined systems disease

Psychiatric illness

Moodiness

Loss of short-term memory, dementia

Depression

Psychotic behavior

Cardiovascular disease

Increased likelihood for heart attack or stroke

Three Causes for Vitamin B12 Deficiency

1) Nutrition

Foods that are highest in Vitamin B12 include shellfish, liver, beef and cheese. Vegans are at high risk of developing Vitamin B12 deficiency and must take regular vitamin supplements to compensate.

2) Malabsorption syndromes

Some people are unable to utilize the Vitamin B12 found in food products and tend to develop Vitamin B12 deficiency. Pernicious anemia is an example of an autoimmune disease which results from a low presence of the intrinsic factor antibody, which attaches itself to and aids in the absorption of Vitamin B12.

3) Gastrointestinal causes

Dyspepsia, or indigestion, is another common cause of low Vitamin B12 since excess stomach acids make it difficult for the body to absorb Vitamin B12 properly.

Sufferers of Crohn’s disease are at particular risk and must supplement with vitamins in order to avoid severe malnourishment.

Patients who have had gastric bypass or other intestinal surgery are likely to develop B12 deficiency due to bacterial residue.

Treatment for Vitamin B12 Deficiency

See a doctor immediately if you suspect you have Vitamin B12 Deficiency; a simple blood test is all that is required for a diagnosis.

Once Vitamin B12 deficiency is determined your physician will prescribe a regimen of Vitamin B12 supplements, usually in the form of intramuscular injections followed up by sublingual tablets.

An innovative new form of Vitamin B12 which is gaining acceptance these days is comes in a transdermal application. The Vitamin B12 patch is seen by many as a gentler, non-intrusive alternative to the B12 shot. The Vitamin B12 patch is also less expensive than Vitamin B12 injections. The fact that it can be administered at home also makes the Vitamin B12 patch a more convenient option.

Sources:

American Family Physician

HealthAliciousNess.com

Web MD

Wall Street Journal

The benefits of Vitamin B 12 have been long known. During the nineteen sixties and seventies Vitamin B 12 shots were frequently offered at the family Doctor’s office to assist with a list of ailments, it was a very common practice than during the nineteen eighties and nineties it was kind of shelved as other products were more prevalently offered to treat ailments. Vitamin B12 is a complex combination of necessary nutrients that sustains metabolism and assists in the production of red blood cells, a Vitamin B12 deficiency is often misdiagnosed as a slew of illnesses. A simple blood test can determine if there is a Vitamin B12 deficiency but it is often overlooked. There are primarily two ways to insure that the Vitamin B12 levels are sufficient. The first way is the simplest, through a well rounded diet; the second way is through supplements.

Delivery Methods of Vitamin B12
There are quite a few delivery methods of Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 can be delivered via, tablets, capsules, sublingual drops, patches and shots. The most common form of delivery is through tablets, capsules and pills. It is the simplest and most common way for folks to take a Vitamin B 12 supplement. Oddly enough it is the least effective way of taking Vitamin B 12. The body usually does not recognize the pill as nutrients and it passes through the system without much absorption taking place. There are some Vitamin B12 tablets that are manufactured from crushed food particles, studies show that the crushed food particle tablets are absorbed better than the traditional tablets.
Vitamin B12 sublingual drops are one of the most effective delivery methods of Vitamin B 12. The drops are placed under the tongue and quickly absorbed into the blood stream by the many arteries that are located under the tongue. The most effective artificial delivery method of Vitamin B 12 is the Vitamin B 12 shots. All of these methods will deliver supplemental Vitamin B 12 to the body, but they are all artificial methods of delivering Vitamin B 12. Most people will get all the Vitamin B 12 they need from the food they eat as long as they eat it in appropriate quantities.

List Of Foods
Vitamin B 12 is generally found in foods that are derived from animal products, it is not generally found in vegetation. The following is a brief list of food that naturally contain Vitamin B 12:

1 Beef Liver
2 Beef Steak
3 Ground Beef
4 Trout
5 Salmon
6 Haddock
7 Tuna
8 Ham and Other Pork Products
9 Chicken
10 Cheeses
11 Eggs
12 Whole Milk

As part of a well rounded diet Vitamin B 12 can be easily absorbed and processed by the body. The body easily recognizes the nutrients when they come from food. Diets that are high in low fat animal products will supply the body with an ample amount of Vitamin B12 and in absence of a medical condition should be a sufficient supply according to the Recommended Daily Allowances according to published reports by the US Department of Agriculture.

Vitamin B12 is a key component of several body functions. Vitamin B12 plays a key role in the manufacturing of red blood cells, keeps the nervous system working correctly and is key in brain functions.

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

The symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency ranges from virtually unnoticeable to dementia. Obviously the variable is the extent of time that the deficiency has been present. Normally a person will begin by feeling a bit run down. The first visit to the doctor normally results in being misdiagnosed. Maybe anemia will be diagnosed. Maybe nothing will be diagnosed, unless a blood test is specifically run to determine if the proper levels of Vitamin B12 is apparent than the factor will remain unknown, and usually this is not a common part of a blood panel work up, it has to be requested by the health care provider specifically.

As time passes and the condition is not treated, the symptoms will become much more complex. The complexity of the symptoms will also range from headaches to light headedness to forget fullness and the energy level will be way down. There can be some lasting damage is the condition is not caught and treated by this stage.

Host of Increased Health Problems

The risks of Vitamin B12 deficiency range from Vitamin B12 deficiency based anemia to stroke. The risks include neuropsychiatry disorders. Depression can sometimes be attributed to Vitamin B12 deficiency as can memory loss, dementia and at its worse psychosis. With these neurological disorders simply increasing the dosage of Vitamin B12 to cure the deficiency does not necessarily cure the disorders, because the nervous system, by the time these symptoms present themselves may have been permanently damaged. The incidence of neurological illness is prevalent in the older members of society primarily effecting those sixty two years and older when the body’s natural ability to absorb Vitamin B12 is already naturally declining. Many of whom are misdiagnosed over and over upon the initial consult, complaining of fatigue it is attributed to old age.

Cardiovascular risk factors also increase in cases of prolonged Vitamin B12 deficiency. The increase of myocardial infarction and stroke increase dramatically when there is a prolonged Vitamin B12 deficiency. This heart damage may also be irreversible. Stroke is also increased as a result of prolonged deficiency.

There are also some connections between Vitamin B12 deficiency and Alzheimer’s disease. The research is still in its earliest phases and no conclusions have been made yet, but it is hypothesized with strong anecdotal evidence to support the theory that Vitamin B12 deficiency may play a strong role in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. The theory is that Vitamin B12 deficiency when prolonged damages the dendrites in the brain and causes sections of the nervous system to die out, resulting in an increased risk of memory loss and dementia.

The risks of Vitamin B12 deficiency are evident and very preventable, a balanced diet and periodic screens can offset any potential problems.

Vitamin B12 benefits have been proven scientifically. The science behind the vitamin b12 benefits has prompted vitamin b12 to be produced in all types of forms. There are injectable forms of vitamin b12 and there are ingestible forms of vitamin b12. The use of vitamin b12 as an elixir for all types of physical maladies is nothing new. The practice of using vitamin b12 has been around for quite some time.

Vitamin B12 Benefits

Vitamin b12 benefits are numerous and span from the youngest members of society to the oldest. Vitamin b12 benefits for the body include:

• Keeping melatonin levels up
• Alleviating depression
• Treatment for Alzheimer’s
• Treatment of asthma in children
• Support and increase the immune system in adults and children
• Increased metabolic rate

It would seem that the vitamin b12 benefits run the gamut of health issues. Vitamin b12 benefits may also include the treatment of HIV, the precursor to AIDS.

How Does Vitamin B12 Work?

Vitamin b12 is actually separate b vitamins. There is thiamine, riboflavin, biotin and folic acid amongst others. These individual vitamins work on different structures of the human body. These vitamins are utilized by the body on a molecular level and are used in the production of red blood cells, immunity cells, muscle fibers and other molecular structures. The vitamin b12 is an integral part of the chemical makeup of the human body.

Where Does it Come From?

Vitamin b12 is normally received through food sources. Most diets provide enough vitamin b12 on a daily basis. There are some diseases that deplete the body of vitamin b12. Pernicious anemia is a condition where the vitamin b12 found in diets is not enough, and supplements need to be taken. With pernicious anemia the body does not process the vitamin b12 the way it is supposed to, so supplements are introduced to increase the amount of vitamin b12 in the body with the hope that the overwhelming amount will cause some of the vitamin b12 to be absorbed. Vitamin b12 benefits can be realized with the minimal amounts that are require each day. Supplementing vitamin b12 may or may not increase the benefits of vitamin b12. A medical professional is a good source to use to determine in vitamin b12 benefits will increase with the use of a supplement to the diet.

Vitamin B12 Supplements

Vitamin b12 supplements can be purchased at any health food store, grocery store, drug store or warehouse discount store. Supplements usually come in pill or liquid form. Vitamin b12 benefits are clear and if the diet is not providing the recommended daily allowance than supplements would be a good choice.

Vitamin b12 for anemia is a sound treatment option. Anemia is a disorder of the blood that affects almost thirty percent of all women – although it is not exclusively relevant to women it just seems to affect them more.

Anemia

Anemia is a deficiency in the blood it is a reduction in the red blood count. It is typically associated with an iron deficiency and the course of treatment usually involves prescribing iron supplements, but there is anemia that is completely caused by a vitamin b12 deficiency. Anemia can result in fatigue, dizziness and lowered immunity. Treatment applications usually can sure anemia over the course of a period of time.

Why Vitamin B12?

Anemia is thought to be caused by iron deficiency in the blood, but vitamin b12 is an intrinsic ingredient in the production of red blood cells. Vitamin b12 for anemia taken in conjunction with iron supplements can speed the recovery time. Vitamin b12 can also result in anemia that is not associated with iron poor blood. Vitamin b12 anemia is that there are simply not enough red blood cells in the blood to carry oxygen to vital organs. Vitamin b12 is an important nutrient and usually is sufficiently supplied to the body through the diet. Vegetarians may not receive enough vitamin b12 through the diet because vitamin b12 is not found in substantial amounts in non animal foods. There are other reasons that there may not be enough vitamin b12 in the body to help produce red blood cells. There may be a medical reason in the form of disease. Crohn’s disease prevents vitamin b12 from being absorbed along with bacterial growth in the small intestines and pernicious anemia. There are medications that may prevent the absorption of vitamin b12, typically these medications are associated with heartburn and stomach ulcer medications. Treating the type of anemia that is associated with vitamin b12 deficiency is simply upping the vitamin b12 intake.

Treatment Options

Vitamin b12 for anemia can be delivered in several different ways. There are inject able vitamin b12 supplements that usually require a doctor office visit, there are over the counter vitamin b12 supplements that come in a variety of delivery methods. The over the counter vitamin b12 for anemia options can include, pills, lozenges, drops and patches. There are also prescription strength vitamin b12 supplements and shots for anemia options. The prescription strength options will also require a visit to the doctor’s office.

Prevention

Preventing anemia that is related to vitamin b12 deficiency is a very simple task that can be accomplished by simply adjusting the diet to include foods that are rich in vitamin b12. Supplements can also be taken to head off any potential problems.

Vitamin b12 for anemia can solve the issue, and can result in feeling better and better overall health.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause a host of medical problems. Vitamin B12 deficiency is the result of inadequate diet or a failure of the body to absorb the vitamin b12.

Conditions

Certain conditions are related to vitamin b12 deficiency. The most well known condition of vitamin b12 deficiency is anemia. Anemia is a condition of the blood. Vitamin b12 is vital to the production of red blood cells. There are other conditions that are not immediately diagnosed as a vitamin b12 deficiency. Vitamin b12 deficiency can sometimes present itself as nerve damage, or the early stages of dementia (Alzheimer’s disease). Depression is also a condition associated with vitamin b12 deficiency. Pernicious anemia is not a condition of vitamin b12 deficiency but typically the cause of vitamin b12 deficiency when dietary causes have been ruled out. Vitamin b12 deficiency can also cause sessions of mania, psychosis and fatigue. Vitamin b12 deficiency over a long period of time can cause irreversible damage to the nervous system. Vitamin b12 deficiency is usually very difficult to diagnose and goes misdiagnosed for long periods of time. Patients are treated for a host of other ailments in the hopes that the treatments will relieve the symptoms, and still do not receive the relief they hope for. Vitamin b12 deficiency can be determined through a simple blood test but it is often overlooked as a possible problem.

Treatment

Vitamin b12 deficiency is treated by increasing the delivery of vitamin b12. Vitamin b12 supplements in severe cases of vitamin b12 deficiency are delivered via injections at very high doses. In the case of pernicious anemia the vitamin b12 supplements are delivered at the rate three times of the recommended daily dosage. It is thought that at the higher levels at least some of the vitamin b12 will be absorbed. Vitamin b12 deficiency can also be treated by the use of sublingual vitamin b12 and other forms of vitamin b12 supplements. The first step in suspected vitamin b12 deficiency should be a visit to a health care provider, to determine through a blood test if there is a vitamin b12 deficiency, once that has been determined than treatment options should be discussed.

Prevention

The prevention of vitamin b12 deficiency is simple enough. Taking a daily supplement of vitamin b12 and eating a proper diet that is rich in vitamin b12 will ward off any problems associated with the dietary vitamin b12 deficiency. If there is a family history of pernicious anemia it is best to get checked to be sure that the condition is not present.

Vitamin b12 deficiency can be a very serious condition with lasting effects, it should not be ignored. Vitamin b12 deficiency is treatable and curable with no lasting damage if caught in time.