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

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.