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Vitamin B12 is a nutrient most people know very little about, and yet it is extremely important in several vital functions of the body. Vitamin B12 deficiency is quite common, and many people suffer from it without ever knowing. In fact, a B12 deficiency could be the cause of several mysterious symptoms that may plague you without a clear cause. Anyone can suffer a B12 deficiency, but the problem is often seen in those who do not consume animal products. It can also result from eating a unbalanced diet and not taking care of your body. You probably already know if you fall into one of those risk categories. Remember, though, that B12 deficiency can occur in anyone. It’s important to be aware of the symptoms in case you should ever experience them.
The symptoms of B12 deficiency are often mistaken for symptoms associated with other diseases, and so it is often not detected. If left untreated, this deficiency can irreversibly damage your body and lead to more serious health complications. If you believe you may be suffering from a Vitamin B12 deficiency, read on to learn more about B12 and how you can correct the problem. Then see a doctor for a proper diagnosis and advice.
What Is Vitamin B12?
1)DNA production and repair
2)Manufacture of hemoglobin
3)Assists in neural production and communication
4)Aids in metabolism
As you may already know, DNA is basically your body’s blueprint. It tells your body how to grow, repair itself, and function, and is present in every cell of your body. Since vitamin B12 is essential to DNA production and repair, it is easy to see why a B12 deficiency can be quite serious.
Vitamin B12 is also used to manufacture hemoglobin, which is an important component in blood. You need hemoglobin in order to create enough red blood cells, which carry oxygen to every cell in your body. It makes sense, then, that many of the symptoms of B12 deficiency relate to insufficient blood supply. Most of the physical symptoms of B12 deficiency stem from the body’s lack of red blood cells.
B12 is also important in the production of neurons in the brain, and for communication between them. Everything you do throughout the day, from having a conversation or taking a test, to brushing your teeth or going for a jog, all depend upon the neurons in your brain to adequately send and receive messages to one another. This controls your concentration, motor skills, problem solving abilities, and other skills. When neurons cannot properly communicate with one another, various symptoms will arise related to your brain’s ability to function properly.
B12 also aids in metabolism, which in layman’s terms means turning the food you eat into energy. Without the right amount of B12 in your system, metabolism will be impaired. Symptoms may arise from a lack of energy and improper digestion.
Considering the various roles B12 plays in the body, it is easy to see why a deficiency can cause a variety of symptoms. It’s very important to maintain your B12 levels in order to prevent serious complications down the road.
Where is B12 Found?
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal products. While the nutrient is found in liver and other beef products, it is found in even higher amounts in certain seafood. Foods like clams, oysters and mussels are rich in B12 and provide more B12 than any other food. Other foods like caviar and octopus also contain loads of vitamin B12. Most fish also have more than average amounts of B12; making it easy for anyone to get the B12 they need in their diet.
Many people do not like seafood, or prefer not to eat animal products for ethical or religious reasons. For this reason many vegetarian or vegan foods (such as soy milk) are fortified with B12, as are many common breakfast cereals. You can also get vitamin B12 from a dietary supplement. Most multivitamins contain B12 as well as other B complex vitamins, which are all essential. Taking a multivitamin daily is the easiest way to avoid B12 deficiency symptoms.
When considering B12 supplementation, it is important to know the difference between cyanocobalamin and metylcobalamin. These are the two forms of B12 found in supplements. Studies have shown that metylcobalamin is the preferable form of B12 for several reasons. Cyanocobalamin contains a cyanide molecule that, while small, has to be eliminated from your body. Methylcobalamin is also absorbed better and retained in the body longer, making it the preferred form of B12 for supplementation. It is advisable to check the labels on vitamin supplements to make sure methylobalamin is the form of B12 used.
Symptoms of a Deficiency
Certain digestive problems may also occur with a B12 deficiency. These might include heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Bloating and constipation are other symptoms that may occur. If appetite is poor, weight loss might result. These symptoms may be mistaken for a common stomach bug, but they will return over and over and become an ongoing problem. When they occur in conjunction with some of the other symptoms of B12 deficiency, the picture becomes much more clear.
You may also experience dramatic neurological B12 deficiency symptoms including confusion, paranoia and other behavioral disorders. You may find it hard to focus with the complete inability to concentrate. In severe cases of B12 deficiency you may even experience suicidal thoughts or tendencies. At slightly lower than normal levels of B12 you may experience a wide variety of symptoms including fatigue, poor memory and even depression. Like most B12 deficiency symptoms, they are very nonspecific which makes diagnosis very difficult with the proper testing.
Most B12 deficiency symptoms can easily be mistaken for another illness. This makes it difficult for people to see their own B12 deficiency symptoms. Common B12 deficiency symptoms range from fatigue to serious neurological disorders. This makes them easy to overlook or misdiagnose. If you suspect you might be suffering from a B12 deficiency, it is easy for a doctor to run a blood test and diagnose you. Then you can begin treatment. Since B12 deficiency can cause serious, irreversible damage to the body when left untreated, it is important to take this seriously and see a doctor if you have experienced the above symptoms.
Treatment
You may also be referred to a registered dietitian for advice on planning healthy meals. Until your deficiency is corrected, you may be instructed to consume higher than usual amounts of B12. However, you cannot necessarily do this by simply taking extra multivitamins, since some vitamins such as vitamin A can be toxic in high doses. Follow your doctor’s advice carefully in regard to taking multivitamin supplements, and continue to eat a healthy diet otherwise.
Also, since vitamin B12 deficiency is linked to other, often serious health problems, you need to see a doctor to be screened for these diseases. If long-term B12 deficiency has damaged your body then you will need to watch for the development of these complications,and may already need treatment for them. It’s easy to see why simply popping a multivitamin is not sufficient to correct your problem. You need a physician’s care to be sure the damage done to your body doesn’t get worse or cause you further problems later on.
Prevention
Since vitamin B12 plays a role in so many bodily functions, it’s no wonder B12 deficiency has been linked to a variety of serious health conditions. Studies have shown that over time, a B12 deficiency that is not corrected can lead to the following:
1)Heart disease
2)Certain types of cancer
3)Alzheimer’s
4)Fibromyalgia
5)Stroke
6)Chronic depression
A vitamin B12 deficiency will cause high homocysteine levels in the bloodstream. High homocystein levels in the bloodstream can be toxic and lead to the development of serious diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke and even Alzheimer’s disease. Conversely, getting enough B12 will help you avoid these diseases by naturally lowering your homocysteine levels.
The important role vitamin B12 plays in the brain means that a deficiency, especially when it is undetected for a long time, will disrupt brain function and lead to problems that are difficult to reverse. The brain and nervous system are impacted the most from a B12 deficiency. Even when the deficiency is corrected with better nutrition and supplements, impaired neural functioning may persist. It may be some time before chemicals in the brain are balanced and depression is alleviated, and the patient may have an elevated risk of developing Alzheimer’s in the future.
Obviously, since B12 deficiency is linked to many long-term, serious health problems, prevention truly is the best medicine. Taking a multivitamin supplement which contains B12 every single day is the simplest way to prevent all of these complications in the future. Eating a healthy, balanced diet will also ensure that you are getting all of the nutrients your body needs to function properly and ward off disease.
B12 Supplementation
There are several different ways to supplement your diet with vitamin B12, and which method you use will depend upon your body’s needs as well as personal preference. Obviously, there are the multivitamins commonly found in any drug store. These are best used for prevention or when the deficiency is mild. Multivitamins also contain a full spectrum of other necessary nutrients, so they can help prevent other types of nutritional deficiency as well. For patients with a severe deficiency, or for those who have trouble absorbing nutrients through the digestive tract, one of the other methods may be best.
A B12 injection will deliver the vitamin directly to the bloodstream, and these shots often give the patient an immediately boost of energy. These are used when the need for B12 is urgent. However, the injections can be expensive, so many patients choose to pursue another method of supplementation.
A sublingual is taken orally, but melts in the mouth and enters the bloodstream more quickly. These are good for patients who have trouble absorbing nutrients, and for those who need to get the vitamin into their system right away. Another option for these patients is B12 patches. The vitamin is easily absorbed through the skin, making patches a common method of treatment for patients with a severe deficiency.
The method of supplementation usually depends upon the severity of the deficiency as well as other complicating health problems. A consultation with a physician will help you decide which type of supplement is right for you.