B12 Deficiency
To better understand the subject of B12 deficiency, it is necessary to understand why the body needs the B12 vitamin.
Vitamin B12 and Your Body
B12, also known as cobalamin, assists red blood cells and nerve cells for healthy bodily functions, including protein and tissue production. It helps regulate your homocysteine level, which if not controlled, can lead to heart diseases (including cardiac arrest) and strokes. It also assists folate (vitamin B9) in providing iron, and helps produce S-adenosylmethionine, needed to regulate mood and emotions. As with all vitamins, B12 is needed to help balance the work of others.
Everyone needs vitamin B12, but people with the following conditions are most at risk for a deficit.
- Intestinal Disorders
- Alcoholism (stress to the liver)
- Elderly
- Those who practice a vegan, vegetarian, or macrobiotic (mostly vegetarian, with a little amount of meat or fish) diet
Common Sources of B12
B12 is found in dairy products, eggs, fish, fortified cereals, grain products, and milks/soymilks, meats, and meat organs - the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is:
- 0.4 -0.9 micrograms for ages birth to 3 years
- 1.2 micrograms for ages 4-8 years
- 1.8 micrograms for ages 9-13
- 2.4 micrograms for teenagers and adults
- 2.6 micrograms for pregnant women
- 2.8 micrograms for breastfeeding women.
A deficiency in B12 may thus up your daily RDA in supplement form to 5-10 micrograms, or up to 1000-2000 micrograms weekly (it will vary according to your or your child's circumstances).
Possible Effects of B12 Deficiency
Although the RDA seems small, a deficiency can cause anemia, birth defects, brain disorders, developmental delays, digestive disorders, the aforementioned heart problems, and neurological disorders. If you suffer from any of the following and suspect you may not be getting enough B12 in your diet, see a doctor:
- Loss of Appetite
- Cognitive and Memory Failures
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Ringing in the Ears
- Extreme Fatigue
- Excessive Flatulence
- Hair Loss
- Heart Palpitations
- constant Headaches
- Insomnia
- Constant Nausea
- Respiratory Problems
- Soreness in the Tongue or Mouth Area
- Constant twitching or tingling and/or numbness in your hands and/or feet
- Urinary Problems or Infections
- Vertigo or other sudden balance problems
- Changes in your Vision
- Non-beneficial weight loss
- Yeast Infections
B12 deficiency has also been suspected as possibly contributing to Alzheimer's disease, cancer, male infertility or difficulty in producing viable sperm, and incidences of multiple miscarriages and/or stillbirths.
Special Considerations for Vegan Lifestyle
People with vegetarian or vegan diets often have lower levels of adverse blood pressure and cholesterol, but are still at risk for heart problems because the homocysteine levels may be off, or because too much potassium derived from their diets may offset B12. If you have suddenly changed from a diet high in dairy, fish, and meat products to a diet more vegetarian or vegan based, your body may have stored up quantities of the B12 vitamin, (delaying a notice of impending deficiency) and eventually that storage will wear out. Having your homocysteine level and/or methylmalonic acid level tested instead of merely your blood will provide a more accurate reading of deficiency in B12, as certain vegetarian products can give a false reading.
Consult Your Physician Before Beginning
Always consult a doctor and perform the proper vitamin B12 research before supplementation. Should you or your child be diagnosed with a vitamin B12 deficiency, there are a variety of supplements available online and in pharmacies, health food stores, and other places where vitamins are sold. Supplements can be taken in chewable and liquid forms (especially helpful if needed for children), as well as by injection, nasal spray, or patch. Multi-vitamins may not be completely sufficient to correct a B12 deficiency, so an individual dose of the vitamin is recommended. If you need to take a supplement, make sure to speak to a doctor if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, or if you or your child is taking weight loss aids, have celiac disease (the body cannot handle gluten), have Crohn's or any other gastrointestinal disease, have an ocular disorder, or are taking any kind of medications, particularly for cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, or ulcers. Vitamin B12 supplements can lose their efficiency if exposed to light or heat, so keep them in a dark and cool place.
B12 deficiency can be treated. Now that you know the importance of the vitamin, and that there are supplements available, seek what is best for you.
