8 Ailments Linked with Gastritis, including B12 Deficiency | Vitamin B12 Patch : Vitamin B12 Patch

Gastritis, the wearing down of your stomach lining, is sometimes caused by vitamin B12 deficiency from pernicious anemia. Other illnesses or conditions related to chronic acid reflux, abdominal pain, bubbling indigestion, and stomach bloating from gastritis are listed below…

What is gastritis?

More than just a stomachache, gastritis is what happens when your stomach lining becomes severely damaged- worn away and inflamed. Gastritis can be a chronic condition that worsens over time, or it can be sudden, because of a stomach infection.

What are the symptoms of gastritis?

The most common symptoms of gastritis include:

Chronic acid reflux, including at nighttime
Bloated stomach, even after light meals
Stomach cramps
Heartburn
Hiccupping
Nausea
Frequent vomiting
Vomiting blood or dark grainy substance
Diarrhea
Constipation
Black feces

Leaky Gut Syndrome Symptoms and Causes

Eight ailments linked with gastritis

1) Pernicious anemia

Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when your stomach is unable to produce intrinsic factor, a necessary protein for digesting vitamin B12.

While some health sites claim that pernicious anemia causes gastritis, it is most likely the other way around. Stomach damage from gastritis causes you to be unable to make intrinsic factor in the small intestine’s ileum.

Without intrinsic factor, you develop vitamin B12 deficiency, which causes symptoms like fatigue, depression, anxiety, painful tingling in your hands and feet, and many kinds of nerve damage.

2) Autoimmune disorders

Other autoimmune disorders that are linked with gastritis are Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, fibromyalgia, and lupus. (Also read Four Reasons to check your Vitamin B12 Levels with Crohn’s Disease)

3) Alcoholism

Excessive alcohol use can, over time, cause severe damage to your many body organs, including your stomach. Gastritis and vitamin B12 deficiency are both caused by alcohol abuse.

4) Bile reflux

If bile from your liver rises into your stomach and esophagus, it can cause gastritis and esophageal damage. Only surgery can reverse bile reflux and protect you from incurring damage to your stomach.

5) Stress

Anxiety, depression, and daily stress are harmful for both your body and mind. Accumulated stress may cause gastritis from stomach ulcers.

6) Medications

Certain prescribed and OTC drugs can cause severe gastritis; these include sleeping pills and anti-inflammatory painkillers like aspirin.

7) Chronic vomiting

Gastritis may happen because of frequent vomiting from bulimia, migraines, or other chronic conditions that irritate the stomach.

8) Bacterial infection

Helicobacter pylorus (H. pylori) bacteria dwell in your stomach lining. Unless it is treated with antibiotics, bacterial infection from H. pylori may cause gastritis and stomach ulcers.

Take action

Vitamin B12 shots

Get routine supplementation of vitamin B12, which are available by prescription in vitamin B12 shots. In addition to the B12 injections, over-the-counter (OTC) vitamin B12 is beneficial to boost vitamin B12 levels and prevent relapse symptoms like fatigue, nerve pain, and stomach cramps.

Antacids

For chronic heartburn and gastritis, your doctor may prescribe strong antacids.

Please note that protein pump inhibitors (PPI’s) are a common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency.

If you choose to use PPI’s over an extended period, then you may need to supplement with vitamin B12 in order to avoid vitamin B12 deficiency.

(Read Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) – B12 Deficiency and 5 other Health Risks)

Change your diet

In addition to taking medications for gastritis, a simple change in diet is also healthful when bloated stomach, acid reflux, heartburn, and abdominal pain occur. Avoid eating very spicy foods, choose healthy cooking oils, and take probiotics that contain “good bacteria.”

Eat slower

Learn to eat like the Italians! Sit down at every meal, practice mindful eating, and savor every bite slowly and deliberately. Chewing slowly and efficiently is essential for preventing gastritis symptoms like indigestion and nausea.

Antibiotics

For gastritis caused by H. pylori infection, you will need to take a strong regimen of antibiotics and probiotics to prevent stomach irritation.

GI Surgery

If gastritis is occurring because of a life-threatening condition, your doctor might recommend surgery to correct the disorder. Bile reflux patients and Crohn’s disease patients are candidates for gastrointestinal surgery.

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

Please tell us…

Do you have pernicious anemia or vitamin B12 deficiency? Do you continue to suffer from gastritis symptoms, even though you take vitamin B12 shots regularly?

Do you feel that your doctor addresses all your illness symptoms- fatigue, brain fog, nausea, stomachaches, diarrhea, and frequent “pins and needles?”

Do you have any questions, comments, or suggestions? Please feel free to use the comment box below.

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