Am I Getting Enough Vitamin B12?

Do you know if you’re getting enough vitamin B12? Blood tests for vitamin B12 deficiency often don’t produce adequate results. And the USRDA standard for vitamin B12 isn’t enough to treat symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, like fatigue, memory loss, and anxiety.

Am I getting enough vitamin B12?

Getting enough vitamin B12 into your system can be tricky…

If you eat plenty of animal-based foods like beef liver, salmon, and clams, then you’re off to a good start.

However, for a large number of people who eat meat and fish, vitamin B12 just isn’t making it into the bloodstream.

Factors such as autoimmune disorders, gastritis, diabetes, and gastric bypass operations inhibit your ability to absorb vitamin B12.

As a result, you only receive about 1% of the vitamin B12 you get from food. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to prevent ultimate vitamin B12 deficiency.

Which you don’t want to get, as vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include:

• Chronic fatigue
• Anxiety
• Memory loss
• Dementia
• Paranoia
• Depression
• Aggressive behavior
• Hallucinations
• Painful tingling in the hands and feet
• Partial numbness
• Tremors
• Disability

How can I get more vitamin B12?

If your doctor believes you have vitamin B12 deficiency, he will probably prescribe routine rounds of vitamin B12 shots. These can be weekly or monthly installments of vitamin B12, according to your doctor’s recommendation.

While getting prescription vitamin B12 shots are helpful, many healthcare providers are reluctant to administer enough vitamin B12 to provide lasting relief from fatigue, chronic pain, and other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

As a result, many sufferers of pernicious anemia (or other forms of vitamin B12 deficiency) end up relying on over-the-counter (OTC) supplements to “top off” their vitamin B12 levels.

• Sublingual vitamin B12 tablets that dissolve under your tongue are popular, if not effective, methods of supplementing with cobalamin.  Many people also report tongue irritation or “burning” sensations from frequent use.
• Vitamin B12 pills are useless for most people with vitamin B12 deficiency, as they are unable to digest vitamin B12 in the stomach, due to lack of the intrinsic factor enzyme.

Please tell us…

Do you take vitamin B12 for energy? If so, what type of vitamin B12 do you currently use?

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

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