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Brain Fog: 20 Ways to Deal

Published on: February 10, 2012 3:22 am

Part I of Brain Fog: 20 Causes and symptoms covered reasons some people get brain fog, and the many ways brain fog interferes with daily activities. Part II of Brain Fog covers ways to deal with chronic forgetfulness, fatigue, and disorientation that make up brain fog from B12 deficiency, fibromyalgia, or other illnesses.

How to deal with brain fog

Obviously, the most important thing to do in dealing with brain fog is to treat whatever’s causing it. If you think you have vitamin B12 deficiency, then get a blood screening. You could have pernicious anemia resulting from low B12 (cobalamin) levels, or fibromyalgia, which is correlated with vitamin B12 deficiency. In that case, the simple answer is to supplement with extra vitamin B12.

Here are some excellent lifestyle tips for getting around brain fog:

Take your vitamins and minerals. Besides getting enough vitamin B12, you should also be getting enough of all the other B vitamins, in addition to vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin D, magnesium, and calcium.
Sleep. Avoid naps, but stay regimented in your nighttime habits.
Treat your pain symptoms. This one’s a no-brainer. The fact is, pain distracts you, even when you don’t realize it. If you suffer migraines, and your current migraine treatment isn’t working, then explore other options. The same goes for chronic pain like fibromyalgia- never give up on lasting pain relief!
Exercise! This is difficult when you have chronic pain, but even small efforts at maintaining a fitness plan can be therapeutic. Try to incorporate stretching into your morning routine, or take small walks. Tai chi and yoga are particularly helpful for people with fibromyalgia.
Try an elimination diet. You never know- your brain fog could be a result of allergic reactions like gluten intolerance or milk allergy.
Eat brain food. Some foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, like fish and nuts. Stick to lean proteins and plenty of fruits and veggies.
Check your blood sugar. Brain fog is a common symptom of diabetes, so make certain that you’re not getting type 2 diabetes.
Limit caffeine. The rush you get from drinking strong coffee is only temporary. It is always followed by fatigue, or for some, brain fog.
Avoid processed foods. There is a substantial body of evidence indicating that cutting out white flour, white sugar, processed snack foods, and stripped grains (white rice) from your diet prevents chronic fatigue and brain fog, in addition to promoting healthy weight loss.
Try alternative medicine. Holistic and homeopathic medicine is becoming more mainstream as an alternative to some prescribed medications in treating chronic illness symptoms like pain and brain fog. Some good ones to try include acupuncture/acupressure, herbal supplements, and biofeedback.
Look into cognitive training. Researchers are finding that exercising your thinking skills is an effective way to reverse cognitive dysfunction, or brain fog. Examples of cognitive training are video games, websites, or programs like Wii that promise to improve your memory, regain mental clarity, and think quicker.
Think ahead. Sometimes, it helps to be prepared in life’s situations, especially if you have brain fog on a daily basis. Always think out a scenario in your head beforehand, and imagine ways you might make things easier on yourself. If you’re worried about going on a job interview, look up tips for landing a job and creating a good impression.
Rehearse what you’re going to say. Back to the job interview- go over the basic questions that people ask you when you’re interviewing for a position, and decide what you’re going to answer, ahead of time. This way, you won’t be put on the spot when your future-boss asks you what traits you like the least about yourself. (Hint: There is no real answer to this one.)
Take it slow. Don’t try to cook a dinner for five in five minutes. Even if it means running late, pace yourself. People with brain fog are more susceptible to serious injury when they try to do things in a hurry, so give yourself extra time to do things.
Stay organized. This is the secret to success with brain fog. If you have one place where you always keep your scissors, then you won’t waste valuable time searching all over your house every time you need to open a package or cut the tags off a new outfit.
Keep a good perspective. A good sense of humor can get you through chronic pain, brain fog, anxiety…anything. In fact, some studies have been done which show that chronic illness sufferers who try to achieve happiness and look for the “sunny side” in life are more successful at eventually conquering their symptoms and healing their pain than those for whom the glass is always half-empty.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s okay to admit that you don’t understand something- even if it’s been explained to you three times already. Don’t pretend to “get it” when you don’t. The results can be social awkwardness, feelings of isolation, and worse- injury. (Know how the electric meat cutter works before you lose a finger!)
Tools are helpful, so use them. If you have a smartphone, iPad, or other tablet device, then make it work for you. You don’t have to remember phone numbers, dates, directions, shopping lists, passwords, or birthdays. That’s what your Android is for!
Relax. Another no-brainer: learning how to relax is instrumental in relieving stress, which is a common cause of brain fog.
Seek counseling. If things seem too overwhelming, and you don’t know what to do about it, talk it out with a professional. Everybody who visits a shrink every now and then isn’t mentally ill…just human.

Please tell us…

Do you have anything to add to this article? We would love to know! Please comment below, and share this with your friends.

Brain Fog: 20 Causes and Symptoms

Published on: February 9, 2012 3:37 am

For some, brain fog is what happens when you drink too much cough medicine or stay up late at night. For others, people with vitamin B12 deficiency, pernicious anemia, or fibromyalgia, brain fog is part of everyday life. In fact, many people who experience brain fog have had it all their lives, and don’t remember a time when they didn’t have trouble remembering numbers, responding with clever banter, or finding their way out of a parking lot…

This is Part I of Brain Fog, which focuses on causes and symptoms. Part II is Brain Fog: 20 ways to deal

What is brain fog?

Brain fog is a lot easier to describe than it is to define, since scientists are not sure exactly what causes it, and most doctors don’t recognize it as a medical condition, but rather a symptom of other illnesses.

Here are some terms people use to describe their brain fog:

Mental fuzziness or confusion that is caused by a primary illness, condition, or other stimuli like food, drugs, or lifestyle habit
Cognitive dysfunction
Fibro haze
Brain drain
Brain farts
Space case
Stupid- This is wrong! Having brain fog does not mean that you are less intelligent than others are. It only means that you have a real disorder with real symptoms, and brain fog is one of them.

What are the symptoms of brain fog?

Most people who suffer brain fog say that they feel tired all the time, even after getting a good night’s rest. But there are lots of other seemingly unrelated symptoms that indicate brain fog besides feeling like you always have a dark cloud over your head.

Here are some of the most common symptoms of brain fog:

Fatigue
Short-term memory loss- forgetting recent reminders, shopping lists, things you talked about a few days ago
Difficulty with math- adding in your head, sequencing, remembering numbers
Forgetting what you were going to say in conversation
Difficulty concentrating or focusing while reading
Difficulty recalling words that should be on the tip of your tongue
Low attention span
Easily confused
Getting lost easily, even in familiar places
Difficulty thinking clearly
Difficulty with multitasking
Difficulty solving problems
Depression
Anxiety
Low spatial awareness- stepping on others’ feet, for example
Absentmindedness
Low learning curve
Difficulty learning new skills
Low energy
Loss of creativity

What causes brain fog?

Since brain fog is not really a medical or psychiatric term, we likewise don’t have a specific answer as to what causes it. Brain fog is linked with lack of sleep, dementia, chronic pain, brain disorders, vitamin deficiencies, and unusual blood flow to the brain.

Here are 20 conditions and illnesses that correlate with brain fog:

Fibromyalgia (FMS)
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Pernicious anemia
Lupus
Migraines
Meniere’s disease
Menopause
Anxiety
Depression
Diabetes
Multiple sclerosis
Graves’ disease-hyperthyroidism
Chronic thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s disease)- hypothyroidism
Adrenal fatigue
Sjogren’s Syndrome
Insomnia
Medical reaction
Allergy
Lyme disease

Please tell us…

Do you have anything to add to this article? We would love to know!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome- What is it, exactly?

Published on: February 8, 2012 6:43 am

Chronic fatigue syndrome is more than just simple exhaustion- it makes you feel sluggish, cranky, and confused, even if you’ve had plenty of sleep and have no reason to feel so tired. Chronic fatigue occurs with illnesses like vitamin B12 deficiency, fibromyalgia, and celiac disease. So, is chronic fatigue syndrome just a symptom telling you that something’s not right, or is it a separate disease of its own?

What is chronic fatigue syndrome?

To quote the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is “a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by profound fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and that may be worsened by physical or mental activity.”

People with CFS wake up feeling tired, wiped out, as if they have just finished running in a marathon, even though they have not even gotten up from bed. Because CFS sometimes includes pain symptoms, people think it is similar to fibromyalgia. It’s not- Almost all people with fibromyalgia suffer from fatigue, but not all CFS sufferers experience chronic pain. (Read more about fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia- Is there a Difference?)

How is chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosed?

Determining CFS can be complicated, as there are currently no diagnostic tests available. Before a doctor can diagnose CFS, he has to use the process of elimination to exclude all other possible illnesses.

The patient must have been suffering from chronic fatigue for longer than six months, despite having normal sleeping habits.
The patient must not be suffering with any mental illness that has fatigue as a main symptom.
The patient must have at least four of the qualifying symptoms for chronic fatigue syndrome.

What are the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome?

People with chronic fatigue syndrome suffer from mental and physical pain that interfere with daily life. For some, CFS means losing the ability to care for oneself or dependents, not having the energy to do simple tasks, and facing skepticism from friends, family, and other acquaintances who think it’s all “in your head.”

The following symptoms enable a physician to give a proper diagnosis of CFS:

Short-term memory loss
Frequent sore throat
Muscular pain
Unusual headaches
Sore lymph nodes
Joint pain where no inflammation is evident
Fatigue that is not relieved by sleep
Severe exhaustion following even minimal physical activity, requiring a full day’s recuperation
Severe mental exhaustion following exams, or other mental exercises

Other symptoms that may occur with CFS but do not influence diagnoses include:

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Brain fog (confusion)
Chills
Depression and anxiety
Visual impairments
Hypersensitivity to foods, scents, sounds, or light
Fainting
Difficulty maintaining balance

What causes chronic fatigue syndrome?

The exact cause of CFS is unknown, but scientists theorize the following possibilities:

Virus infection
Vitamin deficiency (such as vitamin B12 deficiency)
Autoimmune disorder
Hormonal imbalance
Hypotension (low blood pressure)

What are the best treatments for chronic fatigue?

The primary goal in treating patients with CFS is to provide relief from the debilitating symptoms, since there is no cure for the actual disease itself. Unfortunately, finding the right treatment is just as complicated as diagnosing it- it’s a long process that requires time, patience, and a willingness to try new strategies.

Here are some popular options for managing chronic fatigue syndrome:

Vitamin B12 supplements
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)- psychotherapeutic counseling
Graded Exercise Therapy (GET)- gradual physical exercise
Alternative medicine- acupuncture, progressive relaxation, yoga, massage, and aquatic therapy
Visiting a support group for CFS
Antidepressants
Treatments for orthostatic instability, the inability to remain in an upright position

Please tell us…

If you have chronic fatigue syndrome, do you also suffer from fibromyalgia? Have you had your vitamin B12 levels tested? Please feel free to share your opinions on this article.

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9 Vitamin Deficiencies and the People who are affected by them

Published on: February 7, 2012 4:56 am

Rickets and scurvy aren’t the only types of vitamin deficiencies; many vitamin deficiencies such as vitamin B12 deficiency (eg: pernicious anemia) and vitamin D deficiency cause debilitating symptoms like nerve damage, depression, heart disease, and memory loss. In some cases, you can develop a vitamin deficiency even while eating a healthy diet of lean meats, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods.

Vitamin A (Retinol) deficiency

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient that can be found in animal-based products and plant-based foods like Romaine lettuce, carrots, yams, cantaloupe, and peaches. Vitamin A is crucial for supporting eye health, sustaining cellular and tissue health, and promoting normal prenatal development.

In today’s age, vitamin A deficiency is rare. Unless you specifically avoid eating foods that contain vitamin A and beta-carotene, you will probably not get this vitamin deficiency.

Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency are:

Dry eyes
Skin rashes
Night blindness
Diarrhea

People at risk for vitamin A deficiency are:

Alcoholics
People who are not able to digest fat due to an illness; individuals with celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, or cholestasis should have their vitamin A levels checked routinely.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) deficiency

Thiamine is a B vitamin that is essential for good stamina, enhancing muscle tone, and sustaining a healthy nervous system. Thiamine deficiency correlates with Beriberi disease, a rare illness that causes gastrointestinal disorders, peripheral neuropathy, heart disease, and muscular pain.

Symptoms of vitamin B1 deficiency are:

Fatigue
Depression
Stomach cramps
Difficulty digesting carbohydrates

People at risk for vitamin B1 deficiency are:

People from countries who eat polished white rice that has been stripped of nutritious rice bran as a staple food item
Pregnant or lactating mothers
People with chronic diarrhea
People with liver disease
Alcoholics

9 Conditions that Mimic Fibromyalgia and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) deficiency

Vitamin B2 deficiency is almost unheard of in of itself. Usually, is somebody has vitamin B1 deficiency, they are also suffering from various other nutritional deficiencies at the same time, such as vitamin D deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency.

Symptoms of vitamin B2 deficiency are:

Fatigue
Stomach problems
Painful cracks and sores at the corners of your mouth
Tired eyes
Swollen tongue
Sore throat
Hypersensitivity to light

People at risk for vitamin B2 deficiency are:

People from poorer populations or underdeveloped countries who do not have access to nutritionally dense foods
Alcoholics
People with chronic diarrhea, such as Crohn’s disease

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) deficiency

Vitamin B6 is one of many essential B vitamins; vitamin B6 aids in cognitive development and maintaining the nervous system. Vitamins B6, B12, and B9 work together to maintain already healthy homocysteine levels for cardiovascular health.

Symptoms of vitamin B6 deficiency are

Muscular feebleness
Memory loss
Depression
Difficulty concentrating

Vitamin B6 is rare, but the following individuals are sometimes at risk:

The elderly
Pregnant women
Women taking oral birth control

Vitamin B9 (Folic acid) deficiency

Folic acid, or folate, is a B vitamin that is crucial for production of DNA and RNA during fetal development, infancy, and adolescence. Folic acid also works together with vitamin B12 to produce red blood cells and assist in iron absorption.

Symptoms of vitamin B9 deficiency are:

Fatigue
Sore tongue
Gum disease
Shortness of breath
Diarrhea
Short-term memory loss
Reduced appetite

People at risk for vitamin B9 deficiency are:

Alcoholics
Pregnant women
People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
People with celiac disease

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) deficiency

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs in animal-based foods like beef, chicken, fish, shellfish, eggs, cheese, and milk. Vitamin B12 is essential for energy, healthy DNA, red blood cell production, cognitive functioning, and a health nervous system. Vitamin B12 deficiency differs from other kinds of malnourishment in that it can occur even when nutritional guidelines for vitamin B12 consumption are being met.

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are:

Fatigue
Depression
Anxiety
Short-term memory loss
Difficulty concentrating
Painful tingling in the hands and feet
Sore, red tongue
Frequent clumsiness and stumbling

People at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency are:

Individuals who eat a vegan diet
Diabetics taking metformin
GERD sufferers or pregnant women taking protein pump inhibitors (PPIs)
People with pernicious anemia who lack intrinsic factor
People who suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms, such as Crohn’s disease, colitis, migraines, fibromyalgia, gluten intolerance, or celiac disease
People who have had gastric bypass surgery
Any individuals who have had surgery involving the removal of the ileum
The elderly
Alcoholics

Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) deficiency

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin found in tomatoes, citrus fruits, broccoli, and potatoes. Vitamin C is helpful in growing cell tissue to seal wounds, promoting a defense against free radicals, and for maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Long ago, vitamin C deficiency caused scurvy, which caused swollen bleeding gums, fatigue, and lowered immune system.

Symptoms of vitamin C deficiency are:

Dry hair
Gingivitis
Dry, flaking skin
Slow healing from wounds and bruises
Nosebleeds
Proneness to infections

People who are at risk for vitamin C deficiency are:

Cigarette smokers

Vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient that is stored in your body and produced with exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is essential for aiding calcium in bone production and boosting your immune system. Rickets is caused by vitamin D deficiency in children. Other illnesses linked with vitamin D deficiency are osteoporosis, obesity, hypertension, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and heart disease.

Symptoms of long-term vitamin D deficiency are:

Depression
Weak bones
Frequent stumbling
High blood pressure

People at risk for vitamin D deficiency are:

People who live in cold, rainy northern countries with little exposure to sunlight
People of dark skin color
Infants
People who cover their bodies completely with dark garments, even while outdoors
The elderly

Vitamin E deficiency

Vitamin E is a fatty antioxidant that occurs in many foods and oils. Vitamin E is essential for promoting cardiovascular health, cellular functioning, and red blood cell production.

Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency are:

Muscular feebleness
Irregular eye movements
Visual impairment
Frequent stumbling

People at risk for vitamin E deficiency are:

Individuals with cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis, and cholestasis who cannot digest fat molecules

Please tell us…

Have you been suffering from severe fatigue, memory loss, and general loss of energy?

Has this been building up for months, or years?

If so, you might have vitamin B12 deficiency.

Please share this article with your friends- spread the love!

When Vitamin B12 Deficiency has you under its Spell…of Depression

Published on: February 6, 2012 4:41 am

You might be surprised to know that vitamin B12 deficiency can cause symptoms like depression, fatigue, and anxiety. Vitamin B12 benefits your body in many ways, and when you don’t get enough, you can start to feel sluggish, nervous, and depressed, in addition to suffering many neurological disorders. Sometimes, depression from B12 deficiency mimics clinical depression, interfering with a proper diagnosis.

Do you have vitamin B12 deficiency?

The only way to be certain if your B12 levels are low is by getting a blood test. This will indicate if you need more vitamin B12, even if it doesn’t necessarily explain why your B12 levels are lower than normal.

Here are some typical signs of vitamin B12 deficiency that “masquerade” as mental illness:

Chronic fatigue
Anxiety
Depression that lingers
Sleep difficulties
Paranoia
Aggressiveness
Hallucinations

Neurological symptoms of B12 deficiency include:

Painful tingling in your legs, hands, and feet
Frequent clumsiness and tripping
Altered sense of taste
Sore tongue
Vision problems

How many types of depression are there?

Here are some of the most common types of depression:

Major depressive disorder: The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) characterizes major depression as a “combination of symptoms that interfere with a person’s ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once-pleasurable activities.” Most people who suffer from major depression will experience several episodes of depression in their lives, but it is possible to experience it only once. With major depressive disorder, medication is required for treatment of symptoms.

Dysthymic disorder: Dysthymia is depression that lingers over several years. With dysthymia, depression is less severe than major depression, and not as likely to interfere in one’s ability to work or study. Still, dysthymic disorder causes feelings of sadness and disquiet. People with dysthymia may suffer from episodes of major depression, as well.

Minor depression: Minor depression is diagnosed when one has a short interval of depression over a few weeks. Minor depression itself is not debilitating, but untreated may escalate into major depression.

Bipolar disorder: Manic-depressive illness is less common than major depression, and involves swift mood changes that alternate from exhilarating highs to deep depression.

Psychotic depression: Depression that accompanies other forms of severe mental illness, such as hallucinations or delusions, is called psychotic depression.

Postpartum depression: About 10%-15% of women suffer from postpartum depression after giving birth, which is caused by shifting hormones and overwhelming lifestyle changes.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): During the winter months, it is common for some people to suffer from seasonal affective disorder because of decreased exposure to sunlight. Still, antidepressants and psychotherapy are more effective at treating SAD than light therapy.

Depression from vitamin deficiency: Vitamin B12 deficiency and folate deficiency are directly linked to some incidences of depression. According to NIMH, “depression and poor response to antidepressant medication have been linked to deficiency in the vitamins folate and B12.”

In other studies, elevated homocysteine levels were associated with increased risk for depression. Vitamin B12 and folate supplementation, which decrease homocysteine levels in the blood, were instrumental in treating depression.

Can Elevated Homocysteine (Low B12) cause Mental Illness?

What’s the connection between vitamin B12 and depression?

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is necessary for various biochemical functions, such as DNA synthesis, red blood cell distribution, production of myelin, which protects your nerve cells, and breaking down homocysteine. In addition, vitamin B12 also helps to maintain healthy cognitive functioning.

When vitamin B12 levels are low, your brain suffers. You begin to experience severe memory loss, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and emotional problems like depression, anxiety, paranoia, feelings of hostility, and moodiness.

What is vitamin B12, and why is it so important?

Where can I get more vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 food sources include meat, fish, milk, and egg products. However, if you suffer from pernicious anemia or other autoimmune disorders, you probably cannot digest vitamin B12 from foods, and must supplement with sublingual vitamin B12 or vitamin B12 shots.

Please tell us…

If you suffer from depression, have you had your B12 levels checked, as well? If you currently take vitamin B12 supplements, do you take them orally, through B12 injections, or otherwise?

Let us know how we’re doing…

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

Published on: February 2, 2012 3:59 am

Usage of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is linked with B12 deficiency and other adverse effects, like osteoporosis. Your body produces stomach acids for good reason- to absorb vitamin B12 (cobalamin), iron and other essential nutrients. While heartburn is a painful symptom of acid reflux, having too few stomach acids can also cause debilitating symptoms.

What are PPIs?

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are drugs that lower the amount of stomach acid your body produces. It’s a popular treatment for preventing acid reflux symptoms like chronic heartburn, and it’s more effective than other acid secretion inhibitors like H2 blockers (Tagamet, Zantac). Hospitals use PPIs to prevent stomach ulcers in 40%-70% of inpatients. Examples of proton pump inhibitors are Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium, Aciphex, and Protonix.

The following illnesses and conditions are treated with PPIs:

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Barrett’s esophagus
Dyspepsia
Gastrinomas
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR)
Peptic ulcer disease (PUD)
Stress gastritis prevention.

The 20 Do’s and Don’ts of the GERD Diet

What are possible adverse effects of PPIs?

Severe vitamin B12 deficiency

Long-term PPI usage has been linked with nutritional malabsorption of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and iron. Your body needs gastric acid in order to digest vitamin B12 foods sources like beef, chicken, fish, and eggs. Without stomach acids, vitamin B12 remains bonded to the food you eat and never enters the bloodstream, eventually resulting in vitamin B12 deficiency. Similarly, insufficient stomach acids also result in iron deficiency.

Because stomach acid production reduces with age, senior citizens, in addition to PPI users, are advised to check their vitamin B12 levels periodically. Other people at risk for B12 deficiency are vegans, people who suffer from autoimmune and gastrointestinal disorders and anybody who has had gastric bypass or other gastrointestinal surgery.

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

Osteoporosis

Long-term PPI usage has been linked with increased risk of hip, spine, or wrist fractures resulting from severe osteoporosis. Researchers believe that PPIs inhibit calcium absorption and bone growth. In studies, high doses of PPIs were directly linked with osteoporosis, and that risk increased over time.

It should be noted that osteoporosis is also a vitamin B12 deficiency side effect from PPIs, as vitamin B12 benefits include sustained bone mass.

Increased chances of intestinal infection

Long-term and short-term PPI usage can lead to clostridium difficile infection (diarrhea), according to scientific studies published by the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Gut Bugs:Winning the Bacteria Battle

Community-acquired pneumonia

If you stay at a hospital and are given proton pump inhibitors, your chances of acquiring pneumonia during your visit is increased by 30%, according to studies. While the use of PPIs for preventing stress-related ulcers is a valuable life-saving procedure, a significant amount of hospital patients who receive PPIs are not at risk for suffering from ulcers.

Rebound acid hypersecretion

If you try to wean off proton pump inhibitors, you’re likely to experience severe withdrawal effects, including sudden overproduction of stomach acids- hypergastrinemia. For this reason, PPI users become dependent on the heartburn drugs, and may suffer from adverse effects such as diarrhea, stomach tumors, and neoplasia. Dependence on PPIs happens quickly, as early as one month into prescription.

Heart disease

Studies have linked PPI usage with decreased effectiveness of clopidogrel (Plavix), a medication prescribed for heart disease. Also, decreased vitamin B12 is linked with increased risk for heart disease and stroke through elevated levels of homocysteine.

12 Healthy Heart Habits, Including Vitamin B12 Supplements

Please tell us…

Have you been diagnosed with GERD, or one of the other illnesses treated with PPIs? If so, have you noticed vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms like chronic fatigue, “pins and needles” in hands and feet, memory loss, and anxiety?

As always, we welcome your comments, inquiries, and suggestions!

Can Vitamin B12 Deficiency cause Dementia?

Published on: February 1, 2012 3:45 am

Everybody knows that Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that occurs among the elderly, but did you know that severe memory loss from vitamin B12 deficiency can happen, regardless of your age? Find out how vitamin B12 deficiency affects brain health.

What is dementia?

Dementia is a brain disorder that causes you to lose thinking skills like memory, reasoning, language, and social awareness. Dementia is a progressive condition- the symptoms of dementia only worsen with time.

Degenerative dementia is permanent, meaning that the brain damage that caused dementia is irreversible. Still, some kinds of dementia can be reversed if caught in time; such is the case with a brain tumor.

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most notable types of degenerative dementia.

Adult ADHD Could Lead to Dementia

What are the symptoms of dementia?

The most common symptoms of dementia are:

Short-term memory loss: While dementia patients don’t usually have difficulty remembering things from their childhood with crystal-clear vision, they are likely to forget messages, conversations, or doctor’s appointments from the previous day…or hour.
Moodiness: Alzheimer’s disease patients may shift through moods in the blink of an eye- one minute content, the next minute expressing deep anger, and rage. Paranoia and depression are common traits of elderly individuals suffering from dementia. Often, people with dementia lose interest in things like hobbies and social clubs that they used to enjoy. In some cases, they may become antisocial and exhibit bad behavior in public.
Difficulty communicating: People with dementia tend to have circular conversations, immediately forgetting what they spoke of a moment ago, and returning to the same topic. They also have trouble recalling everyday words, as their vocabulary skills have decreased significantly.
Decreased perception skills: Dementia patients have great difficulty understanding new or foreign concepts.
Inability to multi-task
Cognitive decline: Senior citizens with dementia have trouble thinking abstractly, figuring amounts, and using logic.
Tendency to lose things
Hallucinations
Loss of self-awareness

Aging begins at 45- Tips on how to Prevent Early Memory Loss

What causes dementia?

As there are many different types of dementia, there are also various causes and correlations, as well.

Alzheimer’s disease
Stroke (Vascular dementia)
Dementia with Lewy bodies
Huntington’s disease
Multiple sclerosis
Parkinson’s disease
Pick’s disease
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Brain tumor
Head injury
Chronic alcoholism
Vitamin B12 deficiency (Pernicious anemia)
Certain cholesterol-lowering medications

How do doctors diagnose dementia?

If your doctor suspects dementia, he will have to review the patient’s medical history and order various physical exams before he diagnoses dementia. Additionally, any underlying medical conditions that may contribute to dementia symptoms will be reviewed, such as low levels of vitamin B12 or history of depression.

The most common tests used to diagnose dementia are:

Neurological exam (mental status examination)
MRI brain scan
Vitamin B12 blood test
Ammonia blood test
Blood chemistry test
Thyroid test
Toxicology screening for alcohol
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
Head CT
Urinalysis

Treatments for dementia

Depending on the cause of dementia, your physician might prescribe one of the following treatments for dementia:

Vitamin B12 supplements, if vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms are the cause of dementia.
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor, for dementia with Lewy bodies
Antipsychotics
Mood stabilizers
Stimulants
Donepezil (Aricept)
Rivastigmine (Exelon)
Galantamine (Razadyne/Reminyl)
Memantine (Namenda)

Brainy People are high on B12, according to Brain Health Study

Please tell us…

Do you or a family member suffer from short-term memory loss, chronic fatigue, or depression and anxiety? You could be suffering from B12 deficiency.

Other symptoms of low B12 levels include painful tingling or numbness in hands and feet, sore red tongue, unusual clumsiness, and tinnitus ear ringing.

Please share your experiences with our community, and let us know if you found this article helpful.

Thanks for sharing!

Is an Allergy also an Autoimmune Disease? When the Immune System goes awry

Published on: January 31, 2012 5:19 am

The immune system is a complex network of cells, and when things go wrong- as with autoimmune diseases, allergies, or immunodeficiency disorders– the results can be debilitating at best…or deadly, at worst. Sometimes, telling the difference between various immune disorders can be confusing. Like, what’s the difference between gluten hypersensitivity and celiac disease? Find the answer below…

The immune system

Your immune system is a busy place- it’s made up of your lymph nodes, tonsils, thymus, bone marrow, and parts of your digestive system. The immune system’s main purpose in life is to protect your body from dangerous antigens, which could be anything from bacteria to viruses and toxic chemicals. (Sometimes, even somebody else’s blood or saliva can be labeled by your immune system as an antigen.)

Once your immune system picks up the scent of an antigen, it goes into attack mode, producing antibodies to destroy the “alien invader.” Not only that, but your immune system also sends white blood cells to gobble up the offending flu virus, germ, contaminant, or mutant cell.

Except when it doesn’t. Because sometimes, the immune system doesn’t react the way it’s expected to. When that happens, it’s called an immune system disorder.

There are many types of immune disorders, including allergies, autoimmune diseases, and immunodeficiency disorders.

Allergy and Hypersensitivity

When your immune system has an inappropriate response to a perfectly safe substance, then that is called an allergic reaction, or hypersensitivity. An example of an inappropriate reaction can be an overreaction to laundry detergent. With chronic allergies, your immune system is trigger-happy, reacting to numerous stimuli by producing histamines, causing uncomfortable and sometimes fatal allergic reactions like swelling, hives, congestion, diarrhea, vomiting, and headache.

People don’t usually inherit specific allergies. Still, if your parents (or at least, your mother) suffer from allergies, then you are likely prone to allergic reactions, as well.

Things people are allergic to:

Pets
Food
Medicine
Dust
Mold
Pollen
Insect bites

Celiac and B12- Celiac Disease and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases occur when your body attacks healthy cells in your body, mistaking them for antigens. There are over 80 kinds of autoimmune diseases, and they can affect any part of your body. Symptoms of autoimmune diseases often come and go; flare-ups cause debilitating chronic pain, and brief periods of remission offer some respite. While the disease itself can’t always be cured, the symptoms can be treated.

Common autoimmune diseases:

Pernicious anemia (vitamin B12 deficiency)
Crohn’s disease
Celiac disease
Fibromyalgia
Type 2 diabetes
Rheumatoid arthritis

Immunodeficiency disorders

Unlike autoimmune diseases or allergies, where the immune system is intact (albeit malfunctioning), immunodeficiency disorders occur when certain parts of the immune system are missing or deficient. Usually, an immunodeficiency disorder involves insufficient or malfunctioning white blood cells, or not enough antibodies.

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is an example of an immune deficiency disorder caused by a human immunodeficiency virus- HIV. Some immunodeficiency disorders are inherited, as well.

AIDS with B12 Deficiency

What’s the difference between an allergy, and autoimmune disorder, and an immune deficiency?

When you have allergies, it is because your body overreacts to otherwise harmless stimuli, causing uncomfortable and sometimes harmful symptoms.

When you have an autoimmune disease, your body essentially attacks itself, causing damage to your digestive system, respiratory system, or muscles, for example.

An immunodeficiency disorder is when your body stops protecting you from foreign stimuli like viruses, toxins, bacteria, or tumors.

Did you figure out the difference between gluten sensitivity and celiac disease?

With celiac disease, gluten triggers an autoimmune response that causes serious harm to your digestive system. People who have celiac disease must cut all gluten products from their diet. If eating starchy bread, cakes, or crackers gives you a stomachache, that doesn’t mean you have celiac. You might have gluten intolerance, which means that your body produces histamines whenever it detects gluten in your system.

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Do you have Franken-DNA from Pernicious Anemia?

Published on: January 30, 2012 3:46 am

Vitamin B12 deficiency causes pernicious anemia, which creates horrible symptoms like painful tingling in your hands and feet, numbness, chronic fatigue, memory loss, depression, and even chronic clumsiness. What’s really behind all these debilitating symptoms, you wonder? Deranged DNA…

You’re mad, I tell you- Mad!

Pernicious anemia (PA) tends to creep up on you, like a scary monster in a B movie. You might not even realize you have B12 deficiency until you start noticing weird symptoms. Your hands and feet fall asleep on you while you sit at your computer. It feels like thousands of fire ants are crawling up your legs. Sometimes, you could swear that your mouth was on fire, like you ate a red chili pepper.

Only you didn’t…

Then PA attacks your brain, causing brain fog. You struggle to find the right words in conversation, left hanging while you awkwardly try to remember what you were trying to say. You walk into a room and immediately forget what you came in for. You forget to buy things on your mental shopping list. You wake up feeling drugged, exhausted, even though you had plenty of sleep the night before.

If you didn’t have your name printed clearly for you on your driver’s license, you just might forget it…

Pernicious Anemia and B12 Deficiency- Historically Fatal, Still Formidable

Pernicious anemia is Abby-normal

Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disorder in which your body interferes with production of a very necessary protein- intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is produced in your stomach, and you need it to digest vitamin B12 (cobalamin). Without intrinsic factor, your body cannot extract vitamin B12 from food sources like beef, chicken, fish, and eggs. Instead, the vitamin B12 just passes through your intestines, without ever entering the blood stream.

Say goodbye to B12…

DNA production goes awry

If pernicious anemia sounds frightening, it’s because it does wicked things to your body. You need vitamin B12 for many important bodily functions, like protecting the nervous system, enhancing cognitive development, and maintaining adequate supplies of energy.

Most importantly, your red blood cells need vitamin B12 for DNA synthesis. With pernicious anemia, DNA synthesis in the red blood cells comes to a standstill, while RNA synthesis keeps chugging along.

And then, things get really weird…

Franken-DNA is born

The result is microcytic anemia, a type of megaloblastic anemia causing enlarged red blood cells. Not only are your blood cells too big to function normally, but they are also deformed. Your poor large red blood cells remain trapped inside your bone marrow, unable to leave because they have grown enormous in size.

Remember Alice, trapped in the White Rabbit’s house? Yeah, it’s kind of like that.

Hey, where’re all the red blood cells at?

Trapped in your bone marrow! And your body needs red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout the body. But with vitamin B12 deficiency, very few red blood cells manage to escape their “prison” in your bones, because they are too big to exit. Your red blood cell levels go way down, and you start to feel tired, anxious, and wiry.

It’s because you are not getting enough oxygen.

Top Ten Signs of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Treating macrocytic anemia

Managing macrocytic anemia is simple enough if you know what’s causing it. Pernicious anemia from low B12 levels is just one cause. Other causes of enlarged red blood cells are alcoholism and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), among others. With alcoholism, B12 deficiency symptoms can still be the underlying cause of macrocytic anemia.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can be treated with vitamin B12 supplements. However, if your body can’t digest vitamin B12 because of lack of intrinsic factor, then you will have to use vitamin B12 supplements that bypass the digestive system and go directly into the bloodstream.

Examples of vitamin B12 supplementation used for pernicious anemia are routine B12 shots and sublingual B12 pills. The B12 shots require a doctor’s prescription, and can be painful, as they have to be inserted into thick muscular tissue. B12 pills are readily available over-the-counter (OTC). Many patients have reported a burning sensation while using sublingual B12 tablets that dissolve under the tongue.

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Painful Tingling and Numbness in Hands- Some Exercises that Help

Published on: January 27, 2012 4:45 am

Frequent numbness in your hands and wrists, accompanied by painful tingling sensations can be annoying. It makes it hard to get your job done- if you sit at a computer or cash register, then you’ve probably experienced sore hands and wrists. Find out what causes hand numbness, and which exercises can relieve the pain.

Conditions that cause numbness and tingling in your hands

A number of health conditions may contribute to hand pain, tingling, and numbness. Below are some of the most common causes:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that causes chronic pain your joints, making it difficult to write, carry a plate, or button your clothes. While RA can strike any of the bones in your body, it is most common in the joints in your hands and feet. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are stiffness, swelling, redness, and pain that come and go often.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pinched nerves in the wrist. It is caused by repetitive hand movements used in sports, knitting, typing, writing, painting, and playing musical instruments. Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are painful tingling, weakness, and numbness in the hand, wrist, and fingers.

Diabetes often destroys small blood vessels, causing damage to your nerves. The result is neuropathic pain that usually strikes the hands and feet first, referred to as “stocking and glove” pain because it makes it difficult for diabetics to wear gloves and socks comfortably.

Vitamin B12 deficiency causes nerve pain that occurs in the hands, feet, and tongue. This is because vitamin B12 is essential for protecting the nervous system. A deficiency in vitamin B12 causes symptoms like painful tingling, numbness, and soreness in the hands and feet. Other kinds of pernicious anemia neuropathy include gait ataxia, sore, red tongue, altered taste perception, and burning mouth syndrome.

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

Exercises that relieve hand and wrist pain

Here are some hand and wrist exercises that are used to relieve pain, improve range of motion, and strengthen muscles.

Prayer stretch: Put your palms together and elbows out, as in a yoga prayer pose. Lower your writs until you feel a gentle stretch, holding it for 5 seconds before returning to starting position.

Wrist flex: Extend your arm. Gently bend your wrists downwards, flexing your wrist muscles gently, holding for 5 seconds before returning to starting position. This may also be done with a tight fist.

Make a fist: Alternate between splaying out your fingers as wide as possible, holding for 5 seconds, and making a tight fist with your hand.

Bend your fingers: Put your hand up with your fingers together, as if motioning someone to stop. Slowly bend the top two knuckles of your fingers down, excluding the thumb.

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How to deal with brain fog

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Read more about vitamin B12 and your brain:

What is brain fog?

What are the symptoms of brain fog?

What causes brain fog?

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What is chronic fatigue syndrome?

How is chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosed?

What are the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome?

What causes chronic fatigue syndrome?

What are the best treatments for chronic fatigue?

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Read more about chronic fatigue:

Vitamin A (Retinol) deficiency

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) deficiency

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) deficiency

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) deficiency

Vitamin B9 (Folic acid) deficiency

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) deficiency

Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin E deficiency

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Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency:

Do you have vitamin B12 deficiency?

How many types of depression are there?

What’s the connection between vitamin B12 and depression?

Where can I get more vitamin B12?

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Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and depression:

What are PPIs?

The following illnesses and conditions are treated with PPIs:

What are possible adverse effects of PPIs?

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Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and your gut:

What is dementia?

What are the symptoms of dementia?

Aging begins at 45- Tips on how to Prevent Early Memory Loss

What causes dementia?

How do doctors diagnose dementia?

Treatments for dementia

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Read more about vitamin B12 and the brain:

The immune system

Allergy and Hypersensitivity

Autoimmune diseases

Immunodeficiency disorders

What’s the difference between an allergy, and autoimmune disorder, and an immune deficiency?

Read more about autoimmune disorders here:

You’re mad, I tell you- Mad!

Pernicious anemia is Abby-normal

DNA production goes awry

Franken-DNA is born

Hey, where’re all the red blood cells at?

Treating macrocytic anemia

Read more about pernicious anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency

Conditions that cause numbness and tingling in your hands

Exercises that relieve hand and wrist pain

Read more about painful tingling in the hands and feet symptoms