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Recently, scientists discovered an ancient mutant gene putting vitamin B12 deficiency around the timeline of 11,600 B.C., causing a rare form of vitamin B12 anemia known as Imerslund-Gräsbeck Syndrome (IGS) – the second-oldest disease-causing mutant gene known to mankind.

What causes Imerslund-Gräsbeck syndrome (IGS)?

According to researchers, mutations in either the amnionless (AMN) or the cubilin (CUBN) gene cause this rare form of vitamin B12 deficiency (IGS), which inhibits vitamin B12 absorption in children born with either mutated gene.  Children born with IGS lack intrinsic factor, a chemical required to digest vitamin B12 in food sources, such as beef, chicken, fish, cheese, and eggs, and eventually show symptoms of severe juvenile cobalamin deficiency.  This discovery adds to our knowledge that B12 deficiency is an inherited disorder.

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

What are the symptoms of Imerslund-Gräsbeck syndrome (IGS)?

IGS originated in the Middle East, affecting children of Jewish, Turkish, or Arabic descent.  Children with (IGS) vitamin B12 deficiency exhibit the following symptoms:

• Increased risk for infection
• Everyday fatigue, regardless of diet or sufficient sleep
• Difficulty concentrating, symptoms similar to Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Partial paralysis

Untreated, childhood vitamin B12 deficiency can also lead to severe nerve damage.  A blood test is required to diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, and treatments include constant vitamin B12 injections, as prescribed by your physician- possibly for the rest of your life.

Top Ten Signs of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Who is at risk for getting vitamin B12 deficiency?

Aside from individuals with the inherited vitamin B12 deficiency disorder, other people that are at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency include:

• Anybody who has had gastrointestinal surgery, such as gastric bypass,  involving the removal of the ileum, a portion of the small intestines required for vitamin B12 absorption
• Anybody taking medications that inhibit absorption of vitamin B12, including the diabetes drug Metformin, acid reflux medication, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory medications
• Vegans who don’t supplement with vitamin B12 regularly
• Many patients of autoimmune disorders that affect the stomach, such as fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, or celiac disease
• Alcoholics
• Elderly individuals who lack sufficient stomach acids to digest vitamin B12

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency causes:

Brain Drain Medications- Drugs that Drain the B12 out of you

Pernicious Anemia: Your 13 Most Frequently Asked Questions, Answered!

Sources:

Scientists Discover Second-Oldest Gene Mutation

Ancient founder mutation is responsible for Imerslund-Gräsbeck Syndrome among diverse ethnicities

What’s the difference between fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)? Health experts often differ in diagnosing fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue symptoms, as they tend to overlap.  Judge for yourself- here are some facts on symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition that causes pain, tiredness, and stomach upset in its sufferers.  FM is somewhat of a medical phenomenon, as scientists are still unsure exactly what causes fibromyalgia.  Theories abound, and researchers continue to conduct studies on possible causes of fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia symptoms:

The most prevalent symptom of fibromyalgia is chronic pain: About 70% – 80% of fibromyalgia patients suffer severe muscular soreness.  Pain occurs mostly along the spine, the shoulders, hips, and neck, but can also happen in other parts of the body.  FM sufferers may also experience joint stiffness similar to arthritis pain.

• Other common symptoms of fibromyalgia are gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea), severe fatigue, sleep difficulties, and “brain fog” (concentration problems).
• According to the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention, approximately five million US citizens suffer from fibromyalgia.
• In order to diagnose fibromyalgia, a doctor must confirm eleven out of eighteen fibromyalgia “tender points” in his patient.
• More women than men suffer from fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia FAQs- 6 Need-to-Know Fibro Facts

Why am I always tired?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) goes by a few other names: immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS) and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).  CFS is another “invisible disease” that affects the body and the mind.  Like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome is also an illness for which scientists are still attempting to determine the cause.  The leading theory is that CFS is an autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system.

Boost Energy Now! 20 Practical Tips for Fighting Fatigue

What are the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome?

While fibromyalgia symptoms center on pain, CFS symptoms are primarily related to extreme unending tiredness.  Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome include:

• being tired all the time, despite getting plenty of sleep, eating well, and generally taking good care of yourself,
• complete exhaustion after low-impact exercise, examinations, or long periods requiring mental focus, followed by a recuperation period,
• poor short-term memory,
• brain fog,
• waking up fatigued, and never feeling fully rested,
• flu-like aches and pain,
• headache,
• sore throat,
• poor reading comprehension,
• difficulty grasping appropriate words while communicating,
• anxiety

What’s the difference between CFS and FM?

The fact that symptoms of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia so often overlap makes it difficult for doctors to diagnose, and confusing for patients to understand.  Here are some basic similarities and distinguishing facts of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome:

• Not all people who have chronic fatigue syndrome also suffer from chronic pain symptoms such as those with fibromyalgia.  However, most fibromyalgia patients live with extreme, persistent fatigue every day- approximately 50% – 70%, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
• About one million people have chronic fatigue syndrome, compared with five million fibromyalgia sufferers.
• While some physicians believe that fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are two separate conditions that often overlap in one patient, others believe that chronic fatigue is one of many symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome, and not a disorder in its own right.
• Stress and physical exertion are both common triggers of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms.

Chronic Depression, Chronic Pain- It’s All the Same, say Experts

Vitamin B12 deficiency in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue

Other illnesses share similar symptoms with FM and CFS, causing yet more confusion in diagnosis and treatment.  Additionally, other conditions like pernicious anemia may occur at the same time as CFS, and may go undetected as a result.

• A high correlation exists between vitamin B12 deficiency and fibromyalgia.  Any condition that causes gastrointestinal problems will likely also result in poor digestion of vitamin B12.  Untreated, B12 deficiency can escalate into severe nerve damage.
• Symptoms of B12 deficiency may include nerve pain (tingling, pins and needles) in the hands and feet, numbness in the hands and feet, decreased energy, loss of mental focus, fatigue, depression, anxiety, sore tongue, altered sense of taste, short-term memory loss, clumsiness, and difficulty walking, running or jumping without stumbling.
• Other disorders and illnesses linked with vitamin B12 deficiency are inflammatory bowel disease (IBD- Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), lupus, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, celiac disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes.
• Because vitamin B12 deficiency shares so many symptoms with chronic fatigue syndrome, it might go untreated.  For that reason, it is advisable for people suffering from CFS or FM to get their vitamin B12 blood levels checked routinely.

Read more about fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome:

Back Pain Exercises and Fibromyalgia- the Do’s and Don’ts

40 Things NOT to say to a Fibromyalgia-Chronic Fatigue Sufferer

7 Reasons You Have Brain Fog…And What to do About It

Sources:

The Fibro Fact Page: Basic Brief Information about Fibromyalgia

The Common Threads of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – Fibromyalgia Center- Everyday Health

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

The CFIDS Association of America

Image credits:

Stuart Miles

Are constant eyelid twitching and eye spasms driving you batty?  Myokymia might be a sign of pernicious anemia caused by low vitamin B12 levels.  Learn how to stop eye twitching by halting vitamin B12 deficiency in its tracks.

What is myokymia?

Myokymia is a disorder that causes muscles in your body to twitch involuntarily.  Myokymia twitches can affect any groups of nerves or muscles in your body, including your arms, legs, fingers, and back. 

It can also occur on your face- hemifacial spasms are muscular twitches that begin on one side of your face, usually the eye.  Over time, hemifacial spasms can expand to include the rest of your face, on one side.

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

Why is my eye twitching?

Myokymia is a type of nerve damage called trigeminal neuralgia.  When your eyelid keeps twitching out of control, it is because the nerves that control the opening and closing of your eyes have been damaged. Eye twitches can occur in either the lower eyelid or upper eyelid,

Causes of myokymia

Causes of eye twitching may include stress, excessive alcohol usage, and staring at a computer screen for long periods of time.  Eye spasms can also be a reaction to caffeine, or may signify low levels of cobalamin– vitamin B12.

B12 deficiency symptoms

Vitamin B12 benefits include red blood cell production, protection of the nervous system’s myelin sheathe, cognitive functioning, DNA synthesis, and lowered homocysteine levels.

If your body does not store adequate amounts of vitamin B12, you may get B12 deficiency, and ultimately severe pernicious anemia, a type of megaloblastic anemia blood disease.

B12 deficiency causes emotional and cognitive disorders such as:

• Chronic fatigue
• Memory loss
• Decreased mental focus
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Paranoia
• Aggressiveness
• Hallucinations

Top Ten Signs of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Pernicious anemia symptoms include severe nerve damage, such as eyelid spasms caused by myokymia.  Lower eyelid twitches are most common with vitamin B12 deficiency patients.  

Other symptoms of nerve damage caused by pernicious anemia include:

• Numbness and painful tingling in the hands and feet
• Arms or legs constantly “falling asleep”
• Prickly feeling in the tongue
• Altered taste perception
• Sore or swollen tongue

Why do my Arms and Legs often Fall Asleep? B12 and Paresthesia

Stop eye twitching

If you suspect that you have vitamin B12 deficiency, then consult your physician and request a blood test for B12 levels. If diagnosed with low B12, then your doctor will prescribe vitamin B12 supplements. 

If you have pernicious anemia, then you might have to get routine B12 shots indefinitely. Once you start taking vitamin B12, you will notice a decrease in pernicious anemia symptoms immediately, and total reversal of symptoms by the time your B12 levels return to normal.

Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Sources:

Hemifacial Spasm Information Page: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Signs of B12 Deficiency

Myokymia – Types, Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Eyelid Myokymia

Image credits, from top:

cameronparkins, graur codrin, Tambako the Jaguar

Vitiligo is a skin disease that often occurs with vitamin B12 deficiency– Find out if taking B12 supplements can treat your vitiligo symptoms and get rid of white patches on your skin forever.

What is vitiligo?

Vitiligo is a skin disorder that causes you to lose brown pigmentation, resulting in white patches on your skin.  Hair growing in white skin spots caused by vitiligo may turn white, as well.  About 1% of all people in the world have vitiligo, including roughly two million US citizens.  Although vitiligo affects people of all races, it is more noticeable in darker skinned ethnic groups.

Vitamin B12 for Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails

What causes vitiligo?

Doctors are uncertain what exactly causes the skin disorder vitiligo, but they believe it might be an autoimmune disorder.  Also, they have noticed strong correlations with certain chronic conditions.  People who suffer vitiligo usually fall into one of four groups:

• Hyperthyroid (overactive thyroid gland) patients
• Pernicious anemia (vitamin B12 deficiency) patients
• Addison’s disease (underactive adrenal gland) patients
• Alopecia areata patients (people with patches of baldness)

What are the symptoms of vitiligo?

Vitiligo causes telltale patches of white skin (depigmentation), typically on parts of your body that get the most sun exposure, like your hands, feet, and face, particularly around the eyes, mouth, and lips.  

Vitiligo can also occur on covered-up parts of your body, like your stomach, hips, and armpits, though that is not as common. 

Other symptoms of vitiligo may include premature hair greying, including grey eyelash hair.  White patches can also occur in the inside of the mouth.

For some, vitiligo symptoms remain only in one area of the body.  For others, patches of white skin may slowly spread over years to other parts of the body.

How will taking vitamin B12 supplements affect my vitiligo symptoms?

In one clinical study, vitamin B12 and folic acid were administered to patients who suffered from vitiligo.  They were also instructed to keep records of sun exposure.

• More than half of the 100 vitiligo patients noticed dramatic results- 37 of which had opted for sun exposure.
• Six volunteers who took the vitamin B12 and folic acid supplements experienced noticeably superior results.

Scientists confirmed that supplementing with vitamin B12 and folic acid, combined with sun exposure, is more beneficial for vitiligo patients than simple sun exposure alone.

Read more about B12 deficiency:

Eat this to Prevent Hair Loss- 5 Foods for Healthy Hair

7 Commandments for Taming Frizzy Hair

Sources:

Improvement of vitiligo after oral treatment with vitamin B12 and folic acid and the importance of sun exposure- PubMed, NCBI

Vitiligo Treatment, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Signs on MedicineNet.com

Image credits:

Stuart Miles

What is pernicious anemia, and how is it different from vitamin B12 deficiency or megaloblastic anemia? That is one of many questions that people have about pernicious anemia- questions that are answered here.

1. What’s the difference between pernicious anemia and megaloblastic anemia?

Pernicious anemia, a form of megaloblastic anemia, is a disease that impairs red blood cell distribution through vitamin B12 deficiency; for that reason, it is also called vitamin B12 malabsorption anemia.

(It is worth mentioning that pernicious anemia is only one of many factors that causes vitamin B12 deficiency.)

Other names for pernicious anemia are Biermer’s anemia, Addison’s anemia, and combined systems disease (a disorder of the nervous system).

2. What is the relationship between intrinsic factor and pernicious anemia?

Whenever you eat foods that contain vitamin B12- protein foods like beef, chicken, seafood, cheese, and eggs- your digestive system produces a chemical called intrinsic factor, a digestive enzyme.

Intrinsic factor then grabs the vitamin B12 from your stomach, bonds to it, carries it through the small intestine, and delivers it to the ileum, at the base of your small intestine.

From here, the vitamin B12 is then either absorbed and dispersed into your bloodstream as “active vitamin B12,” or it is stored in the liver. That is how most people digest vitamin B12.

People who suffer from pernicious anemia are not able to manufacture or regulate the intrinsic factor enzyme.  Even if they eat plenty of foods rich in vitamin B12, they are unable to digest the essential vitamin, and the result is a catastrophic depletion of vitamin B12 levels in the blood.

3. What are the symptoms of B12 deficiency- pernicious anemia?

The most common pernicious anemia symptoms are:

• Extreme fatigue
• Depression
• Trouble concentrating
• Memory loss
• Irritability
• Painful tingling sensations in hands and feet
• Hands and feet often “falling asleep” or going numb
• Sore, red tongue
• Altered taste perception
• Constant stumbling while walking
• Clumsiness
• Muscular feebleness
• Pale complexion
• Diarrhea
• Stomach pains
• Trouble sleeping

Untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency causes low red blood cell production, forgetfulness, severe nerve damage, and increased risk for heart attack , stroke, and osteoporosis.

4. What natural remedies work best for pernicious anemia?

Since pernicious anemia results from vitamin B12 deficiency, the only remedy you need is…more B12!  The real question is: How much vitamin B12 do you need? Only your doctor can answer that by taking blood tests, determining if your body makes intrinsic factor, and prescribing the proper venue of vitamin B12 supplementation.

If it is determined that you lack intrinsic factor, then you will need to take vitamin B12 supplements, most likely for the rest of your life, in order to avoid getting vitamin B12 deficiency again.

5. Why is a pernicious anemia patient unable to take vitamin B12 orally?

Without intrinsic factor, your body cannot digest dietary sources of vitamin B12- and that includes vitamin B12 pills.  As a rule of thumb, if vitamin B12 passes through a digestive system that does not produce intrinsic factor, then the B12 will pass through without being broken down or digested.  In order to get vitamin B12 into your blood supply, you have to insert it there directly- usually through B12 shots.

6. How long does it take before you start to feel the benefits of vitamin B12 supplements?

Assuming you are getting the correct dose of vitamin B12, and are taking an efficient method of B12 supplements…most patients start to feel notably better within 24 hours of vitamin B12 supplementation.

7. Is Pernicious anemia genetic?

Family history is one of many causes of pernicious anemia.  If your family has a history of suffering from pernicious anemia, then you should take routine blood tests for vitamin B12 deficiency throughout your life.

What are the Symptoms of Pernicious Anemia- B12 deficiency?

8. If I have one autoimmune disease like pernicious anemia, am I more likely to have another autoimmune disease?

Scientists have noted a high correlation between pernicious anemia and many other autoimmune disorders. When other diseases are a factor, pernicious anemia often occurs from drug interactions, comorbid symptoms, or a cyclical relationship with that disease.  Below are some conditions that may accompany pernicious anemia:

• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic fatigue
• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Diabetes
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Celiac disease
• Gastritis
• Chronic heartburn
• Hypothyroidism

Leaky Gut Syndrome Symptoms and Causes

9. I’m only 20 years old.  Could someone my age have pernicious anemia?

Pernicious anemia can happen to somebody of any age group.  Because your body stores vitamin B12 in the liver for several years, you may not know that your body has stopped absorbing it until you start to feel the symptoms, by which time your B12 levels will have dropped severely.  If you suspect you have any of the symptoms of pernicious anemia, then do not hesitate to get a blood test.

10. Can pernicious anemia cause gastritis?

Gastritis– painful inflammation of the stomach lining- has many possible causes.  The most common are alcohol abuse, chronic vomiting, and overusing drugs such as aspirin. Untreated, chronic gastritis can cause blood loss.  Other causes of gastritis are:

• Pernicious anemia
• Stomach infection
• Bile reflux
• Viruses

11. Can pernicious anemia shorten your life?

When scientists first discovered vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, they deemed it a fatal disease, and thus named it “pernicious (malicious) anemia.”  Without B12, your body is unable to make sufficiency red blood cells.  Today, doctors are easily able to diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency through blood tests, administer treatment in the form of pure vitamin B12, and prevent further escalation of pernicious anemia.  Untreated, pernicious anemia can lead to life-threatening illnesses, such as heart attack, stroke.

12. Can pernicious anemia cause stomach damage?

Pernicious anemia may cause gastric polyps, increasing one’s risk for getting stomach damage or gastric carcinoid tumors.

13. Are there any support groups for others with pernicious anemia?

There are many advocacy groups for pernicious anemia, and most of them are on Facebook.  Here are a few:

Pernicious Anaemia Society

Vitamin B12 Deficiency on Facebook

Pernicious Anemia Awareness on Facebook

Pernicious Anaemia – What do you know?…And what they don’t tell you! on Facebook

Read more about pernicious anemia and vitamin B12:

Painful Tingling in Hands and Feet- What’s Up with That?

Lupus and Vitamin B12 Deficiency- What’s the Connection?

Babies, B12, and Fertility- B12 Deficiency during Pregnancy

Sources:

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)- University of Maryland Medical Center

Gastritis: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More

Pernicious Anemia- Medscape

Pernicious Anemia Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention on MedicineNet.com

Image credits, from top:

Danilo Rizzuti, digitalart, Salvatore Vuono

If you’re planning a pregnancy, you might want to check your B12 levels- numerous reports link vitamin B12 deficiency during pregnancy with miscarriage, spontaneous abortion, and other fertility problems.  B12 deficiency anemia- pernicious anemia– makes it harder for women to conceive, as well as for men to produce fertile sperm.

Medical research proves the fertility-B12 deficiency link

One of the most famous studies on fertility and B12 deficiency examined fourteen women of childbearing age who suffered vitamin B12 deficiency:

• All women who participated in the study suffered severe vitamin B12 deficiency anemia in addition to low fertility- Four had been trying unsuccessfully to conceive for two to eight years, and eleven experienced repeated miscarriages and spontaneous abortions.
• Dr. Michael Bennett, hematologist of the Ha’Emek Medical Center in Afula, Israel, implemented vitamin B12 supplementation to see if it would have any effect on their ability to conceive and have healthy pregnancies.
• If fetal loss were to continue despite elevating B12 levels, it would prove that infertility was unrelated to B12 deficiency or pernicious anemia symptoms.
• Instead, result showed that ten out of the fourteen test subjects experienced favorable results from vitamin B12 supplements. The results can be found in this study on vitamin B12 and fertility.

Dr. Bennett explains the connection

• Bennett notes that B12 deficiency, combined with folate deficiency, led to thrombophilia (blood clotting) in seven of the women studied, thus increasing their risk for miscarriage.
• He believes that taking large amounts of folic acid, a nutrient prescribed to women of childbearing age, often masks B12 deficiency symptoms, making it harder to diagnose and treat.
• In his conclusion, Dr. Bennett attributes raised homocysteine levels, a symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency, with repeated fetal loss, and over time, ovulation disorder.

“Correcting this deficiency can rapidly lead to a normal pregnancy,” states Bennett.  “This study illustrates the importance of measuring B12 levels…in every patient investigated for infertility or recurrent (miscarriage).”

Report findings are available by The Journal of Reproductive Medicine.

Why does my body need B12?

Vitamin B12 benefits your body in many ways- it helps to produce red blood cells, promotes DNA synthesis, guards the nervous system’s myelin sheath, maintains cognitive functioning, lowers homocysteine levels, and supports metabolism.  

Left untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency can cause severe nerve damage, cognitive disorders, and increased risk for heart disease and stroke.

B12 Deficiency: Don’t Ignore the Symptoms

What symptoms are associated with vitamin B12 deficiency?

Since vitamin B12 interacts with so many different areas of the body, many seemingly unrelated symptoms indicate vitamin B12 deficiency.  Pernicious anemia masks itself as mood disorders, diabetes, celiac disease, fibromyalgia, hypothyroid, and other chronic conditions.

Some common symptoms of B12 deficiency:

• Depression
• Chronic fatigue
• Memory loss
• Difficulty concentrating
• “Brain fog”
• Anxiety
• Paranoia
• Hallucinations
• Painful tingling, numbness or “prickly” sensations, mainly in the hands and feet
• Sore, swollen tongue
• Altered sense of taste
• Loss of balance while walking, running, or jumping
• Decreased fine motor skills
• Muscular feebleness
• Heart palpitations

Read more about B12 deficiency and pregnancy:

Pregnant Moms and Low B-12 Levels: Let ‘em Eat Steak!

Avoiding Vitamin B12 Deficiency while Breast Feeding

Are Vegans in France Responsible for Breast-fed Baby’s Death?

Sources:

Vitamin B12 deficiency, infertility and recurrent fetal loss- PubMed, NCBI

Lack Of Vitamin B12 Linked To Repeat Miscarriage

Vitamin B12 deficiency, infertility and miscarriage

Pernicious Anemia

Image credits, from top:

Stuart Miles, Ambro, photostock, winnond

What causes Leaky Gut Syndrome? Scientists aren’t positive- could be Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, or any number of autoimmune disorders.

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS), also called intestinal hyperpermeability, is a breach in the barrier that lines the intestinal tract.  Leaky Gut causes damage to your digestive system, making it difficult for your body to digest nutrients, in addition to “leaking” bacteria, toxins, and undigested food particles from your intestines and into the rest of your body.

Gut Bugs:Winning the Bacteria Battle

What causes Leaky Gut?

Scientists aren’t clear what exactly causes Leaky Gut Syndrome, but they have noted some strong correlations; conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, and gluten intolerance have a cyclical relationship with LGS, causing symptoms that cause further damage to the intestines, thus making Leaky Gut Syndrome even harder to control.  Leaky Gut could result from a chronic disease, or it may signal the onset of life-threatening illness such as AIDS.

AIDS with B12 Deficiency

What are the symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Doctors are hesitant to diagnose Leaky Gut Syndrome; it hasn’t yet been fully accepted as part of conventional medicine, and there are multitudes of seemingly unrelated illnesses that are theorized as being linked with Leaky Gut Syndrome.  Not surprisingly, most doctors choose to treat each symptom separately, and rarely get to the root of the illness that might be LGS.

Below are some common symptoms associated with Leaky Gut Syndrome:

• Stomach pain
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Multiple joint pain
• Muscular soreness
• Headaches
• Chronic fatigue
• Brain fog
• Depression
• Skin rash
• Chronic allergies

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

What diseases and are associated with Leaky Gut Syndrome?

• Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, or pernicious anemia
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Crohn’s disease
• Chronic depression
• Arthritis
• Psoriasis
• Acne
• Hives
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Pancreatic disease
• Jaundice
• Hepatitis
• Unexplainable infections
• AIDS

What can I take for Leaky Gut Syndrome?

If you are diagnosed with Leaky Gut Syndrome, your doctor might advise one or more of the following:

• Glutamine
• N-acetyl cysteine
• Zinc
• Vitamin B12 supplements

Long-term lifestyle changes are effective at preventing further occurrences of Leaky Gut Syndrome, including restrictive diet for Leaky Gut, probiotics, alcohol moderation, and weaning off non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Read more about autoimmune diseases and vitamin B12 deficiency:

Lupus and Vitamin B12 Deficiency- What’s the Connection?

Dressing after Crohn’s Surgery- 5 Post- Ostomy Fashion Tips

On the Run with Crohn’s? 6 Ways to Ease Public Restroom Anxiety

Sources:

Do You Have Leaky Gut Syndrome?

What Is Leaky Gut?

Autism and GI Problems

Is painful tingling in your hands and feet rubbing you the wrong way? Do you suffer sharp, prickly tingling in your face, or fingers and toes? Chronic peripheral neuropathy causes numbness in your fingers, hands, feet, and toes- that feeling you get when your legs “fall asleep.”  Several diseases and conditions may cause neuropathic pain symptoms; the only way to treat the never-ending tingling in your hands and feet is to find out what’s causing it…

What causes annoying tingling in the hands and feet?

Pernicious anemia

One of the earliest symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency anemia is neuropathic pain- sufferers of vitamin B12 deficiency feel sharp, achy tingling in the hands and feet, numbness, “pins and needles,” or a painfully swollen tongue.  

Even if you eat sufficient food sources of vitamin B12 from meat, fish, and dairy sources, you might have dangerously low B12 levels.

Causes include autoimmune disorders, gastrointestinal diseases or surgeries, drug interactions, or the inability to produce intrinsic factor in the stomach.  To find out if you have vitamin B12 deficiency, ask your physician for a vitamin B12 blood test- you might require vitamin B12 supplements.

What are the Symptoms of Pernicious Anemia- B12 deficiency?

Underactive thyroid

Hypothyroidism causes symptoms similar to vitamin B12 deficiency, like “brain fog,” fatigue, depression, muscular pain, and numbness or tingling in your hands and feet.

Sitting and standing

Sitting or standing for long periods without moving or taking a break- washing the dishes, standing by a register, or sitting at a computer for hours- can cause prickly tingling in your feet and legs.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Are you at Risk?

Striking a nerve

If you have suffered a head or neck injury, then you may experience numbness in your arms. Similarly, a lower-back injury could cause painful numbness in your legs.

Shingles

If you’ve ever had the Chicken Pox, then you’re a candidate for shingles.  The herpes zoster virus appears around middle age, and causes neuropathic pain such as painful skin rash, itchiness, red blisters, and painful tingling and numbness.

Frostbite

Both frostbite and atherosclerosis (arterial plaque build-up) restrict blood supply to your extremities, causing severely painful numbness in toes, hands, feet, or fingers.

Nerve pressure

If you have suffered a herniated disk, then painful nerve pressure on your spine may cause tingling and numbness in legs.  Dilated blood vessels, scar tissue, infections, or tumors may also cause severe peripheral neuropathy.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome caused by constant repetitive motions, such as typing or knitting, causes aching in your hands, fingers, and wrists.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, causing feebleness, reduced motor control, trouble maintaining physical balance, and foot numbness.

Diabetes

One of the many symptoms of diabetes, a blood sugar disorder, included painful tingling sensations and numbness in the hands and feet.

Seizures

People who experience frequent seizures, such as epileptic seizures, may experience dizziness, prickly “pins and needles” sensations in their hands, feet, arms, legs, or numbness in the face.

Stroke

Stroke victims suffer loss of consciousness, speech slurs, disorientation, partial paralysis, numbness, and tingling on one side of the body.

Migraines

Migraines with aura produce stroke-like symptoms such as sudden “gibberish” talk, visual distortions, facial numbness, feebleness, and mental confusion.

Transient ischemic attack (TIA),

A transient ischemic attack, or “mini-stroke,” may signal an oncoming stroke; symptoms include dizziness, mental confusion, balance problems, and numbness or tingling on one side of the body.

Lupus

One of the symptoms of lupus autoimmune disorder is Raynaud’s phenomenon, which causes poor blood flow to your fingers and toes by constricting blood vessels.

Toxic poisoning

Exposure to toxic amounts of alcohol, lead, radiation therapy, seafood toxins, or tobacco may cause neuropathic damage, including painful numbness in arms or legs.

Animal or insect bite

If you’re bitten by an animal or insect (spider, tick), then you might experience symptoms such as prickly tingling and numbness in your fingers, toes, arms, or legs.

Read more about the symptoms of B12 deficiency:

Why do my Arms and Legs often Fall Asleep? B12 and Paresthesia

Tired of being Tired all the Time…It’s Tiring!

Sources:

Tingling: Causes- Better Medicine

Numbness and tingling- Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia

NINDS paresthesia information page- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

What Is Atherosclerosis? NHLBI, NIH

Image credits, from top:

Dzz, clarita, lyns, chelle, grietgriet

If you feel tired all the time, then join the club- the vitamin B12 deficiency club, which is becoming the top cause of chronic fatigue allover.  Vitamin B12 is crucial for brain health, and if you don’t get enough, you run the risk of suffering the red blood cell disease pernicious anemia– one of many vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms.

Why am I so tired all the time?

Fatigue causes you to feel sluggish, slow, confused, and constantly in a “brain fog.” You’re exhausted before you even step out of bed, and all day at work.  On the drive home, you catch yourself several times nodding off at the wheel.  By the time you’re ready to pack it up and call it a day, you’re almost too tired to change into your pajamas, sorely tempted to climb into bed, clothes, shoes, and all.

Why are you so tired all the time? Many conditions can cause chronic fatigue, and most of them begin with vitamin B12 deficiency.

What is vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is of the vitamin B complex vitamins, and occurs in foods like beef, poultry, fish, eggs, and milk.  Some of the best sources of vitamin B12 are organ meat, lean turkey, crabmeat, halibut, and yogurt.  Normally, sufficient amounts of B12 are stored in your liver, unless you are prone to vitamin B12 deficiency.

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

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

Tiredness is at the core of the most common symptoms of B12 deficiency:  depression, chronic fatigue, anxiety, short-term memory loss, disorientation, trouble concentrating or remembering words, painful numbness or tingling in hands and feet, loss of balance while walking, muscular feebleness, and insomnia.

Here are some illnesses and chronic conditions linked to vitamin B12 deficiency:

• Pernicious anemia

Sometimes, pernicious anemia is the cause of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Vitamin B12 helps your body produce healthy red blood cells needed to carry oxygen. With pernicious anemia, you have a shortage of vitamin B12, which leads to a shortage of red blood cells, which in turn causes a severe reduction in oxygen throughout your body, including the brain.

The resulting effect is overwhelming tiredness, lightheadedness, and an inability to concentrate.

What are the Symptoms of Pernicious Anemia- B12 deficiency?

• Fibromyalgia

Scientists found that a high correlation exists between vitamin B12 deficiency and sufferers of fibromyalgia, an autoimmune disease that causes symptoms such as severe pain, skin sensitivity, sleep problems, and chronic fatigue.

Boost Energy and Beat Fatigue All Day Long- 8 Sure-Fire Tips

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

People with gastrointestinal disorders such as IBD- Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis- have extreme difficulty absorbing vitamin B12.  Symptoms such as sluggishness, diarrhea, and unexplainable exhaustion might be confused with IBD symptoms; in fact, vitamin B12 deficiency is a likely culprit that often is overlooked.

Celiac and B12- Celiac Disease and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

• Depression

Vitamin B12 supports cognitive functioning- low B12 levels are common among people suffering from severe psychological disorders, including schizophrenia, clinical depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD).  Tiredness is one of many complaints of people suffering from depression and anxiety.

Can Elevated Homocysteine (Low B12) cause Mental Illness?

• Heart disease

Vitamin B12 helps your body regulate the amount of homocysteine in your blood.  High levels of plasma homocysteine are strongly associated with heart disease and stroke. By breaking down homocysteine, and thus reducing the risk for heart disease or stroke, vitamin B12 promotes cardiovascular health.

Treatment for B12 deficiency

A blood test is necessary in order to diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency.  Not all doctors screen for low B12, so you will need to request a plasma vitamin B12 test.  If necessary, your doctor will prescribe B12 injections or sublingual B12.

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms:

Is Vitamin B12 the Secret to the Fountain of Youth?

Why do my Arms and Legs often Fall Asleep? B12 and Paresthesia

Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Are you at Risk?

Sources:

Sluggish? Confused? Vitamin B12 May Be Low

How to Stop Feeling Tired All The Time

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Disney Wiki, striatic, Tambako the Jaguar

Good news for vitamin B12 users- you might have discovered the secret to the Fountain of Youth! Vitamin B-12 is the preferred health supplement of Jack Lindsley, who just celebrated his 100^th birthday.  Find out what makes this B vitamin one of the best nutrients for old age in your pharmacy.

Here’s Your Brain on B12 Deficiency- Memory Loss and Aging

Do you know Jack?

Jack Lindsley is a 100-year-old D-day veteran who just celebrated his birthday. He has served in World War II, married the love of his life, and worked in the postal service for 28 years.  After his wife passed away in 1990, this retired firefighter dedicated his life to volunteer work.

Walk into the Doylestown, Pennsylvania hospital mailroom, and you’ll find Jack smiling and joking with other mailroom attendants while patiently sorting the mail.  “The most pleasant man to be around,” Jack Lindsley has an infectious personality and a talent for dispensing good old-fashioned advice…

Feed your Brain Something You’ll never Forget

So what’s his secret Fountain of Youth?

Jack eats plenty of foods high in B12.

“I do cooking to my liking.  Breakfast could be all three meals – I like bacon, eggs, and pancakes.” Meat, fish, cheese, and eggs- these are all food sources that are rich in vitamin B12.  Jack also likes cooking meatloaf- another dish high in vitamin B12.

As far as healthy living routines go, Jack swears by his old standbys- aspirin and vitamin B12 supplements every day.

What makes vitamin B12 the best anti-aging vitamin?

• Vitamin B12 is essential for a healthy metabolism, as it helps your body convert fat into energy.
• Vitamin B12 is good for your heart. B12 lowers your homocysteine levels, thus decreasing your chances of suffering from a heart attack or stroke.
• Vitamin B12 supports cognitive functioning. Scientists discovered that vitamin B12 promotes healthy brain mass. Older individuals who take extra doses of vitamin B12 receive the benefits of good memory skills, mental focus, and overall peace of mind. They are also less likely to experience symptoms of aging, such as forgetfulness, mood disorders, and confusion.
• Vitamin B12 sustains hair growth. By avoiding B12 deficiency, you reduce your chances of symptoms of aging like premature baldness and hair whitening.  Vitamin B12 also promotes skin elasticity, for fewer wrinkles.
• Vitamin boosts energy. When your vitamin B12 levels run dry, you feel increasingly fatigued, depressed, disoriented, and confused. By taking regular vitamin B12 supplements, you avoid getting vitamin B12 deficiency, and guarantee normal energy levels and mental clarity.
• Vitamin B12 supports bone health. In a scientific study, elderly individuals who had the highest levels of vitamin B12 in their blood experienced significantly lower levels of bone loss than those who had the lowest levels of B12.

Read more about vitamin B12 and symptoms of aging:

Vitamin B12 and your Bones- Osteoporosis from B12 Deficiency

Bilingual Alzheimer’s Patients Fare Better Than Most

FDA Approves Brain Scan to Detect Alzheimer’s Disease

Sources:

Hospital volunteer celebrates 100th birthday

Closing out his first century, and still volunteering in Bucks

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LadyDayDream, ciccioetneo, maxintosh