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So you’re sitting at your desk, and suddenly your legs fall asleep.  You try to shake it off, but that annoying numbness and tingling sensation just doesn’t want to leave without a fight.  Paresthesia, a neuropathic ailment often associated with vitamin B12 deficiency, causes “pins and needles,” numbness, and painful burning in your hands, arms, feet, and legs.

What are the symptoms of paresthesia?

Paresthesia causes numbness and tingling sensations, primarily in your hands, arms, feet, and legs.  People who experience paresthesia say they feel like their legs or arms are “falling asleep.” Others describe it as a burning pain in one or more limbs, “pins and needles,” or severe itching.

Is paresthesia serious?

Sometimes, paresthesia happens as a response to hyperventilating, anxiety, or just putting too much pressure on one nerve for too long.

Other times, paresthesia occurs as part of a chronic condition, and the only way to put an end to the constant numbness and prickling sensations is to find out what is causing your symptoms, and the best way to treat it.

What causes your arms or legs to “fall asleep?”

Many chronic conditions, illnesses, or drug interactions can cause neuropathic pain symptoms such as paresthesia.

Vitamin B12 deficiency: Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet are usually the first symptoms noticed by sufferers of vitamin B12 deficiency or pernicious anemia.

Vitamin B12 protects the myelin sheath, the fatty layer that protects your peripheral nerves.  Left untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency causes damage to the nervous system, resulting in peripheral neuropathy.

In addition to limbs falling asleep, other symptoms of B12 deficiency are loss of fine motor control, trouble walking, fatigue, memory loss, “brain fog,” depression, disorientation, anxiety, insomnia, stomach upset, breathlessness, loss of appetite, and hallucinations.  

Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Are you at Risk?

Nerve damage: Other types of nerve damage result from Lyme disease and frostbite.

Elderly individuals suffer from paresthesia caused by vitamin deficiency, in addition to poor circulation in the arms and legs, or peripheral vascular disease (PVD).

Arthritis: Various types of arthritis cause neuropathic pain symptoms similar to paresthesia, in addition to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Autoimmune diseases: Lupus, celiac disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS) sometimes cause chronic paresthesia.
Migraines: If you get migraine attacks, then you might also experience frequent pins and needles, or legs falling asleep.
Seizures and stroke are correlated with paresthesia.
Shingles: symptoms include numbness, tingling, and burning sensations in the skin.
Drugs: Drug interactions that may cause paresthesia symptoms are beta-blockers, beta-alanines, anticonvulsants, narcotics, opiates, and Lomotil.

Also read: Brain Drain Medications- Drugs that Drain the B12 out of you

How do you get rid of numbness and tingling?

The quicker you get your blood flowing to your extremities, the sooner you will start to feel relief.  As soon as you feel your arms or legs starting to fall asleep or feel tingly, do one or all of the following:

• 1- Pump your arms.
• 2- Clench and unclench your fists.
• 3- Kick your legs.
• 4- Walk it off.
• 5- Stand up, holding onto a chair or wall for support.  Put all your weight on the foot that is falling asleep, rise up on your tiptoes, and then lower to the ball of your foot.  Repeat the movement, pumping up and down, without resting the heel on the floor, until pain goes away.
• 6- Massage hands, arms, legs, or feet gently.

These are helpful tips for temporarily relieving paresthesia. However, if you experience numbness, tingling, burning, or other painful symptoms frequently, then it is crucial to visit a doctor.  A blood test will determine if you have vitamin B12 deficiency, or one of many other likely conditions.

Read more about vitamin B12:

Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Are you at Risk?

Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Sources:

Paresthesia

Numbness and tingling: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

What makes your arms, legs and feet fall asleep?

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Alex Holzknecht, Teleyinex, Zabowski, Josiah Mackenzie, healingdream

Are you at risk for developing vitamin B12 deficiency, one of the fastest growing forms of malnourishment today?  Most people with B12 deficiency don’t even know they have it.  Find out why vitamin B12 is important for healthy living. Are you are getting enough?

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12, an essential nutrient called cobalamin, occurs naturally in meat and other protein foods such as beef, poultry, fish, eggs, and milk.  Vitamin B12 is one of the B-complex vitamins, and plays many important roles in your healthy lifestyle, and unless you get enough vitamin B12 from your diet or from vitamin B12 supplements, then you might experience the following symptoms:

• Constant tiredness, fatigue for no apparent reason
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Lack of appetite
• Insomnia
• Lack of concentration
• Short-term memory loss
• Irritability
• Muscular aches
• Tingling, numbness or pain in your hands and feet
• Sore, swollen red tongue
• Altered taste perception
• Hallucinations
• Difficulty walking smoothly
• Poor hand-eye coordination and motor skills

Untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency could lead to neurological damage, increased risk for heart attack and stroke, memory problems, and misdiagnosis of severe mood disorders.

Low B12 means Low Thyroid- Hypothyroidism and B12 Deficiency

So, who’s at risk for B12 deficiency?

Even if you eat plenty of meat and milk, you may be susceptible for vitamin B12 deficiency, as there are many other risk factors involved…

If you fit into any one of the following categories, then you are highly susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiency:

• Do you have diabetes? If you are diabetic, and you take metformin, then you are vulnerable to B12 deficiency, since metformin blocks your ability to digest vitamin B12 properly.
• Have you had weight loss surgery? If you have had any bariatric surgery such as gastric bypass, or any other gastrointestinal surgery that involves removing a piece of the small intestine called the ileum, then you need to take vitamin B12 supplements regularly.  The ileum is the bottom-most part of the small intestine, and is principally responsible for absorbing vitamin B12.
• Do you suffer from autoimmune disorders? If you suffer from any autoimmune disease that involves damage to the digestive system, then you are at risk for many forms of malnourishment, including vitamin B12 deficiency.  Examples of autoimmune disorders that correlate with vitamin B12 deficiency are Crohn’s disease, celiac disorder, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and lupus.
• Are you a senior citizen? The elderly are highly susceptible to B12 deficiency.  As you age, your body produces fewer stomach acids that are necessary for digesting vitamin B12 from the foods you eat.  Also, older people tend to eat less and have sensitive stomachs, all of which can lead to malnourishment. In order to avoid B12 deficiency, it is crucial to include extra B12 supplements in your daily vitamin regimen.
• Do you take heartburn medication? If you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or if just take many antacids, then you might become deficient in vitamin B12, as stomach acids are essential for digesting vitamins such as B12 from your food.
• Are you an alcoholic? Frequent alcohol use inhibits your body’s ability to absorb nutrients like vitamin B12 properly, and causes malnourishment.
• Does vitamin B12 deficiency or pernicious anemia run in your family? Some people are unable to produce intrinsic factor, an essential chemical your stomach makes to access and digest vitamin B12 from food sources.  If you have this autoimmune disorder, then you must supplement with a form of vitamin B12 that dispenses the vitamin directly into your bloodstream.

How can I find out if I have vitamin B12 deficiency?

The only way to find out if you have vitamin B12 deficiency is to visit your doctor and ask for a vitamin B12 blood test.  If you test positive, then he will likely prescribe a regimen of vitamin B12 supplements.

Read more about preventing vitamin B12 deficiency:

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

WhichTests check Absorption of Vitamin B12?

Sources:

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Risk Factors – Am I at Risk of Vitamin B12 Deficiency? – Third Age

Vitamin B12- Mayo Clinic

What Is Vitamin B12 Deficiency? What Causes Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

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heather aitken, ValetheKid, soylentgreen23, Martin Kimeldorf’s Pixel Playground

“What is vitamin B12,” you ask? Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is a member of the B-complex vitamins.  A water-soluble vitamin, B12 is stored in your liver and is necessary for avoiding vitamin B12 deficiency.

What are the benefits of vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 wears many hats.  It is essential for a vast number of important bodily functions.

• Red blood cells! Vitamin B12 helps your body produce plenty of red blood cells that are required for carrying oxygen throughout your body.  With enough B12, you would suffer from constant dizziness and fatigue.
• Memory! Vitamin B12 assists in cognitive skills such as memory, concentration, and comprehension.  Without enough B12, you may suffer memory loss, depression, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating.
• Heart health! Vitamin B12 controls the level of homocysteine in your blood, a protein associated with heart attack and stroke.  Without enough B12, you are at a higher risk of dying of heart disease or stoke.
• Bone health! Scientists have found a high correlation healthy vitamin B12 levels and a lower risk of getting osteoporosis– loss of bone mass- in elderly individuals.  Senior citizens who keep their vitamin B12 levels normal benefit by maintaining healthy joints and cartilage functioning.
• Senses! Vitamin B12 keeps communication flowing between your brain and various nerve sites, such as your fingers, toes, mouth, eyes, and ears.  Without enough B12, you would suffer neurological damage such as tingling, numbness or pain in your hands, feet, and tongue.
• Movement! Vitamin B12 protects the myelin sheathe of your nervous system.  Without enough B12, you would have difficulty controlling your muscles in your arms and legs.
• DNA! Vitamin B12 promotes DNA synthesis.  Without enough B12, you would suffer abnormal cell growth.
• Metabolism! Vitamin B12 boosts stamina by helping your body convert fat into energy. Without enough B12, you would feel sluggish, confused, and chronically fatigued, and be more prone to weight gain.

What foods have vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 occurs naturally in animal-based proteins.  The following food sources have the highest levels of vitamin B12:

• Meat! Beef, particularly lean beefsteak and beef organs, such as liver and heart
• Chicken! Poultry, including lean chicken, turkey, and duck
• Fish! Seafood, including tuna, halibut, salmon, crab meat, clams, and oysters
• Eggs! Don’t skip the yolks- they are extremely high in this B vitamin
• Milk! Dairy products, including milk, hard cheese, yogurt, and kefir

But I eat plenty of protein, and I take vitamin supplements.

Even if you eat plenty of foods with vitamin B12, you are not immune to B12 deficiency.  Many multivitamins and B-complex pills include vitamin B12, but not in sufficient amounts to prevent vitamin B12 deficiency in individuals who are at risk.

The only way to get enough B12 is by taking vitamin B12 supplements. Some popular B12 supplements are vitamin B12 sublingual pills,and prescribed vitamin B12 shots.

Read more about vitamin B12:

What are the Symptoms of Pernicious Anemia- B12 deficiency?

Can Elevated Homocysteine (Low B12) cause Mental Illness?

Sources:

Vitamin B12- Mayo Clinic

What Is Vitamin B12 Deficiency? What Causes Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

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ostephy, imelenchon, jzlomek, chamomile, clarita

You might not realize this, but your prescription medications could be giving you vitamin B12 deficiency; certain drugs drain B12 from your system and prevent you from absorbing vitamin B12- cobalamin– naturally from food sources.  If you currently take any of the following medications, then you could be at risk for severe neurological damage.

Who is at risk for getting vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that occurs naturally in most animal protein sources; beef, chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, mussels, eggs, milk, cheese, and yogurt are all rich in this essential B vitamin.  Unless you follow a vegan diet, you probably ingest sufficient amounts of B12.

However, there are certain conditions, demographics, and lifestyle choices that can inhibit your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12, regardless of how many hamburgers you eat.  They are:

• Being among the elderly
• Suffering from gastrointestinal disease, such as Celiac, Crohn’s, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Submitting to bariatric surgery
• Lacking the ability to produce intrinsic factor, a hormone that aids in vitamin B12 absorption
• Suffering from fibromyalgia, or other autoimmune diseases

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

Which medications deplete vitamin B12 levels?

Certain medications may prevent your body from digesting vitamin B12– heartburn drugs, for example.  If you experience symptoms such as chronic fatigue, memory loss, depression, brain fog, tingling or prickly sensations in your hands and feet, or altered sense of taste, you might have depleted your stores of vitamin B12.  The only way to be certain is to get your vitamin B12 levels checked with a blood screening.

The following prescription drugs drain vitamin B12:

Anti-inflammatory medications

• Beclomethasone
• Budesonide
• Dexamethasone
• Fluticasone
• Hydrocortisone
• Methylprednisolone
• Mometasone Furoate
• Prednisone
• Triamcinolone

Antibiotic medications

• Aminoglycosides
• Cephalosporin
• Chloramphenicol
• Macrolides
• Penicillin Derivatives
• Quinolones
• Sulfa drugs
• Tetracycline Derivatives

Anticonvulsant medications

• Phenobarbital

Birth control medications

• Ethinyl Estradiol and Desogestrel
• Ethinyl Estradiol and Levonorgestrel
• Ethinyl Estradiol and Norethindrone
• Ethinyl Estradiol and Norgestimate

Cholesterol lowering medications

• Cholestyramine
• Colestipol

Diabetes medications

• Metformin

Gout medications

• Colchicine

Heart medications

• Potassium Chloride

Proton pump inhibitors- heartburn drugs

• Lansoprazole
• Omeprazole

Ulcer medications

• Cimetidine
• Famotidine
• Nizatidine
• Ranitidine Bismuth Citrate
• Ranitidine Hydrochloride

Read more about preventing vitamin B12 deficiency:

Low B12 means Low Thyroid- Hypothyroidism and B12 Deficiency

Sources:

Drugs that Deplete: Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12

Image credits, from top:

Pixomar, africa, Ambro, TeddyBear[Picnic]

If you have vitamin B12 deficiency, then it is important to recognize the symptoms of pernicious anemia, as low levels of B12 (cobalamin) may be caused by this form of megaloblastic anemia, a potentially life-threatening disease.

What is pernicious anemia?

Pernicious anemia is a digestive disorder that causes vitamin B12 deficiency. Because one of the side effects involves grossly misshapen and enlarged red blood cells, pernicious anemia has been classified as a type of megaloblastic anemia.

With pernicious anemia, your body is unable to digest vitamin B12 from food sources, due to a lack of the intrinsic factor digestive enzyme. As a result, after several years, your vitamin B12 stores plummet to a dangerous low.

Since vitamin B12 is crucial for all sorts of biochemical reactions, such as protecting your nerve cells through myelin production, converting fat into energy, and supporting red blood cell production, the results of pernicious anemia can be debilitating.

Avoid vitamin B12 deficiency

The best way to avoid getting vitamin B12 deficiency is to include animal-based protein foods in your diet, particularly beef liver, clams, oysters, poultry, eggs, milk, and yogurt.

Still, eating meat and dairy products does not guarantee you will not become deficient in vitamin B12, as there are many risk factors that can inhibit proper absorption of this vitamin.

Who’s at risk?

People at risk for developing B12 deficiency are:

• people who exclude primary sources of vitamin B12 from their diet (vegans)
• the elderly
• people who have had bariatric surgery
• diabetics taking metformin
• anybody using long-term medication for acid-reflux
• individuals with gastrointestinal disease (IBD, celiac)
• people who cannot produce intrinsic factor, a necessary hormone for digesting vitamin B12

Signs of megaloblastic (pernicious) anemia

The most common symptoms of pernicious anemia are:

• Muscular weakness
• Frequent tingling or numbness in your hands and feet, described as “pins and needles”
• Difficulty walking balanced
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Depression
• Swollen, red tongue
• Irritability
• Chronic fatigue, constant tiredness
• Hypertension

What tests diagnose pernicious anemia?

The only way to find out if your vitamin B12 deficiency has turned into pernicious anemia is to request the following diagnostic tests:

• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Vitamin B12 blood levels
• Methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels
• Holotranscobalamin II levels
• LDH levels
• Reticulocyte count
• Bone marrow examination

What is the treatment for pernicious anemia?

Patients of pernicious anemia need to get routine doses of vitamin B12 supplements, usually in the form of vitamin B12 shots.  The amount and frequency of B12 injections depend on the severity of the pernicious anemia symptoms.

For extra doses of vitamin B12 between doctor visits, B12-anemia patients have the option of supplementing with over-the-counter (OTC) vitamin B12, as well.

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms:

“I’ve heard of the X Factor and Fear Factor…But what’s Intrinsic Factor?”

WhichTests check Absorption of Vitamin B12?

Cruising for a Bruising? Choose Vitamin B12 Shots or Anemia

Sources:

Pernicious anemia: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Megaloblastic (Pernicious) Anemia

Pernicious Anemia – Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment of Pernicious Anemia – NY Times Health Information

Pernicious Anemia and Vitamin B-12 Deficiency

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blakespot, ssoosay, jimbrickett, James Tan Chin Choy

The elderly need to increase their intake of vitamin B12, in order to avoid memory loss from vitamin B12 deficiency.  Brain loss caused by Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is sometimes a part of the aging process, but by getting enough vitamin B12 in your blood, you can prevent suffering the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Chicago study links low levels of vitamin B12 with memory loss

A 2011 study that focused on 121 community-dwelling participants of the Chicago Health and Aging Project found a strong correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and memory loss.  Scientists measured methylmalonate levels to determine vitamin B12 deficiency.

• They found a direct relationship between low levels of vitamin B12, reduced brain volume, and decreased cognitive skills, such as loss of short-term memory.
• Scientists noted poorer memory skills, slower thinking processes, and impaired comprehension skills as attributes associated with elevated methylmalonate levels- an indicator of vitamin B12 deficiency.
• Also considered were plasma homocysteine levels, which scientists also connected with loss of brain mass.  High levels of homocysteine are common in vitamin B12 deficiency.
• Scientists concluded that methylmalonate, an indicator of vitamin B12 deficiency, has a direct impact on brain volume, and that vitamin B12 has multiple benefits on brain chemistry beyond just memory skills.
• In 2008, a UK study conducted by the University of Oxford produced similar results; namely, that vitamin B12 deficiency is a likely cause of brain atrophy, dementia, and short-term memory loss among the elderly.

How to keep Vitamin B12 Deficiency from Shrinking your Brain

For the elderly, eating foods with vitamin B12 isn’t enough

Eating plenty of foods rich in vitamin B12 is always a good idea; such foods include protein sources like beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, and cheese. But for the elderly, the problem isn’t really eating enough sources of vitamin B12, but rather digesting them.  Part of the aging process involves making less stomach acids that are necessary for absorbing vitamin B12 from foods.  As a result, many elderly individuals who include meat in their diet still run a high risk for getting B12 deficiency.

Unless blood tests indicate healthy levels of vitamin B12, senior citizens must supplement with vitamin B-12 (cobalamin) with a routine prescribed B12 shot in order to avoid the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Memory loss in B12 deficiency for the young and old

It isn’t just the elderly who should be concerned with memory loss- short-term memory loss is one of many symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, regardless of age.

Vitamin B12- How much do you need?

Other symptoms of dangerously low B12 levels are:

• Chronic fatigue
• Depression
• Difficulty concentrating
• Anxiety
• Paranoia
• Aggressive behavior
• Hallucinations
• Balance problems
• Poor muscular control
• Numbness or tingling in hands, arms, feet, and legs
• Sore, red swollen tongue
• Altered taste perception

Long-term exposure to vitamin B12 deficiency could result in severe neurological damage, pernicious anemia, increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and osteoporosis.

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and memory loss:

12 Ways to Avoid Alzheimer’s Disease

FDA Approves Brain Scan to Detect Alzheimer’s Disease

Adult ADHD Could Lead to Dementia

Sources:

Low Vitamin B12 Linked to Smaller Brains and Cognitive Decline

Vitamin B12 Levels Linked to Memory Skills and Brain Size

Low Vitamin B12 May Speed Brain Shrinkage

Low Vitamin B12 Linked to Smaller Brain Size

Elevated Plasma Homocysteine Is Associated with Increased Brain Atrophy Rates in Older Subjects with Mild Hypertension

Vitamin B12, cognition, and brain MRI measures- A cross-sectional examination

Vitamin B12 status and rate of brain volume loss in community-dwelling elderly

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Was a bee, Sean.lewis29, Ambro, photostock

Is there any connection between lupus and vitamin B12 deficiency? That’s a question asked often both by people with low B12 and diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Both autoimmune diseases share similar symptoms, and it’s important to know how to tell the difference.

Cruising for a Bruising? Choose Vitamin B12 Shots or Anemia

What is lupus?

Lupus, or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an autoimmune disease that can cause damage to your muscles, bones, organs, and skin tissue.  Like other autoimmune disorders, lupus causes your body’s immune system to attack healthy cells tissue, causing swelling, inflammation, and pain.  Damage to your system may include kidney damage, heart attack, lung damage, joint pain, and blood diseases such as anemia (more on this later).

100 Best Sites for Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Information

Symptoms of B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the most common deficiencies in the US. Even if you eat plenty of sources rich in vitamin B12 (meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and milk), your B12 levels may be at risk if you have had bariatric surgery, take antacid medicine for acid reflux, are among the elderly, have a gastrointestinal autoimmune disease like Crohn’s or celiac disease, or if you are a diabetic taking metformin.

6 Degrees of Vitamin B12- B12 Deficiency and Autoimmune Disease

How does lupus mimic vitamin B12 deficiency?

Many symptoms of lupus mimic those of vitamin B12 deficiency, making it difficult to determine low B12 levels without taking a vitamin B12 blood test.

• Cognitive functioning and mood disorders. Anxiety, depression, headaches, and short-term memory loss are symptoms common to both lupus patients and vitamin B12 deficiency sufferers.
• Chronic fatigue. Chronic fatigue shares a comorbid relationship with lupus and B12 deficiency.
• Nerve damage. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes neurological damage such as aching joints and arthritis-like muscular pain.  Lupus causes swollen joints, arthritis, and inflamed joints.
• Shortness of breath is a symptom of low B12 and lupus.
• Hair loss. B12 deficiency may cause premature hair loss and greying.  Hair loss is also a symptom common to lupus patients.
• Mouth ulcers are typical for vitamin B12 patients and lupus sufferers.
• Skin rashes are a side effect of chronic B12 deficiency.  Likewise, lupus patients suffer skin rashes across the cheeks and nose (malar rash).
• Anemia. One of the most highly correlated symptoms shared by vitamin B12 deficiency patients and lupus patients alike is the susceptibility to anemia.  Left untreated, pernicious anemia from vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to severe nerve damage, red blood cell depletion, and cognitive impairments. More than half of all lupus patients suffer from blood disorders like anemia.
• Heart disease. Lupus and pernicious anemia patients alike are at high risk for contracting heart disease.
• Bone loss (osteoporosis) is a risk factor for lupus patients and individuals with vitamin B12 deficiency.

Read more about B12 deficiency and autoimmune diseases:

Vitamin B12 and your Bones- Osteoporosis from B12 Deficiency

Female Rapper Missy Elliot, 15 Celebs with Thyroid Disorders

Best 15 Twitter Feeds to follow for Autoimmune Disease Info

7 Celebs with Lupus

Sources:

Lupus Hope- Get Your B12 Levels Checked!

Lupus Foundation of America- Blood Disorders

Vitamin B12 For Lupus & Crohn’s Disease- LIVESTRONG.COM

What is Lupus?

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Ton Haex, taysm, grietgriet

Numerous studies linking elevated homocysteine with mental illness prove that symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency caused by low B12 (cyanocobalamin) in the blood are often mistaken for mental health issues, such as depression, dementia, and schizophrenia.

What is homocysteine?

Homocysteine is an amino acid that your body makes when you eat meat products.  Having too much homocysteine in your blood supply causes damage to your arteries and increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.

B-Gone, Heart Disease

What is B12, and how does it regulate homocysteine?

Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that occurs exclusively in animal-based foods such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs, and milk products.  Some of the riches sources of vitamin B12 are organ meats (liver, heart), oysters, and clams.

Together with vitamin B6 and folic acid, vitamin B12 helps break down homocysteine and keep them at a safe, healthy level.  Without sufficient stores of these essential vitamins, homocysteine levels would escalate, leaving you at a high risk for developing diseases associated with elevated homocysteine levels, such as neurological impairments and cardiovascular disease.

Elevated homocysteine plasma levels are one of many symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

B Vitamins prevent Cardiovascular Disease- B6, B12 and Folate

What are symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

Typical early signs of B12 deficiency are:

• Constant fatigue
• Depression
• Disorientation
• Anxiety
• Paranoia
• Memory loss
• Frequent numbness or tingling, “pins and needles”
• Legs or arms constantly “falling asleep”
• Loss of balance
• Weakened muscular control
• Altered taste perception
• Red, swollen tongue

B12 Deficiency: Don’t Ignore the Symptoms

What illnesses are associated with elevated plasma homocysteine levels?

Scientists believe that homocysteine is behind a wide variety of conditions and illnesses, from visual problems and eating disorders, to heart disease and schizophrenia.

Currently, most scientists agree that elevated homocysteine levels share a significant correlation with the following diseases:

• Atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries)
• Increased risk of heart attacks
• Increased risk of strokes
• Blood clots
• Alzheimer’s disease

How many studies link elevated plasma homocysteine levels with mental illness?

A growing number of scientific studies prove a significant correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency, homocysteine levels, and mental health problems, such as schizophrenia, depression, chronic fatigue, dementia, and even eating disorders in women.

1- In Beersheva, Israel, a study focused on treating patients of Alzheimer’s and cerebrovascular disease with folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 supplements.  In this randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, scientists of Ben Gurion University noted dramatic cognitive benefits in patients who received the vitamin supplements.

2- In Boston, Massachusetts, a Tufts University study linking low vitamin B12 and cognitive impairment in the elderly noted a direct correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and anemia, macrocytosis, and cognitive problems such as dementia.

3- In another study by Ben Gurion University, scientists measured plasma homocysteine levels in females with eating disorders. They found a significantly high level of homocysteine in females between the ages of 16-20 who had eating disorders.

4- Elevated plasma levels of homocysteine in females with eating disorders were also the focus of this German study that linked excessive homocysteine with depression, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

5- A Swedish study on older patients with mental illness concluded that age and plasma homocysteine levels more accurately predict cognitive functioning skills than brain imaging, as measured by the Mini mental state examination (MMSE).

Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and mental illness:

Teen Mental Illness: Unnoticed, Undiagnosed in America

Worried about Low B12 Lab Results?

The Many Benefits of Vitamin B12…

Sources:

Homocysteine Blood Test Information on MedicineNet.com

Effects of dietary supplements on depressive symptoms in older patients: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial- PubMed NCBI

Homocysteine-reducing strategies improve symptoms in chronic schizophrenic patients with hyperhomocysteinemia- PubMed NCBI

Folate and vitamin B-12 status in relation to anemia, macrocytosis, and cognitive impairment in older Americans in the age of folic acid fortification- PubMed NCBI

Plasma homocysteine levels in female patients with eating disorders- PubMed NCBI

Plasma homocysteine, brain imaging and cognition in older patients with mental illness- PubMed NCBI

Depressive symptoms may explain elevated plasma levels of homocysteine in females with eating disorders- PubMed NCBI

Public health significance of elevated homocysteine- PubMed NCBI

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digitalart, Suat Eman, jscreationzs, ponsulak

For years, vitamin B12 has been the staple energy vitamin for stars such as Madonna, Justin Timberlake, and Prince.  Now, B12 vitamins are part of Glee star Lea Michele’s regimen against vitamin B12 deficiency. Find out why celebrities such as Lea Michele rely on B12 supplements for added stamina, strength, and mental focus.

The Glee star’s secret to weight loss

How does Lea Michele, who plays the bossy, competitive, (and sometimes infuriating) Rachel on Glee keep her figure?  Recently, she confessed to following a strictly macrobiotic vegan diet, composed of mostly vegetables, grains, and beans. By cutting out meat, chicken, and dairy products from her diet, Lea has managed to lose ten pounds since she first started filming on the set.

Vitamin B12 for Weight Loss- Why it Works

How does she avoid B12 deficiency?

Lea admits to also eating a few servings of fish per week, in order to avoid getting vitamin B12 deficiency.  Since Vitamin B12 occurs only in animal-based foods, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and milk, supplementing with extra vitamin B12 is crucial for avoiding low B12 blood levels.  How does she justify introducing a non-vegan source into her vegan diet?  Apparently, macrobiotic veganism makes special allowances for seafood.  Lea Michele understands that a diet low in vitamin B12 is a diet that leads to B12 deficiency symptoms.

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

People who deplete their stores of vitamin B12 encounter symptoms such as extreme fatigue, muscular weakness, depression, diminished coordination, memory loss, and frequent numbness or tingling sensations (pins and needles) in their hands, arms, legs, and feet. Untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency may escalate into severe memory loss, neurological damage, osteoporosis, and increased risk for heart attack, and stroke.

6 Degrees of Vitamin B12- B12 Deficiency and Autoimmune Disease

How does vitamin B12 benefit an active lifestyle?

Vitamin B12 influences a wide range of bodily functions- by ensuring balanced B12 levels in your blood supply, you feel more energized, stimulated, confident, and “gleeful.”

• Vitamin B12 is instrumental in DNA synthesis
• Vitamin B12 protects your nervous system
• Vitamin B12 boosts your metabolism
• Vitamin B12 controls homocysteine levels, reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke
• Vitamin B12 supports cognitive functioning
• Vitamin B12 protects you from vitamin deficiency symptoms of fatigue, depression, anxiety, and “brain fog”
• Vitamin B12 helps you stay on track with your fitness regimen and enables you to make better food choices

Read more about the many health benefits of vitamin B12:

Justin Bieber among 10 Celeb “Beliebers” in Vitamin B12 Shots

The Many Benefits of Vitamin B12…

Sources:

Lea Michele Bikini Body Secrets Includes Diet, B12 Shots

Vitamin B12 | ‘Glee’ The star Lea Michele surprisingly fit

Lea Michele Injects B12 and Eats Fish, According to ASOS Magazine

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gospelportals, karlnorling,

Difficulty absorbing vitamin B12 is sometimes caused by pernicious anemia. Chronic fatigue is one of many symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency- pernicious anemia. In order to test absorption of vitamin B12, some blood tests are required.

What is vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12 is a mineral that we absorb from animal products like meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and milk.  Vitamin B12 is essential for your nervous system, red blood cell production, DNA synthesis, and cognitive functioning.  Without it, you might experience symptoms like fatigue, memory loss, depression, tingling in the hands and feet, altered sense of taste, difficulty walking steadily, and decreased motor control. (Absorbing Vitamin B12, a Metabolic Gastrointestinal Journey)

Who is at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency?

Most people will never experience vitamin B12 deficiency.  That is because generous amounts of B12 are stored in your liver.  However, an increasing number of people are falling victim to low B12 levels– individuals who are unable to absorb vitamin B12 naturally from foods.

People who cannot absorb vitamin B12 are:

• Individuals who cannot produce intrinsic factor, a protein required for vitamin B12 absorption.
• Individuals who have had the part of the small intestine responsible for making intrinsic factor removed, as is common procedure in bariatric surgeries (gastric bypass) and gastrointestinal surgeries for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease.
• Anybody who is unable to produce enough stomach acids in order to absorb vitamin B12- these include the elderly, sufferers of gastric autoimmune diseases, diabetes patients who take metformin, and people who take strong antacid medications for acid reflux, such as heartburn (GERD) sufferers or pregnant mothers.

What if I am not tested for vitamin B12 absorption?

Left untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency could result in red blood cell depletion. Other dangerous side effects that stem from being unable to absorb vitamin B12 are elevated risk for heart attack and stroke, neurological damage, and dementia.

If you suspect you might have vitamin B12 deficiency…

• if you notice symptoms like being tired all the time, talking in slow, unpronounced speech, more difficulty remembering things than normal,
• if you’ve been diagnosed with comorbid conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, or hypothyroidism, or
• if you’ve had weight loss surgery or another types of gastrointestinal procedure…

…then it’s crucial that you request a B12 blood test for vitamin B12 levels, in addition to a Schilling test that measures your ability to absorb B12.

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

The vitamin B12 absorption Schilling test

The Schilling test is more than just a test for B12 levels.  While the standard test for vitamin deficiency checks vitamin B12 levels, the Schilling test determines the reason for your problem with absorption of vitamin B12.

There are four stages of the Schilling test for B12:

• In stage one, you take two doses of vitamin B12; one is an oral radioactive dose of cobalamin, and the other is a vitamin B12 injection. A urine test determines your absorption of B12
• In stage two, you take another radioactive dose of vitamin B12- this time, with intrinsic factor.
• Before going on to stage three, you are required to take antibiotics for two weeks.  Next, a lab technician determines if bacterial growth is the cause of your lack of B12 absorption.
• Finally, stage four determines if your vitamin B12 deficiency results from a pancreatic disorder.  You will take pancreatic enzymes for a few days, followed by another radioactive dose of vitamin B12.

Read more about vitamin B12 absorption:

Cruising for a Bruising? Choose Vitamin B12 Shots or Anemia

Balance your B12, Balance your Nerves

6 Degrees of Vitamin B12- B12 Deficiency and Autoimmune Disease

Sources:

Schilling test: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Schilling Test- What is a Schilling Test? (PDF)

The Schilling Test & B12- LIVESTRONG.COM

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zhouxuan12345678, Genista,  Hey Paul, Horia Varlan