What are the side effects of lack of B12?
Signs and symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency can often look like other diseases:
- Lack of energy
- Mental changes: irritability, depression, forgetfulness, psychosis, dementia
- Fatigue after exercising
- Shortness of breath
- Tongue/mouth sores
- Tinnitus
- Palpitations
- Anemia
- Numbness and tingling in parts of the body
- Issues with the eyes
Who needs vitamin B12 shots and why?
These people may need vitamin B12 shots to reduce their risk of deficiency, which can lead to pernicious anemia. Other people who may needs shots include those who have had gastrointestinal surgery if their digestive system cannot absorb vitamin B12 efficiently. How much vitamin B12 do I need?
What are the warning signs of a B12 deficiency?
Top Warning Signs of B12 Deficiency
- Tiredness. If you often feel exhausted, regardless of how much sleep you’ve gotten or how much energy you’ve exerted, it could be a sign that your body is lacking ...
- Mood swings. Do you find yourself experiencing a variety of emotions throughout any given day? ...
- It may result in depression. ...
- Digestive issues. ...
- Inflammation of the mouth and tongue. ...
- Insomnia. ...
Can you take too much vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is water-soluble, released in your urine if you’ve consumed too much. Because of this, it is generally well-tolerated and rarely reaches toxic levels due to diet. It is very hard to overdose on vitamin B12, but you can put a moderate strain on your kidney if excess consumption occurs too often.
How Does B12 Help With Fatigue?
Fatigue is one of the most common signs of B12 deficiency. A primary role of B12 is to create energy in cells. When you don’t have enough of the vitamin, your motivation levels drop.
Why do people need B12 injections?
For many people, a B12 injection is what they need to increase energy, fuel the immune system, and infuse general wellbeing into their life. B12 is known to improve metabolism and help restore motivation. Many people report coming in for their appointment feeling lethargic and achy and leaving feeling energetic and ready to tackle the day.
What Is Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a vital, water-soluble nutrient that’s responsible for a variety of biological functions in the body. Your body needs this vitamin to form red blood cells, synthesize DNA, and for brain function. This supercharged vitamin also helps you get energy from the food you eat.
What Are the Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency?
Some patients, especially those with a mild deficiency, remain asymptomatic unless the deficiency turns into anemia. Busy lifestyles can sometimes mask the symptoms of not having enough B12. If you often feel sleepy, it’s better to investigate vitamin B12 levels in the body instead of explaining it away.
What Is a Vitamin B12 Injection?
A vitamin B12 injection is the most effective way to supplement your body with this nutrient. We inject this vitamin intramuscularly (IM) to bypass the digestive tract and deliver the energy-boosting nutrients to cells directly.
How Often Should I Get a Vitamin B12 Injection for Energy?
Each person has a unique body chemistry that responds to vitamin B12 injections differently. After your first injection, you will often feel the difference in your energy levels. Use how you feel to gauge how frequently to schedule an appointment.
What is the best way to supplement your body?
A vitamin B12 injection is the most effective way to supplement your body with this nutrient. We inject this vitamin intramuscularly (IM) to bypass the digestive tract and deliver the energy-boosting nutrients to cells directly. Supplements come in a variety of forms.
What are the benefits of taking B12 shots?
The most obvious benefit of receiving vitamin B-12 shots is treating a vitamin B-12 deficiency and avoiding its associated symptoms. In addition, B-12 shots reduce the risk of some serious complications associated with vitamin B-12 deficiency including: heart disease. neurocognitive disorders.
Why do people get shots for B12?
This is because shots enable the body to absorb vitamin B12 without it having to go through the digestive system.
What is the recommended amount of B12 for pregnant women?
People who are unable to absorb vitamin B-12 properly may have pernicious anemia, which is a type of anemia characterized by a lack of intrinsic factor. , is 2.4 micrograms (mcg) for men and women over 14. Pregnant and breastfeeding women require slightly more, at 2.6 mcg and 2.8 mcg, respectively.
What are the symptoms of B12 deficiency?
Some common signs and symptoms include: decreased cognitive function, such as issues with memory or understanding. fatigue.
What happens if you don't take B12?
A deficiency in vitamin B12 can lead to various health problems, ranging from fatigue to permanent neurological changes.
How is B12 absorbed into the body?
Vitamin B-12 is separated from the protein during digestion and is absorbed into the bloodstream. Adequate stomach acid is required to release the vitamin from the protein, and a substance called intrinsic factor is necessary to ensure its absorption.
Can you get B12 injections at 60?
Research from 2015 suggests that vitamin B12 deficiency is more likely to affect those aged over 60 years and that some people may benefit from vitamin B12 injections.
Why is it important to take B12?
Ensuring that you have enough vitamin B12 is important for brain function and mental, bone and eye health. Injections are probably useless if you don’t have a deficiency.
What is the role of B12 in the body?
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, also known as cobalamin. It plays a vital role in brain function and the production of DNA and red blood cells. Chemically, vitamin B12 can exist in a number of different forms, but all of them contain the mineral cobalt. ).
What is the best vitamin for macular degeneration?
In people aged 50 and over, adequate consumption of vitamin B12 is thought to be important for maintaining good vision and protecting against macular degeneration.
What diseases are at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency?
Those with diseases that affect the gut, such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease, are also at risk ( 12. ). Those at greatest risk of vitamin B12 deficiency are vegans and vegetarians, who get little to no B12 from the diet. Deficiency can also be caused by poor absorption.
Why are vitamin supplements so popular?
Vitamin supplements are very popular. People often believe they’ll act as a safety net and help to ensure adequate nutrient intake. Supplementing with vitamin B12 is particularly common, because deficiency is widespread. In fact, many people regularly get injections with vitamin B12. These are claimed to help with energy levels, ...
How much B12 should I take daily?
The recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin B12 is 6 micrograms per day. Deficiency is common, especially in people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. In fact, it’s thought that up to 90% of people following these diets have a deficiency ( 2. Trusted Source.
What is the best source of vitamin B12?
Fortified foods vary from country to country, but often include milk alternatives or breakfast cereals. Some especially good sources of vitamin B12 include: Liver: 1/3 cup (75 g) provides 881% of the RDI. Beef kidney: 1/3 cup (75 g) provides 311% of the RDI. Trout: 1/3 cup (75 g) provides 61% of the RDI.
Who is the B12 specialist?
B12 for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Adrienne Dellwo is an experienced journalist who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and has written extensively on the topic. David Ozeri, MD, is a board-certified rheumatologist. He is based in Tel Aviv, Israel, where he does research at Sheba Medical Center.
What are the benefits of B vitamins?
Side Effects. Supplementation. B vitamins are essential for energy production, protein metabolism, red blood cell formation, and central nervous system maintenance. 1 B vitamins are water soluble, meaning that your body uses what it can and eliminates the rest through urine.
Is B12 a scientifically supported supplement?
Many healthcare providers disagree with this and consider B12 injections archaic and unsupported by scientific evidence. 3 Some healthcare providers and researchers, however, say anecdotal evidence supports B12 supplements for achieving and maintaining higher B12 levels in people with these conditions.
Is B12 a supplement?
B12 is a common supplement for increasing energy. It's available in several forms, including injections, tablets, and sublingual (under the tongue) forms. A few (but limited) studies suggest that low B12 levels may be involved in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Can B vitamins cause side effects?
Side Effects. It's important to note that side effects are possible and potentially dangerous even with natural substances like B vitamins. 5 . You should get medical attention right away if you experience any of the following: Severe allergic reactions.
Is B12 good for vegans?
Some vegetarian and vegan products are fortified with B12 since a plant-based diet generally will not contain enough. If you're on a special diet, you may want to talk to your doctor and/or a nutritionist about how to best get enough important vitamins and minerals.
Why do people take vitamin B-12?
Vitamin B-12 has been looked at as a treatment for many diseases and conditions. These include fatigue, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, breast cancer, high cholesterol, and sickle cell disease. However, the results have been inconclusive. Studies suggest that vitamin B-12 does not help with stroke risk or lung cancer.
How much vitamin B-12 should you take?
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) includes the vitamin B-12 you get from both food and any supplements you take.
Problems Absorbing B-12
Even if you’re taking B-12 on a regular basis, your body might not be able to absorb it, resulting in a deficiency that could be causing your fatigue. Vitamin B-12 in supplements generally absorbs efficiently after binding with a specialized protein called intrinsic factor.
One Possibility: Supplement Allergies
Dietary supplements tend to have added ingredients to help keep the pills shelf stable and aid in binding everything together. This is why some formularies contain known allergens, such as wheat. Thus if you’re otherwise healthy but still continue to feel tired after taking a B-12 supplement, it could be a sign of a mild allergic reaction.
Other Possibilities
Feeling tired all the time might have no relationship to the type of supplement you’re taking. Poor diet, iron deficiency, a poorly functioning thyroid, autoimmune disorders and infections throughout the body can also cause chronic fatigue.