Are you deficient of Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin needed for blood formation, nerve and brain function. Your body doesn’t make vitamin B12, you have to get it from animal-based foods or from supplements.
This should be done on a regular basis as your body doesn’t store vitamin B12 for a long time.
The older you get the harder it becomes to absorb this vitamin.

YOU MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY IF YOU HAVE:

1. Atrophic gastritis (where your stomach lining has thinned)
2. If your have pernicious anemia, which makes it hard for your body to absorb vitamin B12
3. If you have conditions that may affect your small intestine (Crohn’s disease, celiac disease)
4. If you have Immune system disorders
5. If you follow a vegan diet (ie: no animal products, including meat, milk, cheese, and eggs)
6. If you are a vegetarian that doesn’t eat enough eggs or dairy products to meet your vitamin B12 needs.
7. If you have been taking certain medications that interfere with the absorption of B12.

SYMPTOMS OF A VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY INCLUDE:

– Weakness, tiredness, or lightheadedness
– Constant fatigue
– Heart palpitations and shortness of breath
– Very pale skin
– A smooth tongue
– Constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or gas
– Nerve problems like numbness or tingling, muscle weakness
– Dizziness or issues associated with vision
– Mental problems like depression, memory loss, behavioural changes or simply quite forgetful
– Elevated homocysteine level
– Anaemic
– Frequent unexplained pins and needles and ‘shock wave’ feelings

DIETARY SOURCES OF THIS NUTRIENT CAN BE FOUND IN:

• Organ meats, especially red meat
• Fish, seafood
• Poultry
• Eggs and dairy products (All animal protein will have some B12)

TIPS TO PREVENT DEPLETION:

• Limit alcohol intake
• Add black pepper – The piperine in black pepper aids absorption of all nutrients
• Cranberries have been shown to help increase B12 uptake but this is when eaten with food containing B12.
• Take a supplement (especially if you don’t eat animal protein) such as Methylcobalamin which is the active, coenzyme form of Vitamin B12.

Related articles

Blog_Creatine

Creatine’s resurgence as a womens health superpower

Creatine has come a long way. Once known mainly as a muscle-building supplement for bodybuilders and athletes, it’s now being recognised for so much more—especially when it comes to women’s health. From supporting brain function and bone strength to enhancing energy levels and resilience during perimenopause and menopause, creatine has...
bones_website

Collagen and your bones

Quoting directly from a scientific journal article, “hydrolysed collagen has a positive therapeutic effect on osteoporosis and osteoarthritis with a potential increase in bone mineral density, a protective effect on articular cartilage, and especially in the symptomatic relief of pain.” Collagen peptides are a form of collagen that has been...
Blog_Anxiety

How to handle anxiety

Imagine you are a cavewoman (or caveman) and you are scanning the land, hunting your next meal. Suddenly you hear a rustle and it’s a lion! Now you’re running away, heart racing, sweaty palms, and your breathing speeds up-because your body feels you are in trouble and it’s using all...
Blog_ADHD

What exactly is ADHD?

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects both children and adults. It is characterised by a persistent pattern of inattention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity that interferes with daily life. ADHD is not a behavioural problem or a parenting issue, it’s a brain-based condition with biological differences in brain function,...
Cortisol and Menopause-3

What is Fluoride?

Fluoride is a natural mineral that is found in our teeth and bones as well as in some food (such as seafood, black tea, grape juice/wine and some grains) water and trace amounts in soil, air and plants. For example, the foods containing trace amounts of fluoride range from 0,01...
Blog_Detox

The truth about detoxing

God made our bodies with an already highly sophisticated built-in detox system, working 24/7 against toxins, toxicants and pathogens. We often hear the term “detox” being thrown around irresponsibly, usually by marketing schemes. Schemes such as green juices, coffee enemas, restrictive diets, herbal teas or shakes. We aren’t saying that...