Are you feeling unreasonably tired? Your vitamin B12 levels could be to blame. Low levels of this crucial nutrient can cause a slew of unwelcome symptoms that range from a nuisance to debilitating. However, supplementing with B12 tablets or drops won’t provide optimal results. Don’t let fatigue control your life. Instead, visit Optimal Health and Wellness in Pasadena, CA for a vitamin B12 injection.
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 Is a B12 Deficiency?
Although everyone needs B12 to live healthily, the body doesn’t produce it on its own. You get this vitamin from foods or through a supplement. Animal proteins like meat, fish, dairy, and eggs contain the highest amounts of vitamin B12. Individuals who eat a plant-based diet are susceptible to a B12 deficiency, but other risk factors exist. B12 deficiency is common in the U.S.
B12 Deficiency Risk Factors
Medical Conditions and Medications Increase Risk
Living a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle isn’t the only risk factor for a B12 deficiency. Certain health conditions can also prevent your body from absorbing adequate amounts of the vitamin. Autoimmune diseases, Crohn’s, and HIV are among the medical problems that impair B12 absorption.
Medications like antibiotics, anti-seizure medications, and antacids can reduce how well your body absorbs B12. Harmful intestinal bacteria can also inhibit B12 from doing its job in your body.
Drinking Moderate Amounts of Alcohol or More Reduces B12 Levels
Even if you only drink a few beverages per week, you could be at risk for a B12 deficiency. Alcohol can prevent your body from storing the B12 you eat, and it could deplete your B12 storage levels. Heavy drinkers are at an even greater risk for a deficiency.
Stress Depletes B12 in the Body
We all know that stress isn’t good for the body, but it can also rob you of essential B12. If you have recently experienced a period of extreme stress or you have chronic stress, you could be at risk for a B12 deficiency. Stress depletes stored levels in the body.
Age Factors Into B12 Absorption
If you’ve noticed that the pills or drops you take don’t seem to do the trick anymore, it could be the product of aging. The older you get, the more challenging it is for the body to absorb vitamin B12 from oral supplements. A B12 deficiency or borderline deficiency is more common in adults over 50 than in the general population.
What Are the Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency?
You may not experience any symptoms of a 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.
