B12 deficiency is far more common than we think. B12 deficiency can be present without the anaemia. When I ask delegates what foods contain B12 they all say, ‘green vegetables like spinach and cabbage and of course fruit”. The answer is no they do not contain B12! B12 is found in animal and dairy produce, eggs, fish, red meat, poultry but not green veg or fruit.
B12 is Vitamin B-12, or Cobalamin, is the largest and most complex vitamin currently known to man. We need 13 vitamins to stay healthy and alive. B12 is essential for red blood cells and is crucial in maintaining a healthy nervous system. It is a critical constituent of DNA.
B12 deficiency causes suffering and serious injury—even death. Doctors frequently misdiagnose B12 deficiency as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, mental retardation, Parkinson’s disease, depression, or other mental illnesses. Health care professionals mistakenly attribute signs and symptoms of B12 deficiency to ageing. B12 deficiency causes symptoms such as paresthesia’s, dementia, mental illness, tremor and frequent falls. It is commonly misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease, depression, diabetic neuropathy, vertigo, and mini strokes. B12 deficiency can also mimic multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and post-partum depression/psychosis. It can make men or women infertile and cause developmental disabilities or autistic-like symptoms in children. Other groups at risk for B12 deficiency include vegans, vegetarians, alcoholics, and people with celiac disease), Crohn’s disease, gastric bypass, autoimmune diseases, and AIDS. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anaemia, fatigue, mania, and depression, while a long-term deficiency can cause permanent damage to the brain and central nervous system.
The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) 2009 Report states that 1 out of 31 people over the age of 50 is B12 deficient. In a practice in the Northeast of England a local GP finds that 18% of his patients have symptoms of B12 deficiency in contrast to the official figures 0.01%
Alcohol, medications ranging from gastro-esophageal reflux (GORD) drugs (Ranitidine, Cimetidine, Pepcid, and antacids), Metformin, Colchicine Omeprazole, Lansoprazole, Neomycin, Phenytoin, Potassium chloride, Cholestyramine, Statins, Oral Contraceptives all inhibit B12 absorption.
A person who has B12 deficiency stemming from Crohn’s disease, gastric bypass, celiac disease, or dietary causes does not have pernicious anaemia. However, doctors as well as patients need to understand that no matter what the cause of B12 deficiency it can be as deadly or pernicious if not diagnosed and treated.
Written By Annie Barr MBE,
Clinical Director AB Health Group
MA, BSc Hon’s RGN, PGCert, INP, ANP, EP EPA
Contact: annie@anniebarr.com
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