Welcome to part 2 of my blog series on B12. Supplementing with B12 was a huge factor in my healing from debilitating anxiety, panic attacks and DPDR. Click here to read my first post on B12 if you haven’t done so yet and click here if you’re interested in reading my personal story.
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B12 deficiency is sometimes commonly known as an old person’s disease. It has been thought in the past that as a person ages, the digestive system is affected with lowered ability to absorb many important vitamins and nutrients. This is certainly true but digestion and absorption of b12 can be affected at ANY AGE. This way of thinking has caused many to suffer with debilitating symptoms, some who have even suffered irreversible physical and neurological complications from a completely reversible illness (if caught and diagnosed in time).
B12 can be tricky because in order for it to be absorbed into the body from the food we take in, it has to go through several different processes in the digestive track. If just one of these processes the body uses to break down and absorb b12 isn’t working, well that means the whole system is off and the body isn’t absorbing the b12 from our food. Since there can be varying degrees of issues with each of the processes it can be easy to see why there can be many issues with b12 absorption.
B12 deficiency can be caused by many different factors and can happen to anyone, of any age. Let’s look at some of the many different possible causes of b12 deficiency:
Pernicious anemia: Also called Addisons anemia. This is a disease that happens in the red blood cells when the body can’t absorb adequate b12. There can be several different causes these include a weakened stomach lining and autoimmune conditions.
Taking medications like PPI’s: proton pump inhibitors decrease stomach acid which can interfere with b12 absorption.
H Pylori: H pylori is a bacterial infection that invades the lining of the stomach and can cause a disruption in the b12 pathway.
Veganism: People who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet need to supplement with B12 because dietary sources of B12 are found in meat and dairy.
The MTHFR gene mutation and COMT: can cause an issue with b12 absorption. With these genetic disorders its important to be mindful of b12, Cyanocobalamin can become toxic in individuals with these mutations and even methyl forms can be detrimental as well.
Alcohol: Alcohol use can cause disruptions in the gut lining and gut microbiome causing issues with the absorption of b12.
Nicotine: smoking cigarettes, vaping and smokeless tobacco can also cause low levels of b12.
There are many different factors that can cause deficiencies in b12 as you can clearly see. It’s easy to understand why dismissing a person’s b12 deficiency symptoms as something else can be incredibly dangerous considering the wide range of age, diet and digestive related issues, almost anyone can be prone to b12 deficiency.
As always, I recommend that you do your own research and speak with your healthcare provider if you suspect B12 deficiency for you or your loved one. The following book is a great place to start: Could it be B12?
Disclaimer: The information contained in this post is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition. If you have any medical or psychiatric concerns, please seek the advice of a licensed healthcare provider.
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