Your body uses vitamin B12 to manufacture red blood cells and maintain healthy nerve tissue. A B12 deficiency may take up to five years to manifest. Symptoms of this type of deficiency include fatigue, weakness, pale skin, heart palpitations and shortness of breath. Left untreated, a B12 deficiency may lead to pernicious anemia, loss of vision, depression and memory problems. Those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet may be more likely to develop a B12 deficiency, as the only non-animal source of food-based B12 is brewer's yeast. Talk to your doctor if you suspect you have a deficiency and are thinking about supplementation.
Step 1
Eat foods high in B12. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best dietary sources of vitamin B12 are meat -- especially lamb's liver, fish, eggs and dairy. Vegetarians and vegans can add brewer's yeast to their diet. Although your body only needs 2 mcg of B12 daily, the vitamin is not well-absorbed, so larger amounts must be consumed.
Step 2
Have your intrinsic factor levels tested. If you eat a lot of foods that contain B12, but you still have a B12 deficiency, your body may not be absorbing the vitamin. The absorption of B12 depends on the presence of a protein in your stomach called intrinsic factor, or IF. The most common cause of pernicious anemia is a lack of IF. People with autoimmune diseases, such as hypothyroidism, and malabsorption diseases -- such as Crohn's or celiac disease -- or people who have had part of their stomachs removed through weight-loss surgery are more likely to have a lack of IF. A blood test can determine your IF levels.
Step 3
Treat your B12 deficiency with hydroxocobalamin injections -- a form of B12 that is injected directly into your muscles. You will receive the shot two or three times a week for three weeks to build-up a store of B12 in your body. After that, you'll require a B12 booster shot every three months for the rest of your life.
Step 4
Use a sublingual B12 supplement. Dissolve 1,000 mcg of methylcobalamin under your tongue every day to maintain adequate B12 levels in your body. You may need to start with 2,000 mcg daily if you are severely deficient.
Tips and Warnings
- Your doctor will order a blood test to check for a B12 deficiency. To rule out other causes of anemia, your doctor may perform a bone marrow biopsy.
- The symptoms of a B12 deficiency start gradually, may be subtle and are easy to miss.
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