1. What You Might Not Know About B12
Vitamin B12 is an important vitamin that is essential for the formation of blood, energy, growth and cell function. Unlike other water-soluble vitamins, it is stored in the liver, kidney and tissues, so a deficiency might hide for 5 to 6 years. There are two major things that can cause a vitamin B12 deficiency: lack of B12 in the diet or aging.
2. Vegetarians Beware
Although there are many health benefits to a vegetarian diet, it is almost always deficient in vitamin B12. If a person on a vegetarian diet does not drink fortified soy milk or another product that contains B12, he should take a daily supplement.
3. An Injection Might Help
Vitamin B12 works with a substance produced in the stomach known as intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor binds to the vitamin B12 we get in our diet and makes it easy to absorb. As we age, the parietal cells in our stomachs often become less efficient and produce less intrinsic factor. When there are low levels of intrinsic factor, the body can't absorb vitamin B12. It is not uncommon for elderly people to have this problem, which affects the ability of oxygen to get into the cells. The result is dementia, depression, muscle weakness and extreme tiredness. These people often feel remarkably better after receiving Vitamin B12 injections from their physician.
4. B12 That's Going Nowhere
Another reason that older people often become deficient in vitamin B12 is because their parietal cells start to make less hydrochloric acid (HCl). HCl helps release this vitamin from the dietary proteins we eat. Since the parietal cells produce both intrinsic factor and HCl, the problem is a little bit of both; there's not enough vitamin B12 released from food and when it does release, it can't be absorbed. A small percentage of people has a defective gene for intrinsic factor or a damaged stomach and can't produce it. These people benefit from vitamin B12 injections or use of a nasal spray that contains the vitamin.
5. Stick Out Your Tongue
The classic sign of a vitamin B12 deficiency is pernicious anemia. It can also affect nerve function, making you feel numbness, pins-and-needles sensations or a burning feeling in the extremities. It can also cause a dementia that resembles Alzheimer's disease, especially in the elderly. A smooth beefy red tongue and diarrhea are two signs of vitamin B12 deficiency.
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