LetsGetChecked Vitamin B12 Test For quick yet accurate vitamin B12 testing, consider this kit from LetsGetChecked. Like other at-home vitamin deficiency tests, the LetsGetChecked Vitamin B12 Test requires a finger-prick blood sample.
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
a pale yellow tinge to your skin. a sore and red tongue (glossitis) mouth ulcers. pins and needles (paraesthesia)
How to raise your B12 levels fast. The most common way to treat B12 deficiencies is by adjusting your diet. If this is unsuccessful, vitamin supplements may be recommended. If you're looking to boost the amount of vitamin B12 in your diet, you should eat more animal products, like meat, seafood, dairy and eggs.
A lack of vitamin B12 can cause neurological problems, which affect your nervous system, such as: vision problems. memory loss. pins and needles (paraesthesia)
While the recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms, higher doses have been found to be safe. Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine. High doses of vitamin B-12, such as those used to treat a deficiency, might cause: Headache.
Diet-related
If your vitamin B12 deficiency is caused by a lack of the vitamin in your diet, you may be prescribed vitamin B12 tablets to take every day between meals. Or you may need to have an injection of hydroxocobalamin twice a year.
Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.
How Long Does It Take to Recover From Vitamin B12 Deficiency? Recovery from vitamin B12 deficiency takes time. You may not have any improvement during the first few months of treatment. Improvement may be gradual and may continue for up to six to 12 months.
Bananas also contain fibre and potassium. It helps manage blood pressure, reduce stress, and relieve constipation and ulcer problems. The fruit also helps regulate body temperature. Another fruit that is rich in vitamin B12 is blueberries.
As summarized in the table provided, vitamin B12 (cobalamin) absorption and utilization by the body can be compromised with the chronic use of certain medications which include: colchicine, chloramphenicol, ethanol, histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RA), metformin, and proton pump inhibitors (PPI).
If you are low in vitamin B12, a common recommended dose for oral supplements is about 1,000 mcg daily. But you should make sure to ask your healthcare provider about how much vitamin B12 you should look for in a supplement.
Most women get the recommended daily amount — 2.4 micrograms (mcg) for most adults, 2.6 mcg for pregnant women, and 2.8 mcg for women who are breastfeeding — in their diets.
The Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board recommends that healthy adult men and women over 19 years old consume 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B-12 each day. Pregnant women need 2.6 micrograms daily and women who are breastfeeding need 2.8 micrograms daily.
[1] People who regularly take medications that suppress stomach acid for conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or peptic ulcer disease—such as proton-pump inhibitors, H2 blockers, or other antacids—may have difficulty absorbing vitamin B12 from food.
Vitamin C and B12
According to Dr. Airey, some studies have shown that Vitamin C could break down Vitamin B12 in your digestive tract, reducing your B12 absorption. As a result, he says you want to wait at least two hours before taking Vitamin C with your Vitamin B12.
The Mental Health/B12 Link
Having a B12 deficiency puts you at risk for developing depression and anxiety, fatigue, and can worsen hypothyroid and other health concerns.
Fruits like apples, bananas, blueberries and oranges are some fruits that are high in vitamin B12.
Walnuts. Probably the best of the nut snacks is the humble walnut. This little guy contains a plant-based form of B12 called alpha-linolenic acid.
One hard-boiled egg has about 0.6 micrograms of B12. That's 25% of your daily value. But you'll need to eat the whole egg. Most of the B12 comes from the yolk.
Not getting enough vitamin B12 to the point of a deficiency can cause a variety of serious symptoms including depression, joint pain, and fatigue.
Mild vitamin B12 deficiency in otherwise healthy individuals can result from dietary patterns that result in insufficient dietary intake of animal source foods including strict vegetarian and vegan diets, or can be caused by changes in stomach function resulting from aging and/or pharmaceutical use [12].