Having a digestive system disorder: Digestive disorders such as celiac disease and Crohn's disease can make it more difficult for your body to absorb vitamin B12. Following a strict vegan or vegetarian diet: Vitamin B12 is only naturally found in animal products such as meat and dairy.
Gastric acid inhibitors include omeprazole (Prilosec®), lansoprazole (Prevacid®), cimetidine (Tagamet®), and ranitidine (Zantac®). Metformin is used to treat prediabetes and diabetes. Metformin might reduce vitamin B12 absorption and lower blood levels of vitamin B12.
Your intestines absorb vitamin B12 from food. A protein your stomach makes called “intrinsic factor” helps your body absorb it.
Your body can't absorb all the vitamin B-12 from dietary supplements. Absorption is limited by how much intrinsic factor your stomach makes. Intrinsic factor is needed for your body to absorb B-12. For example, only about 10 mcg of a 500 mcg oral supplement is actually absorbed in healthy people.
2) High Activity, High Stress
The greater stress load on your body, the greater the demand for vitamin B12 which can put drain your levels, especially when combined with a diet that doesn't contain enough of the essential vitamin.
Other causes include pancreatic insufficiency, obstructive Jaundice, tropical sprue and celiac disease, bacterial overgrowth, parasitic infestations, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, chronic radiation enteritis of the distal ileum and short bowel.
There are certain foods that also need a cut-down in case of vitamin B12 deficiency. “Some foods and drinks can interfere with vitamin B complex intake like alcohol, caffeine and processed foods, etc should be avoided completely,” Shah added.
Vitamin D and B12 are essential vitamins the body needs to perform everyday activities. Vitamin D deficiency may prevent the body from absorbing and reabsorbing B12, leading to vitamin B12 deficiency.
Coffee also seems to impact on the metabolism of some B vitamins like thiamine. Vitamin B12, though, looks like being a possible exception – indeed, caffeine's stimulation of stomach acid production may actually assist, instead of compromise, your body's B12 absorption.
Can I take magnesium and vitamin B together? Yes, as B vitamins and magnesium don't compete for absorption inside your body. Indeed, many supplements combine them as a way of simplifying how you monitor your intake.
Vitamin C may increase the absorption of iron in your gastrointestinal tract. It may also increase the absorption of lutein vitamin supplements. Large doses of vitamin C may interfere with the absorption and metabolism of vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 is attached to protein molecules in food and can only be absorbed by the body after being split from the protein by hydrochloric acid in the stomach. In order to absorb B12 in the terminal ileum, the stomach's parietal cells produce a glycoprotein referred to as Intrinsic Factor (IF).
Try to avoid taking your vitamins with coffee or tea
Caffeine also increases urination, which can decrease the concentration of water-soluble vitamins (B-complex and C). So, wait an hour after your morning brew to take supplements.
Methylcobalamin is the most bio-available type of Vitamin B12 which means the body absorbs it more easily. Naturally occurring, it is found in animal-based foods such as meat, fish, milk and eggs so Methylcobalamin B12 is readily available in many people's daily diets.
Taking vitamin B-12 with vitamin C might reduce the available amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. To avoid this interaction, take vitamin C two or more hours after taking a vitamin B-12 supplement.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms that affect your brain and nervous system (neurological symptoms), including: numbness. muscle weakness. psychological problems, which can range from mild depression or anxiety, to confusion and dementia.
Bananas are a cheap, healthy, and nutrient-dense fruit that can easily become a part of every individual's diet. It is one of the best fruits rich in vitamin B12. Bananas also contain fibre and potassium. It helps manage blood pressure, reduce stress, and relieve constipation and ulcer problems.
Food. Large amounts of B12 come from animal products, like red meat and fish. It's also found in poultry, eggs, dairy, and some plant-based or fortified foods. Don't worry if you don't know how to change your diet.
Key points about vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
Without enough red blood cells, your tissues and organs don't get enough oxygen. Without enough oxygen, your body can't work as well. Symptoms include weak muscles, numbness, trouble walking, nausea, weight loss, irritability, fatigue, and increased heart rate.
Vitamin B12
According to health experts at Click Pharmacy, as a general rule of thumb, take your B vitamins in the morning or with a meal. Vitamin B12, for example, should definitely be taken in the morning. This is because it is important for energy metabolism, which may interrupt your sleep if taken at night.
When is the Best Time? Since B-complex vitamins are best taken on an empty stomach, it should be taken early in the morning. Taking vitamin B12 later in the day may affect your sleep. Additionally, people who take B-complex vitamins want to boost their energy.
It may take a few weeks before your vitamin B12 levels and symptoms (such as extreme tiredness or lack of energy) start to improve. If you have hydroxocobalamin injections to boost your vitamin B12 levels at the start of treatment, the cyanocobalamin tablets may start to work within a few days.
Normally, vitamin B12 is readily absorbed in the last part of the small intestine (ileum), which leads to the large intestine. However, to be absorbed, the vitamin must combine with intrinsic factor, a protein produced in the stomach.