Why do b12 levels drop

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause various symptoms, and you may wonder whether weight gain is among them. This article reviews whether a vitamin B12…. For many people, one of the best parts about traveling is getting to explore the local cuisines. This article looks at 10 of the healthiest cuisines…. This is a detailed article about sugar alcohols and their health effects.

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Your body sometimes requires more folate than normal. This can cause folate deficiency if you cannot meet your body's demands for the vitamin. Premature babies born before the 37th week of pregnancy are also more likely to develop a folate deficiency because their developing bodies require higher amounts of folate than normal.

If you're pregnant or there's a chance you could get pregnant, it's recommended that you take a microgram folic acid tablet every day before pregnancy and until you're 12 weeks pregnant.

This will ensure that both you and your baby have enough folate and help your baby grow and develop. Folic acid tablets are available with a prescription from a GP, or you can buy them from pharmacies, large supermarkets and health food stores.

If you're pregnant and have another condition that may increase your body's need for folate, your GP will monitor you closely to prevent you becoming anaemic.

In some cases, you may need a higher dose of folic acid. For example, if you have diabetes, you should take a 5 milligrams 5mg supplement of folic acid instead of the standard micrograms.

Find out more about vitamins and nutrition in pregnancy. Page last reviewed: 23 May Next review due: 23 May Causes of vitamin B12 deficiency Pernicious anaemia Pernicious anaemia is the most common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency in the UK. Pernicious anaemia is an autoimmune condition that affects your stomach. Diet Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet.

Conditions affecting the stomach Some stomach conditions or stomach operations can prevent the absorption of enough vitamin B Conditions affecting the intestines Some conditions that affect your intestines can also stop you absorbing the necessary amount of vitamin B In many people, a vitamin B 12 deficiency can be prevented. Most are based on poor or faulty evidence. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.

No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. I have a question. Does B12 or even B-Complex deficiency cause blotting of hands, feet and face. I have come across many people in India, who are poor and vegetarian and complain of facial, hands and feet swelling combined with extreme exhaustion. I know exhaustion is a symptom of B-complex deficiency, but am not finding any literature on whether bloating is also a symptom.

My gastrintologist told me that I am deficient in B12 and ordered shots every month. What I am wondering is if a B12 dietary supplement having mcg in them would be enough to replace the shots? Pleast let me know soon. I have a hiatial hernia and two polyps: one in my stomach and one in my small intestine. He took a biopsy and I have to wait at least 10 days to find out the results. I am very worried about the hernia though.

Thanks for your help. Sincerely, Lorraine K. I still jog and mostly walk. Still am working. Been vegetarian leaning mostly to vegan for a long time. Basically very active! I discovered these online. From the Amway company. I believe two XS cans are equivalent to a B12 shot. And they have 15 or more flavors, even decaf. They are great tasting. Usually I have a Rhodiola and an XS drink in the morning instead of coffee.

Sometimes have another XS drink at a lunch break, along with their Perfect Pack vitamins. So yeah I found and pay for these from Amway online.

Some of the information on this page seriously underplays the damage caused by b12 deficiency. B12 deficiency is so very common. Should treatment for vitamin b 12 deficiency be started immediately.

My Dad has just been diagnosed on the 5th of March but treatment will not start untilll the 13th of march. Is this normal? I had my firsts injection about three weeks ago. Yesterday I fainted for the first time in my life. What can I do to get my health back? How do I know if any damage has been caused before diagnosis. Just wanted to add to the above questions, I am 67 years old and B12 Vitamin Deficiency is in my family.

I have just recently had a B12 deficiency test done by my doctor thru a blood test. I have a lots of the symptoms that are listed and as I told my doctor what symptoms I had she suggested I have a variety of blood tests done including B12 deficiency. I will get the results this week. One of my symptoms is burning of the feet and pins and needles etc. I decided that while waiting for the results I would buy a bottle of B12 Vitamins mcg.

I know that some people would have to get B12 shots each month if one were very high in B12 deficiency. So, I took a Vit B tablet and found that the burning of my feet and pins and needles increased quite a bit. Can anyone tell me why this would be? Would it be because I was allergic to Vitamin B.

If I have Vitamin B12 deficiency, which I feel that I have, does anyone know if I took the B12 Shot which goes directly to your bloodstream, I would have some negative reaction to it. About 8 years ago, I started feeling tired, numbess and tingling in my fingers and toes. Two years went by and I was getting worse. I found an internal medicine dr. My B12 level was a severely low Being that is the minimum.

He started me on b12 injections but permanent nerve damage was already done. But I have severe stiffness, spacticity,and my balance is very bad. I walk with a cane or walker,but I wish the drs. I would love to hear from others that have had a B12 problem just to talk to.

My doctor advised that I have a B12 deficiency. My question is can this be the sole cause of all the symptoms. The doctor prescribed a monthly injection. However I felt so horrible that I gave myself another injection after a week. I felt better in 30 minutes. Those symptoms sound very severe for B12 deficiency. B12 deficiency usually causes anemia, which can make a person feel tired and weak, but pain and shortness of breath is unusual.

Injecting any substance into a muscle can cause infection and other complications. My eye Dr recommended a new daily dose of B It may be related to glaucoma. Do you have any comments? I receive quarterly blood tests related to my Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and prostate cancer. I have been taking a Vitamin D 50mcg pill each morning for close to 2 years.

My doctor has never mentioned my Vitamin B levels in any of our quarterly meetings. What specific blood test will measure my B12 levels? Should i ask him about my B12 levels or should i simply start taking a B12 daily vitamin? I already take 11 various meds a day but am in good shape, especially for my age..

I just am not sure my doctors are taking my Chronic Disease Anemia seriously, or are not telling me to just accept it because it wont get better due to my health and co-morbidities. Thanks so much. Your website is excellent! Anemia of chromic disease ACD is a common cause of a low hemoglobin in older adults. B12 levels are usually normal in ACD, but some will have more than one cause of anemia. A blood level of Vitamin B12 which is the only test that would show your B12 status is usually ordered as part of the anemia workup, so you may have already had one done.

Hemoglobin now I trust and like my doctor of the past 3 years, but these usually annual lab tests show descending counts in all three with each test, one annual and the others six months apart the most recent October No treatment for anemia was recommended…. My concern is my body seems to be slowly slipping into low RBC production…I did find a Vegan B12 liquid drops mcg formula to be taken mcg twice a day and just started this protocol this week, my concern is can B12 reverse the lack of production of Red Blood Cells?

My figures had dropped from 12 to As I am aware of other more serious conditions that anemia can reveal. Thank you for this article! I forgot to say I am exhausted all the time and am having severe night sweats this past few months.

If your B12 level was normal, supplementing with B12 will probably not boost your red blood cell production. Your doctor may have done some other tests to rule out those other processes. Night sweats are worrisome, though, and if one of my patients starts having these I would want to know about it. Night sweats can be caused by many things, including medications, anxiety, thyroid overactivity, and certain infections or malignant conditions.

Dr Kernisan. This article could not have come at a better time for me. I am a 71 yo former athlete. I pay attention to my body. In July I had an episode of significant loss of balance and dizziness not improved by sitting down. An intermittent balance problem had begun about 6 weeks prior, when I walked like I was drunk, with no identifiable cause. All clear. Official chart notes indicate tympanic membranes were clear. First introductory visit in December. I have been taking the minimum RDA for all B vitamins plus extra folate for years.

Questions: 1 Should I request a B12 blood test from new provider? If she declines, should I self-order one allowed in my state? I had beern very happy with my PCP because she was up-to-date in aging issues. It might be worth thinking about your motivation for communication — whether you feel the NP was unethical, incompetent or dangerous which is a very serious complaint , or if it was more that you were unhappy with her bedside manner, which almost any provider can fail at on occasion.

A breach of ethics or incompetence would be very important to report. I do consider her incompetent and a danger to patients who come through that practice. Thank you for this article. Last year my doctor checked my B12, low folate, and methylmanoic acid.

She said I should cut down to The B 12 should be good for my brain, since I have minor micro vascular disease. I take meds for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and depression. In spite of all this, I still feel very fit, and the only ailment with symptoms is the depression. Sometimes I wonder what will eventually do me in.. Sticking to your medication regimen, eating well, exercising and reducing stress are all good strategies for brain health.

Your email address will not be published. The material on this site, including any exchanges in the comments section of the blog, is for informational and educational purposes only. Any comments Dr. Kernisan and a caregiver, or care recipient. None of Dr. Please see the full Disclaimer for more information. Based on a work at BetterHealthWhileAging.

Your privacy is very important to us. Your information will never be sold to anyone, whether you browse the site, sign up for email updates, or register for an event. Pleae read our complete Privacy Policy for more information and for Dr. Kernisan's financial disclosures. Getting Started Why Geriatrics Are you a caregiver? How Vitamin B12 Deficiency Harms Health In the body, vitamin B12 — also known as cobalamin — is especially vital to making red blood cells, and maintaining proper function of nerve cells.

The most common problems related to low vitamin B12 levels include : Anemia. This means the red blood cell count is low. Red blood cells carry oxygen in the blood, so anemia can cause fatigue or shortness of breath. The breakdown of faulty red blood cells can also cause jaundice. This means that nerves in the body are not working well. This can cause a variety of symptoms, including tingling, numbness, burning, poor balance, and walking difficulties.

Cognitive impairment. This means that nerve cells in the brain are not working well. This can cause memory problems, irritability, and even dementia. Common risk factors for low vitamin B12 levels in older adults include : Low levels of stomach acid. This can be due to weakening of the stomach lining, or to medications that reduce stomach acid.

Medications such as metformin used for diabetes , which interferes with vitamin B12 absorption. Alcoholism, which irritates the stomach and sometimes is linked to a poor diet. Surgeries to remove parts or all of the stomach or small intestine. Why Vitamin B12 Deficiency Is Often Missed in Aging Adults Vitamin B12 deficiency is often missed because the symptoms — fatigue, anemia, neuropathy, memory problems, or walking difficulties — are quite common in older adults, and can easily be caused by something else.

Who Should Be Checked for Vitamin B12 Deficiency An older person should probably be checked for Vitamin B12 deficiency if he or she is experiencing any of the health problems that can be caused by low levels of this vitamin. How Vitamin B12 Deficiency is Diagnosed and Treated The first step in checking for deficiency is a blood test to check the serum level of vitamin B Comments Thank you so much for the education. Thank you for the info about B12 i do. Have to get injections which help.

You can learn more about the risks of anticholinergic medications here: 7 Common Brain-Toxic Drugs Older Adults Should Use With Caution Vertigo can sometimes be more safely treated with vestibular rehabilitation , which is a special form of physical therapy. I would certainly recommend discussing this with your usual health providers. Thank you for your help! Good luck and take care!

What would that be? And if one wanted to try the B shot, how much? Once a week, once a day. Confused, Jil. So, a person can still get an accurate B12 level tested even while taking folate. So B12? Anonymous for professional reasons. Thanks for sharing your story and that anecdote!

Have issue walking and balance and pain and being tried all the time need help. Hi Nicole, In the recent test of my mom who is 71, we found her B12 level is …. Thank you so so much! I very much look forward to hearing from you. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Disclaimer The material on this site, including any exchanges in the comments section of the blog, is for informational and educational purposes only.