Sacramento, Calif. – If you experience any of the following symptoms, you may be Vitamin B12 deficient: stress, fatigue, problems with sleep, poor immunity, allergies, anxiety, depression, apathy, poor focus or concentration, difficulty losing weight, malabsorption, problems building muscle mass, hormone imbalance, shortness of breath, poor circulation, tingling in hands and feet, pale or yellow complexion, headaches, pain and inflammation of the mouth and tongue, muscle cramps, menstrual cramps, vision problems, erectile dysfunction or impaired balance and coordination.
The list goes on because B12 is required for cellular energy- for every single cell of the body. This means that every cell, in every body system, can be impacted by B12 deficiency: skin, hair, eyes, ears, mouth, nails, heart, lungs, gut, urinary tract, nervous system and brain, circulation, reproduction, lymphatic and detox systems, muscles, ligaments, tendons, connective tissues, neurotransmitters and hormones. In other words, when we have optimal levels of vitamin B12, it benefits every aspect of our health.
Crucial role
B12 is also a crucial player in detoxification, inflammation regulation, and clearing free radicals from the body, and a disruption in any of these mechanisms is often the underlying cause of our symptoms and diseases. Vitamin B12 plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as protein synthesis, all of which relate to metabolism, weight control, and muscle building. In fact, athletes often see their performance improve when they have optimal levels of B12. Additionally, B12 is required for blood cell production, oxygen transport, cell replication and myelin synthesis (myelin being the sheath that protects our nerves). Any and every nervous system disorder is helped by having excellent levels of B12.
Lab testing for serum B12 is not very reliable, as this level can change drastically based on what you’ve just eaten, and it also doesn’t measure what your body is actually able to utilize. A more dependable lab test is MCV, which measures the mean corpuscular volume of your red blood cells. MCV is on a standard CBC (Complete Blood Count) panel. When there is B12 deficiency, the MCV will be high, meaning the red blood cells are bigger than they should be, this is a diagnosis known as Megaloblastic Anemia. Because a red blood cell typically lives for ~90 days, measuring MCV gives us a 90-day window into your vitamin B12 levels. Ideal MCV is below an 89.
Reference range
Another thing to consider when analyzing blood labs is that the “standard range,” used as the reference range, is based on the average of the U.S. population, so it’s not actually a reflection of optimal health, it’s just a reference of what is “normal.” What is normal in the U.S. population is B12 deficiency, so the standard range reflects that, whether we’re testing serum B12 or MCV. Just because your lab work comes back looking “normal” does not mean it is optimal. Naturopathic doctors can help with catching these patterns in your lab work, which point exactly to where the treatment is needed. With B12, in particular, because it is a water-soluble vitamin, the body takes what it needs and flushes the rest. This is why we don’t need to test blood lab levels before administering a B12 injection. There is no concern of overdosing or toxicity associated with B12, as there can be with the fat-soluble vitamins (which for the record are vitamins: A, D, E & K).
Not well absorbed
Vitamin B12 is such a common deficiency because the vitamin is not well absorbed in the gut. As we age, our ability to absorb B12 through digestion worsens, so the elderly are very susceptible to B12 deficiency. Because B12 is primarily in animal food sources, Vegans and Vegetarians are specifically prone to B12 deficiency. Those of us who eat animal products still don’t absorb B12 very easily or very well, especially if there is any malabsorption going on. Not only does stress deplete our B12, but when we’re stressed, we’re even less likely to absorb B12 from our food or oral supplement sources, so stress is like a double whammy for B12 deficiencies. It’s not just bad stress that diminishes our B12, it’s also good stress, such as exercise. All stimulants further exhaust our B12 stores, such as caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, as well as many recreational and pharmaceutical drugs. Anything that gives us a kick of adrenaline, good or bad, will further deprive us of B12.
To make matters worse, the most common supplement form of B12 is cyanocobalamin, which literally contains a cyanide component. Not only is cyanocobalamin the most toxic form of B12, but it is also the least absorbable form. The -suffix for all forms of B12 is __cobalamin. Better forms include: hydroxycobalamin, methylcobalamin, and adenyslcobalamin. The most absorbable form being Methylcobalamin. However, because of the gut absorption issue with any (and all) forms of B12, the delivery methods that skip the gut have the best absorption capacity. Such forms include: sublingual (under the tongue), transdermal (through the skin), or via IV or injection. Of course, the IV and injection forms are absorbed 100% and immediately.
B12 Injections
That’s why we offer Vitamin B12 injections (as well as IV Therapy). We offer injections with B12 and more nutrients may be added for extra benefit. When people experience a B12 shot, they often feel instantly happier, energetic, yet calm and focused, not to mention all the other benefits to every single cell of the body. They often sleep better that night. Stress resilience is increased by B12, which means the body gets stressed so easily and further depletes its B12. Vitamin B12 shots can be given anytime during our normal office hours Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm, and Wednesdays until 8pm. However, Every Wednesday from 3-6pm, we offer a Vitamin B12 Happy Hour, for a quicker experience. Walk-ins are always welcome. Come on by and experience a Vitamin B12 shot, you’ll be glad you did.
Explore additional topics from Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center with Dr. Godby, ND, MA and his team at Natural Wellness.
As a naturopathic doctor for the last 20 years, I have witnessed the power of a preventative lifestyle and naturopathic medicine to transform the health and lives of thousands of patients.
Sacramento Naturopathic
2530 J Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95816
Phone: (916) 446-2591
sac-nd.com/dr-dennis-godby-nd-ma
