Are You Vitamin B12 Deficient?

You might be familiar with vitamin deficiencies such as scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) and rickets (vitamin D deficiency). Vitamin B12 deficiency also may be a serious problem for some people.

Here are a few of the common signs of B12 deficiency:

• Anemia
• Heart palpitations
• Weakness, fatigue, lightheadedness
• Shortness of breath
• Constipation, diarrhea, gas
• Vision loss
• Tingling, muscle weakness, nerve issues
• Smooth tongue
• Pale skin
• Behavioral, mood, memory changes

The proteins along the GI tract that enable the absorption of vitamin B12 can be impaired by over-the-counter digestive aids such as antacids, histamine type 2 receptor blockers, and proton pump inhibitors. Certain antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and metformin also can deplete B12. Growing children, vegans, vegetarians, pregnant women, the elderly, smokers, and others taking various pharmaceutical medications, all are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Since 10-30 percent of older people don’t properly digest vitamin B12, it’s recommended that anyone over 50 should take a B12 supplement daily.

One of the best ways to get sufficient levels of B12 every day is to take a sublingual tablet. We recommend NLRX Nutrition B12 chewable tablets.