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Q. My son is a vegetarian. As far as I know, he sometimes eats eggs or cheese, but not fish or any kind of meat. He's very picky about what he eats and has been anorexic in the past.
Can you give me some information about the importance of vegetarians taking vitamin B12? I'd like something I can show him, so maybe he will believe me.
A. Vitamin B12 is one of those nutrients that doesn't get much respect and yet it is crucial for good health. Vegetarians are frequently low in this nutrient because it is usually found in animal products such as fish, chicken, eggs or meat.
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include numbness and tingling of the legs or hands, memory problems, confusion, depression, difficulty walking, sore tongue, loss of appetite, constipation and anemia.
Certain medications may interfere with vitamin B12 absorption. That's why vegetarians taking heartburn drugs such as Aciphex, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Protonix or the diabetes drug metformin may be at higher risk of deficiency. We encourage your son to have his vitamin B12 level checked. If he needs a B12 supplement, he may want to look for one derived from yeast.
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VeganHealth.org is a good site for vegetarians and vegans.
Specific info on vitamin B12: http://veganhealth.org/articles/vitaminb12
B6 + B12 may work best together, in combination with folic acid.
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: PEOPLE EATING VEGETABLES, ESPECIALLY GREEN LEAFY ONES, AND FRUIT, ESPECIALLY CITRUS, SHOULD BE GETTING ADEQUATE FOLIC ACID. BUT IT IS TRUE THAT THE B VITAMINS WORK BEST TOGETHER.
When supplementing B12, how much daily? Many supplements I see have 50 mcg or 800% plus of the MDR for B12. Same for B6, with supplements at 2500% of MDR. Are those amounts too high? Or is the MDR too low? Thanks for your help.
An enzyme called intrinsic factor produced in the stomach is needed to metabolize vitamin B12. Without it, no matter how much vit b12 one ingests, will not be absorbed. Intramuscular or sublingual B-12 must be administered to replenish the vitamin B-12 in the body in that case.
Vitamin B-12 is water soluble so it is unlikely to get too much. Whatever your body doesn't need, will be excreted in urine.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency is common in elderly and can mimic the signs of dementia, so if your elder loved one is suddenly having memory problems, weakness, tingling in hands and feet etc. Have their B-12 levels checked with a simple blood test.
I've rec'd B12 injections once a month for a few years. Last year, tingling in my feet became extremely painful. I started to receive injections weekly (which was expected to be temporary) which helped for awhile but then they became worse again. I'm now receiving two injections a week and I'm still having extreme pain at least 2-3 times a week. I also take calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. Is there something else that could be affecting my B12 levels and causing this neuropathy?