Are you fatigued, have a low mood, and lack motivation? If so, it’s very likely that you’re lacking vitamin B12
Studies reveal that around 40% of North Americans are deficient in vitamin B12. It’s also proving to be a common deficiency among Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients. What’s more concerning is that a lot of people are actually unaware that they are deficient in vitamin B12 as many of the tell-tale symptoms are overlooked.
The most common vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms that are often neglected include:
- Numbness and tingling in the hands, legs, or feet
- Difficulty walking
- Anemia
- Swollen and inflamed tongue
- Yellowed skin
- Paranoia and hallucinations
- Weakness
Doctors can also carry out simple tests to find out whether you’re deficient in vitamin B12
If you notice any of the above symptoms, simply visit your doctor and ask them to carry out some tests. The recommended method would be to ask your doctor for an Intracellular B12 test, however, not all doctors can perform this test, in which case, the next best options would be a Methylmalonic or Homocysteine test.
A lack of vitamin B12 can be caused by anemia, leaky gut syndrome, poor gut microbe, and chemotherapy treatment
- Pernicious anemia prevents your body from separating the B12 vitamin from food molecules
- Leaky gut syndrome and poor gut microbes decrease your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12
- Chemotherapy affects the gut and causes the stomach cells to absorb vitamin B12 at a much slower rate
However, there are ways of boosting your vitamin B12 easily – You can start today!
Eat more meat! The top sources of vitamin B12 can be found in lamb, free range chicken, wild-caught fish, and grass-fed beef. Chicken and beef livers are especially great sources of vitamin B12 but if you don’t like the taste, you can go with a desiccated liver supplement instead. For vegetarians and vegans, there are some great vitamin B12 supplements available but make sure you consult your doctor beforehand.
High-quality probiotics are another effective option since they improve your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12. People have also experienced more sustained levels of vitamin B12 when they cut out inflammatory foods. The main foods that you should try excluding from your diet are processed and fried foods.
