In today’s hectic world, it is common to feel tired because we have so many responsibilities and our to-do lists just keep getting longer—consuming every single second of our existence. But if you’ve tried to address this problem by going to bed early and following an adequate diet to still wake up fatigued and drained, you may be suffering from a vitamin deficiency and specifically a vitamin B-12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12 is necessary for the body to produce red blood cells and DNA, along with supporting neurological function. It is obtained from animal sources such as poultry, eggs, meat and dairy products, including milk. Because of this, vegetarians and vegans are at high risk for developing a vitamin B12 deficiency and supplementation is important. Selecting foods that are fortified with Vitamin B is critical if you do not consume animal products as vitamin B12 cannot be found in plants.
Older adults are also at risk because they tend to consume less food overall, have limited diets and also have less stomach acid production, which prevents absorption.
It must be noted, however, that supplementation alone may not solve the problem and you may need to get injections to treat a possible deficiency.
The reason for this is that individuals may suffer from B12 deficiency due to malabsorption, and not because they are not consuming B12-rich foods. If you suffer from Crohn’s or celiac disease, you may be eating the right kinds of foods or taking in enough vitamins but your body can’t absorb it.
This is also the case in patients who have had part of their stomachs removed in weight loss surgery. In addition, some people lack intrinsic factor, a protein needed in order for the body to absorb B12 and it could be due to genetics or even autoimmune conditions.
Some of the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include:
- Anemia
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Numbness or tingling of hands/feet
- Memory loss
- Jaundice
Because the signs of vitamin B12 deficiency can be confused with symptoms of other conditions, it is important that you work with a qualified practitioner to identify this problem. Severe vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to depression, paranoia, delusions and other serious effects.
At Bellissimo Medical LLC ™, we work with patients to identify vitamin deficiencies and help optimize nutrition through our Nutritional IV Therapy program. A diagnosis is made after a comprehensive initial assessment, including specialized lab tests, physical exam and detailed health history.
Because oral supplementation alone is insufficient in many cases, especially because of the body being unable to absorb B12, we work with patients to provide pharmacological (larger) doses of nutrients into the vein that would otherwise not be tolerated or be as effective, if administered orally.
Call us today and schedule your free consultation at 954.384.8989. Dr. Jean-Claude Nerette is Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Functional Medicine and Stephanie Muniz Nerette is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner and a Diplomate to the Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. Bellissimo Medical LLC ™ is located at 2665 Executive Park Drive, Suite #3, in Weston.
