Vitamin B-12 deficiency is more common with increasing age and affects 5 to 15 percent of adults. Some of this is early deficiency and not associated with symptoms. Once symptoms develop, they are sometimes overlooked because they develop slowly and are similar to many other problems related to growing older
Vitamin B-12 plays a role in red blood cell formation, cell metabolism, nerve function and bone health. The primary natural sources of vitamin B-12 are meats, fish, shellfish, eggs and milk; it is not found naturally in plant products. Some foods such as breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin B-12. It is stored in large quantities in the liver and recirculated in the body, so even if you suddenly stopped getting vitamin B-12, it would likely take years for deficiency to develop.
Deficiency can occasionally occur due to a diet that contains very little vitamin B-12, such as with strict, long-term vegans (vegetarians who consume no animal products at all) and people who are malnourished, such as some who abuse alcohol. However, it most commonly develops because the body isn’t properly digesting and absorbing vitamin B-12 due to causes that include:
Aging — With age, the ability to absorb vitamin B-12 often diminishes. Inadequate nutrition and higher risk of digestive diseases also may be an issue.
Diseases that affect digestion — The most common of these is pernicious anemia, in which your own immune system destroys a protein that enables you to absorb B-12. Celiac disease and Crohn’s disease also can interfere with proper vitamin B-12 absorption, as can gastric bypass surgery.
Prolonged use of certain medications — Proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole and H-2 blockers, which reduce stomach acid to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and stomach problems, can interfere with vitamin B-12 absorption. The diabetes drug metformin also is associated with lower vitamin B-12 levels.
Symptoms of B-12 deficiency can be subtle at first. Early symptoms may include a persistent tingling or prickly feeling in your feet or hands, weakness, numbness, imbalance, and mental problems such as confusion, depression, irritability and forgetfulness. Rarely, vitamin B-12 deficiency is a cause of dementia.
As vitamin B-12 deficiency becomes more advanced, a shortage of red blood cells (anemia) or even white blood cells and platelets may develop. Deficiency often is caught before it reaches this level.
Diagnosis of vitamin B-12 deficiency typically involves blood tests. Testing for anemia may be one of them, but just because you’re not anemic doesn’t mean you’re not vitamin B-12 deficient. If vitamin B-12 deficiency is diagnosed, additional testing is sometimes performed to look for an underlying cause.
For those who are deficient, raising vitamin B-12 to adequate levels may first involve correcting or treating an underlying problem, if possible.
Early symptoms may include:
Vitamin B-12 deficiency is more common with increasing age and affects 5 to 15 percent of adults. Some of this is early deficiency and not associated with symptoms. Once symptoms develop, they are sometimes overlooked because they develop slowly and are similar to many other problems related to growing older
Vitamin B-12 plays a role in red blood cell formation, cell metabolism, nerve function and bone health. The primary natural sources of vitamin B-12 are meats, fish, shellfish, eggs and milk; it is not found naturally in plant products. Some foods such as breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin B-12. It is stored in large quantities in the liver and recirculated in the body, so even if you suddenly stopped getting vitamin B-12, it would likely take years for deficiency to develop.
Deficiency can occasionally occur due to a diet that contains very little vitamin B-12, such as with strict, long-term vegans (vegetarians who consume no animal products at all) and people who are malnourished, such as some who abuse alcohol. However, it most commonly develops because the body isn’t properly digesting and absorbing vitamin B-12 due to causes that include:
Aging — With age, the ability to absorb vitamin B-12 often diminishes. Inadequate nutrition and higher risk of digestive diseases also may be an issue.
Diseases that affect digestion — The most common of these is pernicious anemia, in which your own immune system destroys a protein that enables you to absorb B-12. Celiac disease and Crohn’s disease also can interfere with proper vitamin B-12 absorption, as can gastric bypass surgery.
Prolonged use of certain medications — Proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole and H-2 blockers, which reduce stomach acid to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and stomach problems, can interfere with vitamin B-12 absorption. The diabetes drug metformin also is associated with lower vitamin B-12 levels.
Symptoms of B-12 deficiency can be subtle at first. Early symptoms may include a persistent tingling or prickly feeling in your feet or hands, weakness, numbness, imbalance, and mental problems such as confusion, depression, irritability and forgetfulness. Rarely, vitamin B-12 deficiency is a cause of dementia.
As vitamin B-12 deficiency becomes more advanced, a shortage of red blood cells (anemia) or even white blood cells and platelets may develop. Deficiency often is caught before it reaches this level.
Diagnosis of vitamin B-12 deficiency typically involves blood tests. Testing for anemia may be one of them, but just because you’re not anemic doesn’t mean you’re not vitamin B-12 deficient. If vitamin B-12 deficiency is diagnosed, additional testing is sometimes performed to look for an underlying cause.
For those who are deficient, raising vitamin B-12 to adequate levels may first involve correcting or treating an underlying problem, if possible.
MULTIVITAMIN PLUS HERBAL CAPSULE :
Adults: 2 Capsules daily.
Children over the age of 12 years: 1 Capsule daily.
Adults
Children
BRAIN HEALTH HERBAL CAPSULES :
Adults: 2-4 Capsules,3 times, daily.
Children between 6-12 years: 1 Capsule, daily.
Children between 12-16 years: 1 Capsule, twice daily. (Start with one capsule and gradually increase to 2 capsules)
