You visit your doctor and tell him your symptoms of chronic fatigue, dizziness, tremors, tingling, vision problems, bladder issues, weight gain, stomach issues, walking difficulty, depression, bad pap smears (dysplasia), the sighs or shortness of breath?
The doctor orders a blood test and tells you everything looks fine or worse you get a horrible diagnosis of MS or other neurological disorder. These are deadly mimics of a B12 deficiency.
B12 deficiency or even Pernicious anemia is often missed by most MD’s. It is usually not even found until usually your mid 60’s. Mainly because you are born with a good supply or storage in your liver which doesn’t deplete till much later, so there is a gradual onset, unless you take medications that deplete levels or various other causes. My case was missed for decades when it was all over my blood work. Megaloblastic cells or enlarged red blood cells with extremely high folate levels often mask a B12 deficiency, along with high homocysteine, MCH, MCHC and MCV levels. In medicine vitamin deficiencies are not considered medical problems, nor are they studied thoroughly in med school. '
Furthermore a case of MS or Parkinson’s disease is big money! B12 is way too simple and cheap to fix such problems. Serum B12 reference ranges from a hospital with guidelines Less than 200< is deficient, Borderline 200-270 pg/ml, 271-879 pg/ml are considered normal by hospital standards but are not at all functional. You can have levels at 400 and still have symptoms. The problem with blood tests is that they do not always show you what is going on at a cellular level. Every cell in your body depends on B12. You Brain, your heart, your eyes, your nervous system and metabolism and more. Furthermore many people suffer from low stomach acid or hypochlorhydria which prevents proper absorption. Vegetarians are more at risk than meat eaters, and if you have pernicious anemia you don't have intrinsic factor (the protein binding molecule) to cary it. Vitamin B12 along with other cofactors is necessary for methylation. Methylation drives the body, drives aging, prevents disease and is crucial for life. Most people are carriers of the MTHFR, MTHFD1, MTR genes or a variations of them. The MTHFR gene makes you less efficient in absorbing your necessary B nutrients and therefore puts a much added burden on your body’s system.
Deadly Mimics
B12 is so important without it your body will shut down and you can die. Pernicious means “deadly”. This is because before treatment was available the disease was often fatal. Raw liver was the antedote prescribed by most physicians until B12 injections became normal protocol. A deficiency of B12 can destroy your nervous system. There are cases documented that children, teens, young adults and middle-aged people have been crippled or killed by this preventable disease. Doctors are usually baffled by persons with neurological symptoms when their blood work is completely normal and symptoms are subtle. This often leads to a delay in treatment which prolongs the damage. But even when the signs are apparently obvious, there is no guarantee of quick diagnosis. A B12 deficiency can destroy your nervous system at any age. The similarites of B12 deficieny mimic the symptoms of MS which often leads to misdiagnosis. MS and untreated B12 deficiency both damage the myelin sheath causing lesions in the brain or spinal chord. (Demyelinating diseases). It is estimated that 10% of people diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis don’t actually have the disease. The similarities of MS and B12 deficiency are compelling including the following:
Gait problems
Numbness
“Pins and needles” sensations
Depression, paranoia, or psychosis
Memory loss, dementia, and other cognitive changes
Weight loss
Tremors
Fatigue
Coordination problems
Incontinence
Pain
Visual disturbances or vision loss
These similarities are caused from myelin damage, and leaving B12 deficency untreated long enough causes myelin damage, which cause the nerve impulses to short circuit. If found in time B12 deficiency can be treated. So it is always best to have your doctor run a test regardless of diagnosis. Furthermore an MRI does not rule out the need for a B12 test. Vitamin B12 deficiency needs to be ruled out in Parkinson’s type symptoms also. Including those already diagnosed because both diseases share the same symptoms and there is not even a diagnostic test that confirms Parkinson’s disease. Even in the case of MS and Parkinson’s disease B12 IV’s or injections can make the symptoms much more manageable.
Mental Illness
Unfortunately B12 deficiency does not stop at neurological disorders and carries on to other parts of the body like the brain causing Psychiatric symptoms. I am all to familiar with this as well. My mother who died at the young age of 62 from a heart attack was diagnosed early on with schizophrenia. After doing much research into the family genetics I have come to suspect too that she had untreated and undiagnosed Pernicious Anemia. It just wasn’t looked for in the 40’2 and 50’s. What they did instead was prescribe a bunch of anti-psychotics that further depleted her of the necessary B12 her brain was needing, on top of being a homozygous (++) carrier of MTHFR. Of course genetics were not looked at either so who was to know. But she suffered a rough life and had a heart attack which is also associated with these deficiencies leading to extremely high homocysteine levels. Genetics plays a big part in Illness. I was smart enough to check my own family members and found my son to also have pernicious anemia. Although he is young, it is better to catch it early on so that you are aware of the extra nutrients needed to prevent health issues as an adult. Among the most compelling psychiatric symptoms seen in people with B12 deficiency are the following:
several of these will overlap with dementia.
Confusion/disorientation
Memory loss
Suicidal ideations
Mania
Anxiety
Paranoia
Irritability
Apathy
Personality changes
Inappropriate sexual behaviour
Delusions
Hallucinations
Violent/ aggressive behavior
Schizophrenic symptoms
Sleep disturbances
Insomnia
Changes in taste, smell, vision, and sensory/motor function that can be mistaken for psychiatric problems
There is much to be said about this precious little vitamin that many in the world are deficient in. Not only does it cause these problems but many other health issues as well. The best thing to do is be your own health advocate because you know your symptoms and body better than any physician does.
Furthermore the dosing most doctors prescribe is ridiculous. Each persons needs are individual. If you are an athlete, you need more, if you have stomach issues, are elderly, on medication you need more etc… Blood levels do not determine how you are doing functionally. Furthermore you can not overdose on B12 injections. It is water soluble and you will pee any excess out.
If you have any questions you can contact me.
Comments