Are you a dedicated vegetarian or vegan? Perhaps you decided to follow a plant-based diet to improve your health but over time you’ve started to experience troubling symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, poor memory, and even numbness or tingling in your hands and feet—issues you never had previously. If you can relate, then you may have a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Research indicates that vitamin B12 deficiency is far more prevalent than previously estimated, with at least 40 percent of Americans demonstrating suboptimal levels, and millions more going undiagnosed altogether. The consequences of B12 deficiency are serious and can cause irreversible damage if left untreated.
Read on to learn about the health implications of B12 deficiency and why it is significantly underdiagnosed, the best methods for testing your B12 status, and how to optimize your B12 intake with food and supplements.
What a B12 Deficiency Means for Your Health
Vitamin B12 works with folate to synthesize DNA and red blood cells and assists in the production of myelin, which protects your nerve cells (neurons) and regulates nerve impulse transmission. A deficiency of vitamin B12 can have significant health implications for multiple body systems.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is exceedingly common—especially if you’re following a vegan diet. Find out how to tell if you have a deficiency and learn how eating nutrient-dense foods can help you correct it. #nutrientdeficiency #vegetarian #vegan
The classic association of vitamin B12 deficiency with macrocytic anemia, a condition in which red blood cells are larger than normal due to impaired cell division, speaks to the importance of vitamin B12 for regulating DNA synthesis. However, anemia is but one symptom of B12 deficiency. There are many other B12 deficiency symptoms that occur long before anemia sets in, including:
- Dementia
- Cognitive decline
- Memory loss
- Brain fog
- Depression
- Cardiovascular problems
- Peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling, burning in the hands, legs and feet)
- Impaired immune function
- Infertility
- Developmental and learning disabilities
Unfortunately, many of these symptoms are often mistaken for other health conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. As a result, B12 deficiency is often missed by physicians in the clinical setting, with serious implications for patients’ long-term health.
If You Have an Undiagnosed Deficiency, You’re Not Alone
B12 deficiency is far more common than most healthcare practitioners and the general public realize. A study from Tufts University found that 40 percent of people between the ages of 26 and 83 have plasma B12 levels in the low normal range, a range at which neurological symptoms can occur. Nine percent had an obvious B12 deficiency, and 16 percent exhibited “near deficiency.” (1) Surprisingly, the researchers also discovered that low B12 levels were just as common in young people as in the elderly.
Given the prevalence of B12 deficiency, why aren’t more clinicians and health organizations drawing attention to this serious problem? The answer lies in the fact that B12 deficiency is significantly underdiagnosed. Here’s why it’s frequently missed:
- B12 status is not routinely tested by most physicians.
- Serum B12, the conventional marker of B12 status, only drops in the later stages of B12 deficiency. Relying on serum B12 testing misses many, if not most, people who have an insufficient B12 intake.
- The low end of the laboratory reference range for serum B12 is too low. This is why most studies underestimate the true levels of deficiency.
- The standard serum test for B12 measures the total amount of B12 in the blood but does not rule out functional B12 deficiency. (A “functional” deficiency means that B12 levels are too low for optimum health, but symptoms like anemia may not yet be apparent or diagnosable.) (2) The determination of functional B12 deficiency requires other measures that are infrequently used by physicians.
New and Improved Testing Methods for B12
Fortunately, new, more sensitive tests for B12 deficiency are now available, including tests for methylmalonic acid (MMA) and holotranscobalamin II (holo-TC). Studies using these improved methods of B12 assessment reveal much higher levels of deficiency than studies using only serum B12 testing.
MMA
MMA is a compound in the body that helps with metabolism, via a vitamin B12-dependent enzyme; if MMA levels are high, it suggests that vitamin B12 is lacking. There are two ways to have MMA measured: in the blood serum and in the urine. (3) Some experts believe that urinary MMA is superior to serum MMA as a biomarker of B12 deficiency because MMA is more concentrated in urine than in the blood. However, elevations in urinary MMA can also be caused by kidney dysfunction. Serum MMA, on the other hand, can be elevated in the presence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
If you decide to undergo MMA testing to determine your B12 level, your current health status matters. I recommend urine MMA if you have SIBO, whereas serum MMA is a better option if you have a history of kidney dysfunction.
Holo-TC
B12 is transported around the body by two proteins: transcobalamin II (TCII) and haptocorrin. Eighty percent of B12 is bound to haptocorrin, while only 20 percent is bound to TCII. Holo-TC, the marker that measures TCII, falls almost immediately after B12 intake drops. Serum B12, by comparison, measures total cobalamins (a name for cobalt-containing compounds, like B12). But it measures mostly haptocorrin, and doesn’t decrease until B12 deficiency has been going on for some time.
Homocysteine
Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood. It’s a marker of B12 deficiency when elevated, though not exclusively. Elevated homocysteine can also be caused by folate and vitamin B6 deficiencies. Homocysteine is more sensitive than serum B12; however, if it is high, you will need additional testing to determine whether the cause is B12, folate, or B6 deficiency.
Holo-TC, MMA, and homocysteine are considered measures of functional B12 deficiency because they reflect whether B12 is being appropriately utilized in the body.
Your Best B12 Testing Option
So, which one of these markers is best?
- Holo-TC is the earliest, most sensitive indicator of B12 deficiency.
- Urinary MMA and homocysteine typically don’t become elevated until the mid to late stages of B12 deficiency.
- Serum B12 is the least sensitive indicator and usually doesn’t fall until the final stage of B12 deficiency.
While holo-TC testing is often the best way to catch an early B12 deficiency, it isn’t widely available in the United States (though it is in Europe). Here, we generally rely on a combination of serum/urine MMA, homocysteine, and serum B12 testing.
If you choose to get a serum B12 measurement, you will need to refer to a different range than the one provided by the lab when interpreting your results. Although most labs define deficiency at <200 pg/mL, it is well documented that many people experience signs and symptoms of B12 deficiency at levels between 200 pg/mL and 350 pg/mL. (4) Also, be aware that a high serum B12 does not necessarily rule out a functional B12 deficiency, which is best detected with MMA or holo-TC.
The same is true for homocysteine. The lab range often goes up to 15 nmol/L, but research has shown that a homocysteine level of 10 to 15 nmol/L is a substantial risk factor for heart disease, and that relationship is linear—the higher the homocysteine, the higher the risk. (5)
The Earlier You Notice a Deficiency, the Better
There are four stages of B12 deficiency, and the earlier B12 deficiency is detected in the progression of these stages, the more likely it is that the symptoms can be prevented or reversed.
Stages I and II
During the first two stages of a deficiency, your plasma and cell stores of B12 become depleted, and the concentration of holo-TC is reduced. Holo-TC is the only available marker for assessing the first two stages of B12 depletion. It’s likely that you won’t experience any noticeable symptoms if you’re in stages I or II.
Stage III
This stage of functional B12 deficiency is characterized by elevated homocysteine and urinary MMA concentrations in the blood. Serum homocysteine and serum/urine MMA are the best markers for detecting Stage III deficiency. At this stage, some people will experience mild symptoms like fatigue or brain fog, but others may not notice any signs or symptoms.
Stage IV
If you’re in the fourth stage of a deficiency, you’ll experience clinical signs, such as anemia, fatigue, and brain fog. Serum B12 and other markers of Stage IV deficiency may not decrease until this point. For some Stage IV patients, the cognitive and neurological symptoms are so severe that many believe they have Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. (6)
As you can see, signs like macrocytic anemia and symptoms like peripheral neuropathy or brain fog do not appear until the final stage of B12 deficiency. Stages I and II of depletion can precede deficiency (Stages III and IV) by months or even years!
To complicate matters further, the physical manifestations of B12 depletion can take years to appear. In the case of neurological symptoms, it may be too late to reverse them by the time the late stage of deficiency has been reached. (This particularly serious for children and young adults whose brains are still developing, as well as any adult at risk for Alzheimer’s or dementia.)
What Is a Normal B12 Level?
As I mentioned before, the cutoff for serum B12 of 200 to 230 pg/mL, used by most studies and labs, is too low. Other studies suggest that B12 levels greater than 400 pg/mL, double the accepted lower limit of normal, boost the beneficial metabolic effects of B12 and prevent neurological damage.
Importantly, research also indicates that at least one-third of B12 in serum is not cobalamin, the metabolically active form of B12 in humans, but corrinoids, which are not metabolically active. This profound finding means that some people with “normal” serum B12 may actually be deficient because the test is counting metabolically inactive corrinoids as B12.
As a rule of thumb, if your serum B12 level is between 200 and 350 pg/mL, B12 deficiency may be a problem. Just remember that a normal serum B12 does not rule out functional B12 deficiency, which can only be assessed with holo-TC, MMA, and homocysteine.
If You’re a Vegetarian or a Vegan, You Should Be Concerned about B12 Deficiency
Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal foods. For this reason, vegetarians and vegans are highly prone to B12 deficiency. While early studies showed that vegetarians and vegans had only slightly higher rates of deficiency than omnivores, these studies used relatively insensitive markers, such as serum B12, and less stringent cutoffs for holo-TC, MMA, and homocysteine.
For example, one study that used serum B12 (the less sensitive method) indicated that 7 percent of vegetarians and 52 percent of vegans were B12 deficient, whereas when holo-TC was used, deficiency was detected in 77 percent of the vegetarians and 92 percent of the vegans. (7, 8)
Essentially, conventional B12 testing is missing 70 percent of vegetarians and 40 percent of vegans that are B12 deficient! This is a massive oversight that may have devastating consequences for the long-term health of both vegetarians and vegans.
Interestingly, I have noticed in my clinic that other signs of B12 deficiency, such as elevated mean corpuscular volume (a marker known as MCV), can be obscured in vegetarians and vegans. This occurs because vegetarians and vegans often have iron deficiency and a high folate intake; these factors lower MCV and effectively “cancel out” any increase that B12 deficiency would cause. (9) Calcium deficiency, which is common in vegans, can also lead to B12 deficiency because free calcium is required for the absorption of B12. (10) The possibility of multiple nutritional deficits is just one reason to think twice about following a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Omnivores: You Need to Pay Attention to B12, Too
While rates of B12 deficiency are much higher in vegetarians and vegans than in omnivores, that doesn’t mean it’s rare in omnivores. Approximately one in 20 omnivores is B12 deficient. (11) B12 deficiency is also more common in people with risk factors like:
- Gut problems that decrease intestinal absorption of B12
- Past or present use of gastric acid-suppressing medications, metformin, or antibiotics
- A history of miscarriage and infertility
Vegans: You May Need More Supplementation Than You Think
Proponents of vegan diets promote B12 supplementation as the solution to B12 deficiency. However, supplements do not always solve the problem. In fact, research indicates that even well-educated vegetarians and vegans are not supplementing adequately!
Presumably well-educated vegetarians and vegans at a summer camp in the Netherlands were found to have serum B12 levels less than 200 pmol/L, a level associated with reduced DNA synthesis and other harmful metabolic effects. In another study, vegans taking B12 supplements demonstrated a paltry average level of 192 pmol/L.
Furthermore, the rate of B12 deficiency in vegans who supplemented with B12 was higher than in vegans who didn’t supplement! It is not clear why vegans who supplemented had higher levels of deficiency, but it could be due to the interference of supplemental B12 with active B12 levels. (12) In both of these studies, the subjects were from vegetarian/vegan societies and thus likely to be better educated than the general population. However, this did not prevent them from having a B12 deficiency. (If you need help choosing proper supplements, see the last section of this article for more specifics.)
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Your Kids Need B12 throughout Childhood
Women who consume vegetarian and vegan diets during pregnancy and breastfeeding and families that feed their children vegetarian and vegan diets during infancy and childhood are playing with fire and increasing their children’s risk of serious developmental and health problems.
Vegetarian Moms: You Need to Get Enough B12 during Pregnancy
If you’re pregnant and you have a B12 deficiency, your child could have low B12 throughout infancy and childhood. The longer a mother has been a vegetarian, the higher the likelihood she’ll have low serum and breast milk B12 levels that correlate with a deficiency in her infant. (13, 14, 15)
High homocysteine resulting from low maternal B12 status may promote neural tube defects and congenital heart defects in utero. (16)
The Impact of a Deficiency for Your Child
The prevalence of B12 deficiency is 67 percent in American children, 50 percent in New Zealand children, and 85 percent in Norwegian infants who have followed vegetarian or vegan diets their entire lives. (17) This is extremely concerning, as B12 deficiency can have “extensive, severe, and irreversible” consequences for brain and body development in children. (18)
B12 deficiency impairs fluid intelligence, spatial ability, and short-term memory in children; in fact, vegan children score lower than their omnivorous peers in all of these areas. (19)
B12 deficiency in children leads to:
- Poor school performance
- Depression
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Nerve damage
- Failure to thrive
Even if a vegan or vegetarian child switches back to a diet that includes animal products, they may not be able to reverse all of the problems that come with low B12. A study of kids raised on a vegan diet found that they were still B12 deficient years after they started eating animal products. (20)
B12 deficiency also has serious health repercussions for adults. Notably, it raises homocysteine, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. (23) Ironically, many vegetarians and vegans choose a plant-based diet to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, yet several studies have shown that homocysteine levels are higher in vegetarians than omnivores and higher in vegans than vegetarians. (24) Vegetarians and vegans with low vitamin B12 status are at risk of developing circulatory health problems regardless of their favorable profile of traditional heart disease risk factors. (25)
What to Do If You Think You Have a Deficiency
The first step I recommend is to get a holo-TC and/or urinary MMA test. If either of them is abnormal, you should immediately take steps to increase your B12 levels. There are two ways to do this:
- Eat B12-rich foods
- Supplement
How to Get More B12 in Your Diet
B12 contains a trace element (cobalt), which is why it’s also called cobalamin. Cobalamin is produced in the gut of animals and is found almost exclusively in animal foods. Some of the best sources of B12 are:
- Liver
- Clams
- Oysters
- Mussels
- Fish eggs
- Octopus
- Fish
- Crab and lobster
- Beef
- Lamb
- Cheese
- Eggs
A common myth among vegetarians and vegans is that it’s possible to get B12 from plant sources like:
- Seaweed
- Fermented soy
- Spirulina
- Brewer’s yeast
Nearly all seaweed tested has been revealed to contain vitamin B12 analogs (that is, chemically similar) called cobamides that block the intake of—and increase the need for—true B12. (26) The one exception is a combination of dried purple laver (nori) and wild mushrooms, which were shown in one study to reduce MMA.
Using a Supplement
Cyanocobalamin is the most frequently used form of B12 supplementation in the United States. But recent evidence suggests that hydroxocobalamin is superior to cyanocobalamin, and methylcobalamin may be superior to both—especially for neurological disease. This is because methylcobalamin bypasses several steps in the B12 absorption cycle and, unlike cyanocobalamin, readily crosses the blood-brain barrier. (27, 28) On top of that, methylcobalamin provides the body with methyl groups that play a role in various biological processes critical to overall health.
We now know that the dose of B12 in a supplement needs to be 100 times higher than the RDA of 2.4 micrograms/mL to be effective (this comes to approximately 250 micrograms/day). If you’re deficient, your dose should be even higher, at approximately 500 micrograms/day.
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Hello Everyone, Great Info
I have SIBO (after long term PPI use) and my B12 levels dropped by 1/2 3 years ago. My last test showed low B12 @ 362, Folate at 614, and Cortisol – high – possible adrenal stress?
I have problem with taking B12 (tried methylclobalamin drops)….but became very agitated and couldn’t tolerate the smallest amount. Sublingual pills made me very racy.
What would be the best choice. I just realized about the Cortisol being high – my doctor didn’t say anything about it – but just realized that she noted – possible adrenal stress? That makes me nervous – is there a test I should order?
any suggestions are so much appreciated.
Thanks for all the wonderful information that we just cant get from our medical community.
Hi Chris,
i was tested my B12 in may 2012, it was 617 and last week in 05Dec 13 my B12 was 161. Now i took 2B12 – pill -1 per day. Before that i explain previous history, in Dec 2012 tingling in the legs and arms was started , i went to Neurosurgeon he told common , then in March 2013 i did MRI brain its normal, Then for tingling my Neuro told me to go for EMG and he found evidence of neurological disorder without any symptoms , for 2 nd opinion i went another Neuro surgeon he just rule out and supplemented E vitamin and antioxidant for 3 months. One day i just went and did all my blood tests and found it vitamin D deficiency. it was really poor clinical examples that our physician first do basic things like blood check . I did MRI brain, spine . EMG – 2 times and finally got B12 deficiency.
i would like to ask
1. Why within 18 months B12 drop by 500
2. Within1 year is there any chances to permanent damage of Nerve system?
With regards,
N.S.Dalvi
How likely is b12 deficiency in a long-term SIBO patient? I’ve had SIBO for 4-5 years. Over the past 2 years I’ve had intractable depression and anxiety and 2 normal serum b12 tests. Trying to decide whether it’s purely mental, or if I need to insist on further b12 testing.
Greetings Chris & all other contributors!
My sister & I were found to be low B12 (133) and low D (9-10) & are now on Methylcobalamin Injections + supplements! My father was also low D but was borderline B12 at 240 so got his Homocysteine done & it was elevated at 21 umol/L- so he’s on B12 shots & occasional Solgar Folate (as his Folate levels have always been good).
Now the problem is my Mother! Seems it could be hereditary (ie in our genes) to be Deficient! Her B12 has been very normal at 500 but D was low at 20ng/ml however she has low energy, irritability & most importantly a very severe and nagging Nerve twitching in her tooth gums that no neuro-surgeon has been able to control. So I suspect she could be low in active B12.
Hence need to decide whether to get a Homocysteine Test OR serum MMA Test OR Holo-Tc Test OR an active B12 serum Test? Am confused and all these Tests are extremely expensive in Hong Kong so would like to resort to 1 Test for now.
Thank you in advance for all your help and guidance!
Mark
Hi Chris, Have you come across the claim that “oral methylated forms (of B12) chelate heavy metals that may be used as dental fillings” ? The (reputable) company making this claim only uses cyanocobalamin lozenges and warns against the use of methylcobalamin lozenges. I’ve written to them to supply relevant research data, but have had no reply.
I was an undiagnosed case of b12 deficiency. My symptoms were; peripheal neurapathy, chronic fatigue, muscle aches and stiffness, insomnia, night sweats, anxiety, extreme self anger ( I would verbally curse my self with profanity everyday) constipation, mild brain fog(I could not read a book without dozing off but never felt rested). It was a three year nightmare. I did not have insurance to see a neurologists but thankfully self diagnosed thru internet research and began taking methyl cobalomin. It was a true miracle and I am
not exaggerating. Within days my symptoms began to dissappear. It is now 4 months later. I sleep like a baby without night sweats or anxiety. I can read without dozing off. I feel rested. I rarely curse myself. I can work 12 hour days. I have no muscle aches or stiffness. I began exercising. I am so happy. The only thing that remains is a light numbness in my feet and uncomfortable pressure in legs when i cross them but i rarely notice because i feel so good. My doctor did not suspect b12 deficiency because my levels were normal. I was prescribed oxycodone which i no longer take. I thank God everyday and his doctors and scientists.
Hi, thanks for pointing out an important issue for vegetarians and the general public. Two things I would like to comment: (1) animals DO NOT make B12, bacteria in their gut do. From wikipedia: “Neither fungi, plants, nor animals are capable of producing vitamin B12. Only bacteria and archaea have the enzymes required for its synthesis, although many foods are a natural source of B12 because of bacterial symbiosis.” (2) Milk is an excellent source of B12. Would you agree that lacto-vegetarians have enough dietary intake of B12?
Thank you so much for your kind responses! I’m so frustrated and am agonizing over this. I am certain I have a deficiency but the drs just won’t listen. I went back in and persuaded them to run b12 and they just called and said I’m totally fine and recommended I take a daily multivitamin! My b12 read at 483. Should I look for an actual hematologist? I dont have insurance so each visit, each lab test, is all out of pocket. I need to figure out who to see that will help me fix this problem because I cant keep going back over and over. I’m in Florida, is there a website or something to help find a Dr that understands b12 deficiency? And thank you so much for that video, it was a huge help! If only some drs would watch it as well.
Erin,
I would google B12 deficiency, testing and Florida. I don’t know if the MDs will find 483 low, but when you find someone to check it, ask them to do the MMA test. Are there other things that make you think you have a low B12? I found out mine was low when checking for histamine intolerance and mast cell activation disorder. You seem to have a lot of those symptoms. I would read up on them.
Really good book on B12.
Could It Be B12?: An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses by Sally M. Pacholok and Jeffrey J. Stuart
Blood tests maybe misleading if you have MTHFR gene mutation or your body has difficulty metabolizing B12. Levels may be high because cells are unable to access it.
I have pretty much all of the symptoms (tingling/soreness, constant exhaustion regardless of sleep, confusion, weird tongue, memory loss…) was pretty certain b12 deficiency was the culprit (I’ve been a vegetarian for 19 yrs). Went to the walk-in since I don’t have a primary and they called to tell me blood tests were totally normal (they did a cbc and 2 others that were thyroid related). I’m feeling pretty clueless now and not sure what my next step should be? Are there specific tests I should be asking for; is it even possible that a cbc would not detect b12 deficiency? My half sister has Ms and had her thyroid radiated years ago for graves disease. Would so greatly appreciate a point in the right direction!
Vitamin D, iron, TSH?
Erin,
I would ask what the results of the B12 test was, rather than if it’s okay. Supposedly 200 would be okay, but some docs don’t feel this is accurate and can contribute to neuro problems. Find out where you are in the B12 zone. Also, start reading about histamine intolerance, mast cell activation disorder and HNMT and DAO enzyme deficiencies.
Thank you! I looked into histamyne and enzyme intolerances but that doesn’t appear to be related to me as much as b12 possibly does. I picked up my lab results, do you have any idea what the ranges can say? Hemoglobin was 12.7, hematocrit 39.4, & mcv 93.6? Do you know if that indicates a b12 deficiency? And thanks so much for your reply!
Erin,
A regular serum B12 level is not enough to diagnose a B12 deficiency. You may have high levels in your blood and it may not be getting into your cells. Please watch this video, it explains the best way to diagnose and test for a B12 deficiency:
Erin. Here are the normal ranges.
4.00-6.00 10^6/uL RBC
11.0-18.0 g/dL Hemoglobin
35.0-60.0 % Hemocrit
80.0-99.9 fL MCV
27.0-31.0 pg MCH
33.0-37.0 g/dL MCHC
11.6-13.7 % RDW
I don’t know if a low B12 would be reflected in those #s. I do know mine are low and my B12 was down to 233, which reads okay according to the US range, but my MD (from Scotland) said it’s not okay and since I had neuro problems (epilepsy) he put me on B12. My last reading was up to 483 and I”m going back tomorrow for another test. The most interesting thing I find is that my B9 (folate) is decreasing as my B12 increases. You would need to be tested for B12 to get your B12 level. Watch the video suggested in the other reply to see the specific tests that can be done.
Ann
Hi Ann,
Diagnosed with severe B12 deficiency and received my second weekly injection today. I have epilepsy, too, and wonder if there might be some connection?
Kathy
I’m surprised at how many people who post on sites with B12 deficiency or histamine intolerance do mention epilepsy or seizures. Don’t know if they’ve ever done studies on it.
Hi Chris,
I am a vegan and I been having symptoms of low b12 like tingling or numbness in fingers and toes, weakness, tiredness,mood changes, depression, memory loss, trouble concentrating. My b6 came back normal. My b12 is 354 which my doctor said was a low normal and my d3 is 15. Can my symptoms be from my vitamin b12 or because of my vitamin d deficiency?
Gosh, you have severe vitamin D deficiency! Yes, the tingling and numbness can definitely be the result of that. This is how it started with my friend, too, who now has MS and lives on a daily 5000UI vit. D. Regardless of what you do with your B12, I’d recommend to start taking vitamin D supplements immediately!
I’m vegan, too, with similar B12 and 69 vitamin D, and I’m taking both supplements.
Megadose sublingual B12 treated my Herpes zoster ophthalmicus!!!
Just 4 days and my blisters dried and soon to fall off! Anyone knows what it’s like to have that disease will swear how excruciatingly painful it is. Aside from depression, affected brain, and affected eyesight–possibility of blindness.
My specialist doctor just prescribed paracetamol tramadol..and saying it will heal as time goes on! WTF! I felt a lot of pain and “PRESSURE” in the back of my left eye, and afraid of losing my left eye, and be blind. I analytically I thought that paracetamol is just for pain, but IT WILL NOT treat my progressing zoster ophthalmicus. So I searched and found an article, that in Indian research, b12 is the treatment!
This doctor also said she don’t believe in supplements, when I said I was taking megadose vitamin c.
Discern who to trust. Use your common sense. Because some doctors are incompetent.
Hi, Han,
interesting, i have never heard of it.
what is the dosage you uses? but last time i had my blood tested, my B12 was pretty high
so you think i should still try supplement B12.
(it was very painful + my L eye didn’t see very well for 2 weeks)
thanks.
Please do not make categorical analysis about vegetarians without having a clue about vegetarianism. Western vegetarians cannot form a sample for Indian vegetarians by any stretch of the imagination. In the west, there is a colossal shortage of edible and cuisine fit vegetables. What you have is peanuts compared to what is available in a largely vegetarian society like India. The imagination rich cuisine of India ensures that all those symptoms you speak of do not occur in the well nourished vegetarian Indian. Having 80 year olds with excellent memory and no strokes (and these are folk who don’t touch eggs, seafood, and any form of meat) was a common factor in India.
So before you spout out meaningless analysis in the name of having done research, be careful about the language you use. Specifically, confirm that when you refer to vegetarians, you refer to White vegetarians living on Western vegetarian diet. I have tasted the vegan diet. It tastes abysmal. Only self denying gluttons for punishment would go for such a diet. The subcontinental vegetarian diet, which is promoted in India and forms the basis for a yogic lifestyle is largely misunderstood by the linear thinking western rationalist, who lives his life like a horse with blinkers on, believing he has understood all there is to be understood.
So, what’s the difference exactly in your opinion? The variety of available vegetables?
I live in London and became vegan when I read a linear thinker’s book called “The China Study”. Yeah, science stuff and sort. There are ethnic markets around here, btw, with all sorts of vegetables, even things that I have never seen before. Obviously, I’m just a narrow-minded Westerner who knows nothing, but the variety seems pretty great here if someone’s interested to have it…
THE CHINA STUDY…?! You mean to say there are STILL people gullible enough to fall for Col’s Collossal Con…?! Well, ya know what they say about suckers…
So, basically, you became vegan for “health reasons”, and based those ‘health reasons’ on a book written by a quack who faked most of his ‘research’. Colin Campbell DID NOT write that book from a truly objective perspective, he wrote it as someone pushing an agenda – NONE of his ‘research’ stands up to even the SLIGHTEST casual scrutiny – I’ve read it, and saw through the BS within 2 pages!
http://www.rawfoodsos.com – read Denise Minger’s thorough debunking here.
People who go vegan for health reasons are foolish – but people who read TCS as a serious piece of scientific research, quite frankly are out of their minds!
See someone with letters after their name, and some people develop Pied Piper Syndrome.
COLIN CAMPBELL IS A FRAUD AND A CHARLATAN!
Minger? Ah, I remember, that 23 yrs old English major who fancies herself as a statistician without any scientific background (laughed at by anybody who knows anything about statistics – obviously not you), while desperately trying to find random correlations in a 800-pages book published by a “charlatan”, only to support her own biased views on diets and gain some temporary fame for herself… (at least she succeeded with the second one – all idiots copy-pasting the link to her blog like no tomorrow). The biggest joke is how little she understands of Campbell’s warning about the necessity of a holistic view on diet… Anyway, go with her, darling, that looks like a much smarter choice. 🙂
Btw, I keep an omnivore day every week (when I eat mostly fish or liver). If you read the whole book (which I doubt you did or would), you can see that Campbell doesn’t claim that eating animal food is entirely bad for you. He’s happy to admit that there’s no proof that including 5% animal protein in your diet is actually worse than including 0%. Also, while he says “avoid” meat, poultry, dairy and eggs, he only says “minimize” fish. Minimizing also makes sense if you consider some ethical reasons (I know, you are not the type with such considerations), such as the dangerous decrease of fish populations in the oceans or the massive human slavery in the sector. (In case you want to see the real cost of the fish on your plate:
http://ejfoundation.org/oceans/soldtotheseafilm)
http://www.ecorazzi.com/2014/03/08/breaking-al-gore-predicts-hell-eat-vegan-for-life/, I’ve just come across this. Two “suckers” mentioned here with very low IQs for sure… The one called Clinton was reportedly convinced by Campbell’s and Esselstyn’s work.
Hi Chris,
My B12 was low, 233 pg/mL, so I started taking B12 methylfolate- 1000 mcg. A year and a half later, it’s up to 483 pg/mL, but in the same time my folate has dropped from 17.6 to 10.4 ng/mL. Is that normal? I’ve also gotten my Hgb, Hct and MVC into the normal range, but MCH 26.1 and MCHC 31.7 are still low and RDW is high 25.7%
you say “A common myth amongst vegetarians and vegans is that it’s possible to get B12 from plant sources like ”
and this:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10794633
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8926531
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7562085 from here
“On the basis of these results we conclude that some seaweeds consumed in large amounts can supply adequate amounts of bioavailable vitamin B-12”
we are talking about 5-10 gr of dried Nori.
Plus the populations who have endogenous production of b12.
Vegans have a higher risk of b12 deficiency, it is true, but the reasons aren’t other ones than diet alone and it is possible to not ever have a b12 deficiency without any supplementations (maybe not so easy this times).
Chris,
Thanks for all the research you do and for your generosity in posting this important information for us; I regard you as one of the best health researchers I know and trust your opinions. My 17 yr old daughter who is Compound hetero MTHFR scored low for B12 on the Spectracell test, so I’m going to start her on your recommended supplements. However, I question whether to start her on the TMG because her homocysteine is low (5.5)?
Hi,
I am pregnant and currently taking a prenatal vitamin with 30mcg of b12, 5 mg b6, 600mcg of folate. I am sick all of the time so a lady at the health food store recommended i take Superior Source b12/b6/folic acid combo. It’s 2 mg of b6, 400 mcg of folic acid and 1,000 mcg of b12.
Is this amount safe to take while pregnant?
Hi Lydia,
You might want to examine the folate source as a potential thing which is making you sick. I get sick when I take folate or folic acid supplements…no matter how small the amount. I can only handle folate in the active methylfolate form. I’ve tried many brands of multis and b-complexes, and it’s the folate/folic acid which consistently makes me ill. The only 2 brands of b-complexes I can handle are Swanson Ultra Activated B-complex, and now a new one, Doctors Best Fully Active B complex (both brands have the active form of methylfolate). Not saying this is your problem as well, but maybe you could look at it.
FYI, I have one of the MTHFR mutations, which I guess is very common. I suspect this is why I’m so sensitive to the various folates.
I am a vegetarian…and have been almost all my life. I just turned 40 this year and have had some health problems…but nothing too major. 11 years ago I was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy. I had a severe case…with all the typical symptoms that come with Bell’s. I recovered fully after about a month with the help of prednisone, rest, and daily facial massages. Well, yesterday I got Bell’s Palsy again for the second time (11 years later). This time my bout with Bell’s seems to be much, much milder than the first round. My question is…if only 40,000 people get it yearly, how come I am on my second round?? The only thing I can think of is that since I am a vegetarian (borderline Vegan) has my B-12 deficiency caused this to happen (Bell’s)? Is there a link between Bell’s and low B12?
I’ve seen some scientific articles on India and B12 deficiency, but am in a rush this morning. Check this out http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-07/health/33581060_1_b12-milk-and-milk-products-deficiency
As an indian and vegetarian i would like to know if the studies were carried out here? The symptons are too generic ( like every other vitamn pages in wiki). As having a long history of vegetarian( which btw includes dairy products but not eggs ) i would like to know if there are specific symtons related to indian sub-continent.
I am 37 years old and about 2 years ago I thought I was literally losing my mind. Forgetting everything, seeing things, etc. Bad headaches including debilitating migraines. The only thing the doctor found that was odd was low iron. I’m not a vegetarian but I don’t get a lot of red meat in my diet usually just because of the simple thing called cost. So, I was getting worse. The next appointment just low iron again and I asked to have more tests as to why. It turned out to be a little more serious but they still didn’t/don’t seem to think it’s much of a problem. The anemia was found and then the B12 deficiency. My B12 level was under 100. I now give myself an injection every other week but I only feel slightly better for a day or so after the injection then I go downhill FAST. I’m VERY worried but my doctors don’t seem to be. I don’t know what to do. Maybe I am losing my mind.