Many of my patients report extreme fatigue following a bout of viral fever, whether it’s COVID-19 or the flu. And many of them take vitamin B12 pills as part of their recovery. However, taking a supplement may not always work. It must be clinically proven that your vitamin B12 levels have dropped significantly to warrant supplementation. Otherwise, much of the usual deficiency can be compensated by dietary intervention. And if your levels are normal, a supplement won’t work.
Many patients feel that their vitamin B12 levels have dropped due to a viral infection. It’s not true. What they don’t realize is that they were lacking in vitamin B12 before and usually no one tests themselves exclusively for their vitamin levels. So when an infection sets in, these low levels drop. Post-viral, deficiency symptoms become more evident. The only good part is that vitamin B12 is water soluble. So the body will take what it needs – that is, if you need it – and pass the excess through your urine without causing major harm. On the contrary, vitamin D causes toxicity because it is fat soluble and stays in your system.
WHY YOUR BODY NEEDS VITAMIN B12
Vitamin B 12 (cobalamin) plays an important role in the formation of red blood cells, the maintenance of cellular metabolism, proper nerve function and the protection of our DNA, the basic unit of life. Untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue, muscle weakness, bowel problems, shortness of breath, hair loss, headaches and backaches, nerve damage, impaired mood, depression (because it affects serotonin), brain fog, atrophy and dementia. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also raise your levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which thickens and clots the blood. Sometimes the manifestation of deficiencies can be extreme with patients presenting with conditions such as difficulty walking, irritability and weight loss. In short, a deficiency can affect all organ systems.
HOW TO GET VITAMIN B12 FROM YOUR DIET?
Most people get enough vitamin B12 from a balanced diet. You can get it easily from poultry, meat, fish, and dairy products. But plant foods don’t contain vitamin B-12, so what you need are fortified foods like cereal.
WHO NEEDS IT AND HOW MUCH?
The recommended daily amount of vitamin B12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms. Of course, as we get older, especially after 60, our stomachs tend to produce less acid, which makes it harder to extract vitamin B12 from food. Even vegetarians and vegans can have this problem, as can pregnant and breastfeeding women. This is why this group may need oral supplementation. In fact, 80% of Indians in this group are deficient and develop a host of health complications. In fact, that’s why we’re working on vitamin B12, thyroid, and vitamin D markers to at least prevent or resolve conditions arising from their deficiency.
HOW TO GIVE VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENTS?
Usually, doctors prescribe oral supplements for about a month. But if your levels are very low, you may need a vitamin B12 injection. Five injections, twice a week, should take care of the deficit. Then one can continue with the usual pills. Sometimes we prescribe folic acid (also called folate or vitamin B9) with vitamin B12 to improve iron levels in anemia. The combination also works better for boosting immune functions. But only take folic acid on doctor’s advice, because taking it arbitrarily could just lead to excessive levels that could cause them to work against the grain.
SHOULD I GET MY VITAMIN B12 LEVEL CHECKED?
Verification is not systematic, but you should start verifying it once you are 60 years old. Usually, blood tests look for markers of anemia, low levels of vitamin B12, and high levels of homocysteine and methylmalonic acid (MMA). Reading these three elements together can give us a pretty good idea of the severity of our impairment.
CONTRAINDICATIONS?
Excess levels of vitamin B12 can cause gastrointestinal issues such as bloating, diarrhea, and nausea.
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First published on: 2023-04-13 at 12:30 PM IST