Vitamin B12 is essential for red blood cell development, as well as healthy DNA and nerves. Adults need an average of 2.4 micrograms of Vitamin B12 a day.
The human body doesn’t make this essential vitamin naturally. It is acquired by eating the right kinds of foods, such as green vegetables, meat, and yeast and dairy products. It helps to take supplements or have wellness injections in a vitamin lounge. Stomach acid is needed to release B12, so if you have had weight loss surgery then you might find that your levels drop.
According to The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, about 3.2 percent of adults above the age of 50 are low on vitamin B12 and some 20 percent are deficient.
Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Patients who are deficient in vitamin B12 may experience the following symptoms:
- Muscle weakness
- Numbing or tingling sensation in the hands in feet
- Difficulty in walking
- Nausea
- Easily tired or fatigued
- Fast heart rate
- Decreased appetite
- Weight loss
- Frequent diarrhea
- Irritability
It is also common for people with anemia to be vitamin B12-deficient. The deficiency may also lead to the body’s difficulty in absorbing vitamin B9 or folate, which is needed by pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as those with kidney diseases.
Treating Vitamin B12 Deficiency
It is possible to treat vitamin B12 deficiency by changing a person’s diet or taking supplements rich in folic acid, as prescribed by the doctor. The goal of the treatment is to increase the folate levels to the point where the patient can finally stop taking the supplements.
For some patients, vitamin B12 injections may be needed to improve their condition, especially for those with pernicious anemia. This is an autoimmune condition wherein the antibodies attack the proteins (vitamin B12) eaten by the patient from meat and other animal products.
According to the Pernicious Anaemia Society, vitamin B12 injections are cost-effective, efficient and tolerable as maintenance or treatment. How often a patient requires the injection depends on the case but the usual dose is 100 mcg daily injections for seven days. As a form of maintenance, a patient may be injected with 100 mcg every month for life.
Who offers B12 injections in Gainesville, Fl
Advanced Pain Medical Center is the only physician-supervised IV vitamin lounge in the area. This ensures that all of our treatments are well done. For inquiries, contact us or call us at 352-888-PAIN.
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
