Could my symptoms be due to low B12?
Vitamin B-12 is an essential nutrient that keeps the body functioning properly. Symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency include fatigue, low mood, and nerve problems. The human body does not create vitamin B-12, so people must get this nutrient from their diet. It is crucial for making DNA and red blood cells, and it helps support the nervous system.
Can B12 injection lead to increased anxiety?
Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression: Treatment with a supplement containing a high dose of B12 for 60 days significantly improved depression and anxiety symptoms in adults when compared to a placebo ( 4 ).
Can lack of vitamin B12 cause anxiety?
There have been studies that have pointed out to more than twofold chances of depression in women with lack of vitamin B12 in the body, which could lead to anxiety and panic attacks. However, anxiety is noticed in people who are not particularly depressed too.
Can taking too much vitamin B12 be harmful?
Too much vitamin B12 side effects by overconsumption are rare. It is safe to consume too much vitamin B12, but keep in mind it may negatively interact with other medication. The most common effect of these medications is they do not allow your body to effectively absorb the amount of vitamin you need.
What happens if your B12 is too high?
However, supplementing with excessively high levels of B12 has been linked to some negative side effects. Several studies have shown that megadoses of the vitamin can lead to outbreaks of acne and rosacea, a skin condition that causes redness and pus-filled bumps on the face.14-Jun-2018
Can too much B12 make you jittery?
Although B-12 occurs naturally in some foods, if you have a deficiency, you may need to take B-12 supplements. Taking B-12 can have some side effects, but making you feel jittery is not a common one.
Should I be worried if my B12 is high?
Though daily high doses of B12 are unlikely to cause harm in most people, extremely high doses should be avoided unless a healthcare professional prescribes it. If you think you may be deficient in B12, speak with your doctor, who can recommend an appropriate treatment based on your level of deficiency.
Can too many B vitamins cause anxiety?
Some of the negative side effects of vitamin B overdose include mood swings, restlessness, depression, and panic attacks. Mood swings can worsen in people who suffer from paranoia, confusion, or mental fogginess; due to the high doses of vitamin B complex.
What are the side effects of too much vitamin B?
What happens if you get too much vitamin B complex?excessive thirst.skin conditions.blurry vision.abdominal cramps.nausea.vomiting.increased urination.diarrhea.More items...•02-Apr-2018
Is B12 level of 1500 too high?
There is no consensus on the definition of high or elevated B12. Previous studies have chosen a variety of levels to represent high or very high B12 (pmol/l) levels. Some examples include: 664.219; 5131; 700 (high) and 1500 (very high)11; and 601 (high) and 1000 (very high)10.
What can I do to lower my B12 level?
If you don't eat animal products, you have options. You can change your diet to include vitamin B12-fortified grains, a supplement or B12 injections, or a high-dose oral vitamin B12 if you are deficient.14-Dec-2021
How do you control high B12?
How to Get Rid of Excess Vitamin B12Reduce the amount of animal-derived foods that appear in your diet, as they contain vitamin B12. ... Drink more water to help flush your body of water-soluble elements in the blood, which includes vitamin B12.More items...
What are the symptoms of a B12 deficiency?
Symptoms of a B12 deficiency include fatigue and weakness. Finally, high blood levels of B12 can be a sign of more serious health conditions, including liver disease and blood cancer. If your doctor is alarmed by your B12 levels, he'll likely perform repeated tests at intervals to confirm your status.
What is the normal B12 level?
The B12 normal range for healthy adults is between 160 to 950 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL). Anything over 950 (pg/mL) is considered high. There are a few reasons why your blood levels may be elevated: If you've just had a B12 injection, your blood levels could be temporarily high.
What is the function of B12?
B12's primary function is the formation of healthy red blood cells. Your red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin, responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body. In people with low B12 levels, weakness and fatigue are common symptoms. However, the opposite — high energy — is not a sign of high B12. Although many people take this supplement with the goal of improving their energy levels, endurance and sports performance, B12 increases energy only in those with a deficiency.
Does B12 need to be excreted?
As a water-soluble vitamin, any B12 your body can't use is usually excreted in urine. It's not stored in the body, and you must replenish your source of the nutrient each day through your diet and supplements. Therefore, blood levels depend on your diet and supplementation at any given time.
Can B12 cause acne?
According to a 2015 review in The American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, B12 supplementation may cause acne and rosacea. If you experience any side effects of any kind from taking B12 as a supplement or receiving an injection, talk to your doctor about whether you should continue taking the vitamin. Advertisement.
Can B12 injections cause muscle cramps?
According to WebMD, potential but unlikely side effects of B12 injections include muscle cramps, weakness and irregular heartbeat. This is because the injection can cause blood levels of the mineral potassium to decrease. Therefore you may experience symptoms associated with potassium deficiency.
Is B12 high in blood?
High blood levels of B12 are rare. Image Credit: bee32/iStock/Getty Images. High blood levels of B12 are rare. If your levels are high, you might not know it unless you visit a doctor and have a B12 blood test. Although there are a few potential side effects from any dose of B12, it carries little risk of causing serious symptoms or side effects, ...
27 Answers
WOAH... I'm about to fall over from your post right now. My blood tests also had me low on B12 and D, and I also started 5000 and D200, but I've been taking the supplements for about a week and a half now.
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How long does B12 help with anxiety?
Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression: Treatment with a supplement containing a high dose of B12 for 60 days significantly improved depression and anxiety symptoms in adults when compared to a placebo ( 4. Trusted Source. ).
What are the benefits of B12?
For example, studies show that supplemental B12 may benefit people without a deficiency in the following ways: 1 Improved mood: One study found that supplementing healthy men with a B-complex vitamin containing a high dose of B12 improved ratings of stress and enhanced performance on cognitive tests ( 3#N#Trusted Source#N#). 2 Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression: Treatment with a supplement containing a high dose of B12 for 60 days significantly improved depression and anxiety symptoms in adults when compared to a placebo ( 4#N#Trusted Source#N#).
How much B12 should I take daily?
For reference, the recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg for both men and women, though pregnant and breastfeeding women have a higher need ( 11. Trusted Source. ).
What is the UL of B12?
UL refers to the maximum daily dose of a vitamin unlikely to cause adverse side effects in the general population. This threshold has not been set for B12 because your body excretes whatever it doesn’t use through your urine. However, supplementing with excessively high levels of B12 has been linked to some negative side effects.
Why is B12 important?
B12 is an important nutrient that is essential for red blood cell formation, DNA synthesis and many other vital processes. Supplements may help boost mood and reduce symptoms of depression in those who are not deficient in this vitamin.
What to do if you are deficient in B12?
If you think you may be deficient in B12, speak with your doctor, who can recommend an appropriate treatment based on your level of deficiency. While no UL has been set for B12, your body’s ability to absorb the vitamin depends on how much it actually needs.
Does B12 cause acne?
However, supplementing with excessively high levels of B12 has been linked to some negative side effects. Several studies have shown that megadoses of the vitamin can lead to outbreaks of acne and rosacea, a skin condition that causes redness and pus-filled bumps on the face.
What supplements cause anxiety?
This vitamin is used in most energy supplements because it can increase the production and release of various energizing neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine , and serotonin. The problem here comes if a formula is unbalanced and provides high amounts of B6 relative to the other B-vitamins. Too much vitamin B-6 can increase the possibility of side effects such as restlessness, irritability, and numbness.
Does caffeine cause insomnia?
It's common knowledge that large amounts of caffeine or other stimulants have the potential to promote a state of unease characterized by nervousness, restlessness, insomnia, etc.
Is B12 good for you?
Most people associate B12 with health, energy, and vitality, so it's another vitamin found in high concentrations in many energy formulas. Like B6, high doses of B12 (>1,000 mcg) increase neurotransmitter levels, and as a result, have stimulating properties. This can be beneficial for people experiencing mood disorders like depression, though it can sometimes result in an "overshoot" and cause restlessness, anxiety, worry, and difficulty sleeping.
What is it?
Vitamin B 12, also known as cobalamin, is one of eight vitamins that form part of the B vitamins group.
Where does it come from?
Humans cannot make B 12. Nor can other animals, or even plants. The only things that can make it are bacteria.
What if we don't get enough?
A lack of B 12 can result in folate deficiency anaemia. This is a condition where the body produces abnormally large blood cells. These have low levels of haemoglobin, which is the stuff that carried oxygen around the body. So, it's really important.
How does it affect mental health?
Could a lack of B 12 be a source of mental health problems? It certainly sounds plausible. Given its roll in regulating the brain and nervous system, it sounds like a prime candidate.
How might it work?
The evidence suggests B 12 could improve our mental health. But how might it do this? Or, to use the technical term, what might be the mechanism of action (MOA)?
What are good sources?
The best source of B 12 is offal. 75g of lamb liver can contain as much as much as 60 mcg. Compare that to 18 mcg in 75g of mussels, 2.5 mcg in ground beef and 1.5 mcg in an egg.
What if I am a vegan?
There is one exception to the "just eat healthy rule", and that is being a vegan. Because animals products provide almost our entire supply of B 12, vegans can miss out.
What does it mean when you have high B12 levels?
If you have elevated vitamin B12 levels in your bloodstream, it is a sign of a serious illness. The most common diseases associated with high levels of the vitamin are kidney failure, blood cancers, leukemia, liver disease, polycythemia vera, and hypereosinophilic syndrome.
Why is my B12 level so high?
Elevated levels of vitamin B12 is caused by diseases that make your blood levels increase. A damaged liver would be a good example of this. Because it is not functioning correctly, it may release B12 into your blood from storage. This would cause your vitamin and blood levels to rise. Early symptoms of too much vitamin B12 side effects from illness include loss of appetite or fatigue. If you are experiencing these symptoms and feel generally unwell, see your doctor. He may want to order a blood test, which is the only way to definitively find out if your vitamin B12 levels are high, as well as decide if further tests are needed to find the underlying cause.
What is the B12 supplement?
Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin needed to help your body stay healthy. It can be found in meat, fish and dairy foods. You can also find it in forms of a supplement, available in caplets, as injections or an absorbable gel. Also referred to as cyanocobalamin, it is needed to make DNA, maintain red blood cells and support nerve cells.
What foods have B12?
Top 7 Foods Rich in Vitamin B12. 1. Beef Liver. Liver is very rich in vitamin B12. In fact, only one ounce of beef liver meets your daily recommended intake of the vitamin. It also helps with anemia as it is full of folate and iron, too.
Does B12 cause cognitive loss?
Also referred to as cyanocobalamin, it is needed to make DNA, maintain red blood cells and support nerve cells. It increases blood flow to the brain and inner ear, which decreases the rate of cognitive and hearing loss. Too much vitamin B12 side effects are nil as you cannot accumulate it to toxic levels. However, if your B12 levels are high, it ...
Can you overdose on vitamin B12?
It is very hard to overdose on vitamin B12, but you can put a moderate strain on your kidney if excess consumption occurs too often. Too much vitamin B12 side effects by overconsumption are rare.
Is it safe to take too much B12?
It is safe to consume too much vitamin B12, but keep in mind it may negatively interact with other medication. The most common effect of these medications is they do not allow your body to effectively absorb the amount of vitamin you need. One such medication is the antibiotic named chloramphenicol. Other types of drugs include those designed to relieve acid reflux and control Type 2 diabetes. If you need to take one of these medications, consult with your doctor as you may need to take a vitamin B12 supplement.