To see how well your tablets are working, your doctor may ask you about symptoms such as tiredness and lack of energy. You may also have regular blood tests to monitor the levels of vitamin B12 in your blood.
Once you begin treating your vitamin B12 deficiency, it can take up to six to 12 months to fully recover. It is also common to not experience any improvement during the first few months of treatment.
If you are low in B12, you will feel weak and tired. Vitamin B12 can give you more energy, boost your metabolism, and help you lose weight.
What is vitamin B12 and what does it do? Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps keep your body's blood and nerve cells healthy and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all of your cells. Vitamin B12 also helps prevent megaloblastic anemia, a blood condition that makes people tired and weak.
Key points about vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
Without enough oxygen, your body can't work as well. Symptoms include weak muscles, numbness, trouble walking, nausea, weight loss, irritability, fatigue, and increased heart rate.
So does vitamin B12 give you energy? While B12 doesn't directly provide energy, it does give the body the tools it needs to convert food molecules into energy. Getting the recommended daily amount of B12 can therefore help ensure that the body is able to make the energy it needs to do everything you need it to do.
More Serious Effects
B12 injections may contribute to low potassium levels in your body. Though rare, this reaction can cause muscle cramping, extreme fatigue, and an irregular heartbeat.
Vitamin B12 is needed for the production of serotonin, a chemical responsible for regulating mood. Vitamin B12 supplements may help improve mood in people with an existing deficiency.
Vitamin B-12 and other B vitamins play a role in producing brain chemicals that affect mood and other brain functions. Low levels of B-12 and other B vitamins such as vitamin B-6 and folate may be linked to depression.
Diet. Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.
Vitamin B12 is considered an important brain and nervous system micronutrient and is often used for anxiety. It helps to ensure normal function for your nerves, which can help combat physical symptoms of anxiety.
Vitamin B12 works on the pineal gland, which is responsible for the production of melatonin. The vitamin helps increase the production of melatonin during the nighttime hours, as well as release it earlier, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.
Brain Function
B12 is a key nutrient for nervous system health. It is important for producing serotonin and dopamine, which are mood-enhancing neurotransmitters. As a result, vitamin B12 can help to prevent and treat depression and anxiety. It can improve focus and memory as well.
Not getting enough vitamin B12 to the point of a deficiency can cause a variety of serious symptoms including depression, joint pain, and fatigue.
Stress is known to deplete our levels of B vitamins, especially vitamin B12. Vegetarians, vegans and those on restricted diets can struggle to get enough vitamin B12 to meet their body's needs.
One of those vital nutrients is B12, also known as cobalamin. B12 promotes healthy hair growth by assisting in the production of oxygen-rich red blood cells, which feed hair follicles.
Scientists have long been researching the relationship between low levels of B12 (cobalamin) and memory loss. However, if you get an adequate amount of B12, there is no evidence that higher intake has positive effects.
Vitamin B12 is often used to improve cognitive function, depressive symptoms, and fatigue. In most cases, such complaints are not associated with overt vitamin B12 deficiency or advanced neurological disorders and the effectiveness of vitamin B12 supplementation in such cases is uncertain.
When it comes to brain health, focus on the three B's : vitamins B6, B12, and B9 (folate). “These three types of B vitamins are necessary for the brain's normal functioning,” says Dr. Agarwal, “and any deficiency in them may increase the risk of memory loss and other forms of cognitive decline.”
Bananas also contain fibre and potassium. It helps manage blood pressure, reduce stress, and relieve constipation and ulcer problems. The fruit also helps regulate body temperature. Another fruit that is rich in vitamin B12 is blueberries.
As a general rule of thumb, take your B vitamins in the morning or with a meal. Vitamin B12, for example, should definitely be taken in the morning. This is because it is important for energy metabolism, which may interrupt your sleep if taken at night.
Should You Take Vitamin B12 At Night? Ideally, no. While there is no scientific evidence recommending against taking B12 at night, because of its role in energy production, it can elicit a stimulatory effect in some people, as do the other B vitamins.
Magnesium. Magnesium was the featured nutrient in a study published in the Journal of Research of Medical Science, which found that adding a supplement in elderly participants improved the symptoms of insomnia and sleep quality. Nuts, beans, seeds, tofu, bananas and whole grains are all good sources of magnesium.
Higher intakes of both Vitamins B12 and B6 reduced depressive symptoms over time. Vitamin B12 levels were reported to be correlated with melancholic depressive symptoms more than non-melancholic. Supplementation of Vitamin B12 along with anti-depressant therapy greatly improved depressive symptoms.