Are you constantly tired? Feeling like every day is a 3 to 4 cups of coffee kind of day? If you’re lacking energy on a regular basis, you may need more than just another cup of coffee…your body may be trying to tell you that you have a vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12, also known as the “energy vitamin”, plays a key role in turning the food you eat into energy to power your metabolism. Without adequate levels of the vitamin, you could suffer from memory loss, mood swings, and overall energy loss. If left untreated, the side effects can become even more serious resultinginpermanent nerve damage. Recent studies have suggested that anywhere from 15-40% of the American population today fail to obtain adequate levels of B12 due to their diet, medications and lifestyle.
So, do you know if you’re getting enough B12 to achieve your optimal health? What could put you at risk for developing a B12 deficiency? Because B12 absorption occurs in the stomach, a good starting point is to consider the current health state of your stomach.
People who suffer from gastrointestinal disorders like IBS, Celiac disease or Crohn’s disease are at a greater risk because their stomachs may not be able to fully absorb enough vitamin B12 from food or produce adequate intrinsic factor, a compound needed further along in digesting to absorb B12 in the small intestine.
Because stomach acid plays a major role in unlocking B12 from food in the digestive track, those who regularly take medicine to suppress gastric acid production also have a higher risk. Medications like aspirin, Metformin, and heartburn medicine are a few examples of this.
As a person ages, their stomach lining changeswhichsometimes resultsina decreased production of gastric acid. Because of this, people over the age of 50 tend to need B12 supplements to help them obtain an adequate amount needed for their health.
If you would like to know if you’re getting enough of the vitamin B12, call your local Any Lab Test Now today and schedule a Vitamin B12 Test.
