Everyone knows the feeling. It’s 9 a.m. after a late night, you just sat down at your desk and you can’t imagine how you’re going to get through a whole work day without falling asleep where you’re sitting. It’s fatigue, and it hits all of us at one time or another. But for many, that fatigue won’t go away, and that could indicate a deficiency in vitamin B. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is about a 10 percent chance that the average American is deficient in a given vitamin or nutrient. Conversely, the rates of vitamin toxicity have risen in recent years due to the increased use of multivitamins, and about 60,000 instances of vitamin toxicity are reported to U.S. poison control centers each year. Vitamin toxicity, which is an overabundance of a vitamin in the body, can take a tragic toll if it isn’t caught in time, causing damage to several organ systems, including your nerves, liver, kidneys and brain. If you’re concerned that you’re getting too much or not enough nutrients like vitamin B, a vitamin level test might be just what you need.
Vitamin B is an extremely important nutrient for the function of the immune system, metabolism and production of healthy skin, nails and red blood cells. The B vitamin family includes vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B12 and folic acid, and each of these serves a different, but important, purpose in the body. The most commonly deficient of these are vitamin B6 and folic acid, which are important for the metabolism, immune system and fetal development. Deficiencies in these vitamins can cause extreme fatigue, confusion, a weakened immune system and rashes. For most B vitamins, the recommended daily amount is in the range of 5-20 mg.
The best way to determine whether you’re getting the right amount of vitamin B is to have your vitamin levels tested. Any Lab Test Now offers vitamin level testing at all of its locations, and with the results of a vitamin test, you can approach your doctor about how to solve any toxicities or deficiencies. With a vitamin as important to basic bodily functions as vitamin B, this test can mean the difference between walking around like a zombie and having enough energy to live life to the fullest. You owe it to yourself to make sure your nutrition is working for you!
