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Edited on Thu Mar-03-05 07:08 PM by HypnoToad
B12 is needed for the formation of blood cells and promotes growth. It also increases energy and memory and is required for metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and protein.
Natural sources include kelp, bananas, peanuts, Concord grapes, sunflower seeds, brewer's yeast, wheat germ, bee pollen, liver, beef, eggs, pork, milk, and cheese.
Deficiency symptoms are very slow to appear, taking as long as five years to manifest. They include changes in the nervous system, such as soreness and weakness in the legs and arms, diminished reflex response, loss of sensory perception, difficulty in walking (albeit slight), speech problems (stammering), and jerking of limbs. Also, nervousness, unpleasant body odor, menstrual disturbances, and neuritis are signs of deficiency.
B12 deficiency can cause a type of brain damage similar to schizophrenia. Symptoms include a sore mouth, numbness or stiffness, shooting pains, and a pins-and-needles sensation.
If deficiencies are not detected early, permanent mental deterioration may result. See your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms.
Another site adds:
* Depression * Anxiety * loss of appetite * diarrhea (had a 4 week episode of this 1.5 years ago, no cause found or attempted to be found by the doc) * numbness and tingling of hands and feet * paleness * shortness of breath * fatigue * weakness * sore mouth and tongue * confusion or change in mental status in severe or advanced cases (even noticed this today, abnormal even by my own standards)
I boldfaced my symptoms, or the ones I can recognize.
None of my regular physicians looked at vitamin problems. Neither did my counselors or psychiatrists.
If it were not for a 3rd party neurologist who went for a blood test instead of just saying it's stress of schizo-whatever, Lord knows if I'd ever have been put on the right track. The blood tests had proven 2 B12-related
And given nobody looks at diet or vitamin absorption and prefers to prescribe pills, do I have a case? Not a lawsuit to claim money as much as I want these bastards to take EVERYTHING into consideration before prescribing one fucking pill. It's not fair to me or any other patient who has to go through a living nightmare because they don't do a proper job. x(
Note: One counselor thought I had schizo-affective disorder. A different one said schizo-typal. My co-worker/friends who happen to be licensed counselors were SHOCKED to hear I'd ever been diagnosed with schizo-anything. And when a co-worker who helped me to the clinic one day witnessed the utter incompetence of my doctor, my case has real weight to it.
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