*** Vitamin B12 - How do we get it?
*** Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms
*** Vitamin B12 Deficiency - How common is it?
- Inadequate Digestive Function
- Vegetarian and Vegan Diets
- Pharmaceutical Medications can contribute to Vitamin B12 deficiency
*** Vitamin B12 Deficiency - How to deal with it?
- Make sure your diet contains adequate animal protein
- Improve your digestive function with Betaine HCL + Pepsin, Dipan-9
- Improve your Vitamin B12 level with Methylguard Homocysteine Spray
"Never, never, never give up."
Winston Churchill
"If you think nobody cares if you are alive, try missing a couple of car payments."
a friend of mine
"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is NOT for you."
common sense
"If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it."
the moral of the story...
Vitamin B12 is also called cobalamin - it contains cobalt.
Vitamin B12 is a very important vitamin with many functions.
Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells
Vitamin B12 is vital for the production of DNA, the genetic material inside all cells
If untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency leads to anemia and nerve and brain damage, which is sometimes irreversible.
Vitamin B12 - How do we get it?
Vitamin B12 is found in animal protein as a food source.
Hydrochloric acid (hcl) in the stomach releases vitamin B12 from the animal proteins as part of the digestive process.
Vitamin B12 then combines and forms a complex with Intrinsic Factor (IF) which is released by the parietal cells of the stomach lining.
This complex can then be absorbed by the intestinal tract.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms
Because vitamin B12 deficiency affects the brain and entire nervous system, any and all human functions can be negatively affected:
Abdominal pain
Alzheimer’s
Anemia
Ataxic gait
Balance disorders
Cerebellar ataxia
Color blindness
Confusion
Decreased sensitivity to vibration
Dementia
Difficulty maintaining balance and walking
Difficulty with coordination
Dizziness
Fainting
Cognitive difficulties
Headache
Leg pains (intermittent claudication)
Loss of appetite
Loss of vision
Memory loss
Menstrual problems
Mood disorders
Muscle weakness
Neuropathy
Numbness in the hands or feet
Optic atrophy
Parkinson’s
Pernicious anemia
Poor memory
Psychosis
Reduced cognitive function
Reduced or altered sense of touch
Shortness of breath
Sleep disturbances
Soreness, redness or burning of the mouth
Soreness, redness or burning of the tongue
Subacute comb.degeneration of spinal cord
Tingling in the hands and feet
Tremors
Weight loss
Vitamin B12 Deficiency - How common is it?
It is estimated that at least 40% of the US population suffers from Vitamin B12 deficiency. Recent research, however, indicates that the incidence of vitamin B12 deficiency may be substantially higher than 40%.
1. Inadequate Digestive Function
Most people who come to my clinic or contact me online suffer from digestive problems. HCL - stomach acid deficiency - seems to be a wide spread problem in the population. Without adequate HCL, vitamin B12 cannot be separated from animal protein food sources, and consequently cannot combine with Intrinsic Factor to be absorbed in the intestinal tract.
This problem is even more common in the aging population. Statistically there is a decline of stomach acid production with aging. This leads to inadequate protein digestion, consequently to vitamin B12 deficiency.
Many elderly suffer from atrophic gastritis with loss of parietal cells which produce Intrinsic Factor. This again leads to vitamin B12 deficiency. This may explain in part the vast increase of neurological/brain problems in the elderly, such as Alzheimer's, depression, Parkinson's, neuropathy, etc.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is obviously widespread among vegetarians and vegans, as their diet does not include any form of animal proteins.
Quote from:
Ann Nutr Metab. 1982;26(4):209-16.Links
Serum vitamin B12 and blood cell values in vegetarians.
Dong A, Scott SC.
Serum vitamin B12 and complete blood count values were determined for 83 volunteer subjects from an American vegetarian society conference (USA). Among subjects who did not supplement their diets with vitamin B12 or multiple vitamin tablets, 92% of the vegans (total vegetarians), 64% of the lactovegetarians, 47% of the lacto-ovovegetarians and 20% of the semivegetarians had serum vitamin B12 levels less than 200 pg/ml (normal = 200-900 pg/ml). However, their complete blood count values did not deviate greatly from those found for nonvegetarians, even though some had been vegans or lactovegetarians for over 10 years. Macrocytosis among the vegetarians was minimal; none had mean corpuscular volume greater than 103 fl.
End Quote
3. Many Pharmaceutical Medications contribute to Vitamin B12 Deficiency
1. Proton pump inhibitors are medications designed to suppress the production of stomach acid. This in turn interferes with protein digestion and leads to vitamin B12 deficiency.
Clinically used proton pump inhibitors:
Omeprazole (brand names: Losec, Prilosec, Zegerid, ocid)
Lansoprazole (brand names: Prevacid, Zoton, Inhibitol)
Esomeprazole (brand names: Nexium)
Pantoprazole (brand names: Protonix, Somac, Pantoloc, Pantozol, Zurcal, Pan)
Rabeprazole (brand names: Rabecid, Aciphex, Pariet, Rabeloc)
End Quote
2. Diabetes Drug Metformin may contribute to Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Quote
Risk Factors of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Patients Receiving Metformin
Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:1975-1979.
Results A total of 155 patients with metformin-related vitamin B12 deficiency (mean ± SD serum vitamin B12 concentration, 148.6 ± 40.4 pg/mL [110 ± 30 pmol/L]) were compared with 310 matched controls (466.1 ± 330.4 pg/mL [344 ± 244 pmol/L]). After adjusting for confounders, we found clinically important and statistically significant association of vitamin B12 deficiency with dose and duration of metformin use. Each 1-g/d metformin dose increment conferred an odds ratio of 2.88 (95% confidence interval, 2.15-3.87) for developing vitamin B12 deficiency (P<.001). Among those using metformin for 3 years or more, the adjusted odds ratio was 2.39 (95% confidence interval, 1.46-3.91) (P = .001) compared with those receiving metformin for less than 3 years. After exclusion of 113 subjects with borderline vitamin B12 concentration, dose of metformin remained the strongest independent predictor of vitamin B12 deficiency.
End Quote
Vitamin B12 Deficiency - How to deal with it?
*** Make sure your diet contains adequate animal protein
*** Improve your digestive function
1. - Support adequate protein digestion with Betaine HCL and Pepsin
Betaine HCl & Pepsin supports normal function of the stomach. This product is helpful in acidifying the stomach for patients with digestive disorders, especially those with difficulty breaking down proteins.
HCL production in the stomach tends to decline with aging. HCL deficiency can lead to
- malnutrition
- heartburn
- vitamin B12 deficiency
2. - Add Pancreatic Function Enzymes Dipan-9
Dipan-9 enhances carbohydrate, fat and protein digestion.
*** Improve your Vitamin B12 levels
1. - MethylGuard contains Vitamin B12 as Methylcobalamin
2. - Homocysteine Oral Spray with Methylcobalamin
- For immediate results - bypasses the digestive tract
- Great for kids
In order to get a sense of our clinical work, please review some of our client comments.
Sincerely
Dr. Z
Peter Zeischegg, MS, DC, DACNB
Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist
13288 Banner Lava Cap Road, Suite A
Nevada City, Ca 95959
USA
(530) 265-0224
Visit our website.
ODDHC - Oxygen Enriched Air, Diet, Digestion, Hypoglycemia/Blood Sugar, Candida
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©Copyright Dr. Peter Zeischegg, MS, DC, 2008. All Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, as long as copyright, contact, and creation information is given, only if used only in a not-for-profit format and for personal use. If possible, I would also appreciate an endorsement and encouragement to subscribe to the newsletter. If any other use is desired, written permission is required.
Peter M. Zeischegg, known to his patients and on-line clients as Dr. Z, was born and raised in Germany.
1970 – receives his Dipl. Ing. Degree (Master of Science) in Civil Engineering from Technical University Berlin
1970-71 - attends University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign for postgraduate studies in Hydrology.
1971 - decides to quit the engineering field because he cannot establish an emotional connection to make this a truly satisfying career.
1978 - severe back injury leads him to become interested in chiropractic.
1983-86 - attends Life Chiropractic College-West. He discovers that ALL true healing comes not from drugs or surgery, but from within.
1991 - trip with Occidental Research Institute to Germany - is introduced to alternative-biological medicine and Sanum homeopathy.
1996 – research into Low Level Laser Therapy
Develops expertise in alternative solutions for Functional Illness, Candida, Fibromyalgia, Hypoglycemia, Chronic Fatigue, ADD/ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Digestive Problems, Allergies/Asthma, Heartburn/Indigestion, Food Allergies, Oxygen Deficiency, Brain and Chronic Illness
2001 – launches www.drz.org - website for Holistic On-Line Alternative Health Help
2002-2007 - post graduate studies in Functional Neurology with Carrick Institute
2005 Diplomate of American Chiropractic Neurology Board (DACNB)
2006 Autism and Dyslexia - specialty training with Carrick Institute
2006 Physician’s Training with Autism Research Institute (DAN!)
2007/2008 Vestibular Rehabilitation, Balance Disorders, Vertigo, Tinnitus, Dizziness - specialty training with Carrick Institute
Contact Dr. Z:
e-mail: drz@drz.org
Phone: 530-265-0224
Website: www.drz.org
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