Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D: Do you need pills for it?
The majority of my patients come to me with complaints of extreme fatigue, body pains, tingling sensations, numbness, muscle weakness or forgetfulness. On examining the diagnosis, most of the time, it’s either Vitamin B12 or Vitamin D deficiency.
Why 90% of urban Indians are experiencing low Vitamin D?
The sun helps a human body in producing Vitamin D. We should be rich in vitamin D then. There’s practically no dearth of sun rays. However, Indians are still deficient in vitamin D levels.
Here’s why it’s happening.
The modern lifestyle and available facilities keep us more in the covers than before. For instance, these days, our day starts in a room with A.C. We get ready and commute via car with the windows rolled up. And then once you’re into your office which may or may not have windows. Even if there is a window, most people prefer to keep it covered.
A growing myth that I hear often is that sunlight is bad for humans — that even little contact causes “skin cancer” or tanning. we forget that we cannot survive without the sun, and sunlight leads to important chemical processes in the body you can’t do without.
What about Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is more problematic, especially for vegetarians. Vitamin B12 is made by microorganisms found in the soil and by microorganisms in the intestines of animals, including our own.
The amount made in our intestines is not adequately absorbed, so it is recommended that we consume B12 in food. Research has convincingly shown that plants grown in healthy soil that has a good concentration of vitamin B12 will readily absorb this nutrient. However, plants grown in “lifeless” soil (non-organic soil) may be deficient in vitamin B12.
Today, most of our agriculture takes place on relatively lifeless soil, decimated from years of unnatural pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizer use. So the plants grown in this soil and sold in our supermarkets lack B12.
In addition to this, we live in such a sanitized world that we rarely come into direct contact with the soil-borne microorganisms that produce B12. At one point in our history, we got B12 from vegetables that hadn’t been scoured of all soil. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to assume that vegetarian urban populations who eat highly cleansed plant products and no animal products are unlikely to get enough vitamin B12.
Purpose of Vitamin B12 in the body
- Generates energy
- Protects heart
- Keeps the bones healthy
- Prevents Nerve Damage
- Improves Mood and outlook
- Keeps the Alzheimer at bay
- Makes your body healthy and look young
Purpose of Vitamin D in the body
- Promotes calcium absorption
- Maintains normal calcium and phosphate levels
- Promotes bone and cell growth
- Reduces Inflammation
The average recommended amount, measured in micrograms (mcg) of Vitamin B12
The average recommended amount, measured in IU of Vitamin D
Symptoms of Vitamin D3 and Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Some of the Vitamin D3 and Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms are mentioned below:
Vitamin D3 deficiency symptoms and signs include unexplained fatigue, muscle weakness, deformities in soft bones, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, cancer, and severe asthma in children.
Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms and signs include fatigue, laziness, tiredness, low stamina, pale skin (due to low hemoglobin levels), tinnitus (ringing in the ears), lack of appetite, Celiac disease, tingling sensations, numbness, disorders related to the immune system, and shortness of breath.
Did you know? Gastric bypass surgery/ stomach or intestine related surgery are also the reasons for decreased absorption of Vitamin B12.
Dietary Sources for Vitamin B12
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Dairy products
- Organ meats, particularly liver and kidney
- Eggs
- Beef
- Pork
Dietary Sources for Vitamin D
- Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel
- Beef liver
- Cheese
- Mushrooms
- Egg yolks
- Milk
- Breakfast cereals
- Orange juice
- Other dairy products, such as yogurt
- Soy drinks
Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D Supplements
While the sun and these natural food sources are the best way to stay nourished with these vitamins, it is not to say that supplements should always be avoided. It is estimated that we hold a three-year store of vitamin B12 in our bodies.
However, if you do not eat any animal products for three years or more, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should consider taking a B12 supplement on occasion and rechecking your B12 levels every 6 months.
Likewise, if you never get sun exposure, especially during the winter months, you might want to take a vitamin D supplement. I would recommend taking the smallest dose you can find and making more of an effort to get outside.
Can I take Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 together?
Absolutely, yes! Since these are dietary supplements, you can take them together with no worries!
Best Vitamin D and B12 supplements are available in the market in the form of tablets, capsules, and solutions. You can get the levels of Vitamin D and B12 in your blood checked and ask your doctor for a prescription based on their levels in your body.
Stay informed, stay well.
Dr Priyanka Paul, Zyla Health
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