A deficiency of vitamin B-12 is often thought to be a problem that only occurs in the elderly. But the vitamin deficiency -- which can cause
Investigators found that 39% of individuals had low-to-normal levels of the vitamin in their blood and 17% had levels low enough to cause symptoms of deficiency. Age did not seem to matter, as those aged 26 to 49 years had the same vitamin B-12 status as those aged 65 to 83 years, the report indicates.
Early symptoms of deficiency include
Ultimately, it can cause irreversible nerve damage. But since many of these symptoms are general, they are often not attributed to a vitamin B-12 deficiency.
For most people, deficiency can be easily prevented by taking a regular multivitamin or eating breakfast cereal fortified with vitamin B-12. Although the vitamin is found naturally in meat, it does many do not absorb it well.
Vitamin B-12 is tightly bound to protein in meat and requires sufficient stomach acidity to break it apart before it can be absorbed. In some people, particularly the elderly, insufficient levels of stomach acid mean that the vitamin is not taken up in sufficient quantities.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2001;71:514-522
It is amazing how many conditions can be cleared up by cleaning up one's diet. It is also interesting to note that meat, which is generally considered an excellent source of vitamin B12, was not very well absorbed.
The authors speculate, and I agree, that a deficiency of stomach hydrochloric acid may have been the problem. If you do not have a sufficient amount of hydrochloric acid secreted by your stomach then it will be very difficult to separate the vitamin B12 from the meat to absorb it properly.
A helpful tool to diagnosis the need for HCL therapy would be to ask your body. There is a hydrochloric acid reflex present on the lowest rib approximately one inch lateral to the midline. If this area on the rib is tender to palpation there is a strong likelihood the person is deficient in hydrochloric acid and would benefit from supplementation.
This is especially common in individuals over 50 years old, and also in individuals with food allergies. One to six capsules or more of Betaine hydrochloride is generally taken with the first bite of every meal for proper digestive support. The Betaine can be discontinued once the reflex point in non-tender to deep palpation.
If you are going to use vitamin B12 supplements please be sure and review the article I wrote on this last August.
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