Let’s talk about B12 deficiency.
B12 deficiency is serious and can cause anemia, reduced mental function, depression and peripheral neuropathy, which is nerve damage that causes pain and numbness in the feet and hands.
You’re at greater risk if you are older, have had stomach or intestinal surgery, are a vegan, take proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole or use metformin for diabetes. And you can be deficient even if your blood level is in the normal range.
If you don’t believe me, a recent study by Tufts University looked at 171 people, half of whom had peripheral neuropathy. And they evaluated everyone for a common variant in a gene called TCN2, a gene that tells the body how to make a protein that transports B12 from the intestines to the body’s cells.
The researchers found that compared to people without the gene variant, those who had two copies of the variant (one from each parent) were 3x more likely to have peripheral neuropathy, despite having B12 blood levels in the normal range.
They also found that in people with two copies of the variant, those who consume more than 800 mcg of folate daily were at 7x higher risk of peripheral neuropathy. About 1 in 5 of us have this double variant.
There’s a concern that folate, which is another B vitamin, may directly increase the risk of peripheral neuropathy in people with the gene variant. We already know that taking folic acid can hide the presence of B12 deficiency by masking the anemia normally seen.
Folate found in foods like green leafy vegetables and broccoli is not a danger. But there is a concern about MVIs and grains, which are fortified with folate by law, to help reduce the birth defect spina bifida. But many, including me, have concerns about how this may affect women who are not of childbearing age and men.
If you are told you need folate or folic acid for anemia, question this. Folate deficiency is actually rare. It’s more likely you are deficient in B12. If your blood level of B12 is on the low normal side, ask your doctor for further testing.
This is Joan Trimble wishing you wellness.