Vitamin B12: The 'Normal' Range is Stupid. And it's killing your energy!

What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About #B12 Could Save You From #Burnout, #Fatigue & #Anxiety
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B12 insufficiency is a situation that I see every single day in my practice working with busy, high-functioning professionals.
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Key learnings in this video:

1. The Canadian "normal" range is stupid
2. Doctors are not trained to identify early signs of insufficiency
3. Plant-based, vegan & vegetarian diets are deficient in B12

I updated this video to include more clarity around ranges and units:

VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS

Decoding High B12 - Unraveling the Mystery Behind Fatigue, Low Libido, and More

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#burnout #anxiety #fatigue #b12 #b12deficiency #energy #diet #performance #productivity #bloodtest #bloodwork #healthspan #lifespan #longevity

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Dr. Jason Marr, BScH, COC, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Performance & Productivity Coach
Vancouver, BC, Canada

[lyekka]

Sixty-five year old, UK.

My B12 came back at 132 pg/mL, I'm also vitamin D deficient and anaemic. I was only tested in the first place after a chance conversation with a B12 deficient colleague 10 minutes before my appointment with my cardiology consultant. I'm hypothyroid, take a PPI and have been on HRT for 26 years. Consultant wasn't concerned about my B12 levels and placed more emphasis on getting my vitamin D sorted, his words were "her B12 is 132, which is neither here nor there" - gee, thanks Doc.

This didn't happen overnight but as it has a lot of symptoms in common with hypothyroidism, I've always put it down to that. I've been feeling progressively worse and worse over the last couple of years and when I'm not at work, I'm asleep...or wishing I was asleep.

[lindacole]

I live in Virginia, USA. Our doctors don’t care they strictly go by the labs. They also don’t tell you that most b vitamins you by her have cyanide in them either way, our lives are controlled by them in many ways. I had to do my own research . I was deficient in several vitamins. According to the labs I had . I was in the low functioning range. I took those vitamins that were low and built myself up. Feel a lot better. I cry every time I go to the doctor. No one listens . They don’t look at past history or family history. They only treat symptoms. Population control. For real!!

[SBrenno-xt]

Finally! Someone who actually explains in great detail about the absorption and transport process to tissues and level numbers within 5 minutes! Just brilliant! Thankyou! … please help me interpret a serum result of 1052ng/L and feel like I’m walking dead! …with zinc deficiency…’apparently’ and systemic issues, ranging from low stomach acid, EPI, SIBO, … how can I prove to my doctor that serum test results are not correct… HELP?! 🙏 Thanks again. First video of yours I’ve listened to of yours. Very well done

[laalaakay]

My levels are 235 and I keep getting told that is normal. I have pins and needles in my hands, achy feet, and get tired easily. About to make yet another appointment to see if doctors will listen to me

[tomjones]

Good presentation. The two books I own and have read are "Could it be B-12" by Pacholok & Stuart, and "Vitamin B-12 for Health" by David Brownstein. It's amazing how many prescription medications actually cause nutritional deficiencies (especially B vitamins), and express as....the very symptoms being treated WITH the medication. Ah...the medical matrix.

[jbarker]

I think doctors in general don't understand what a normal range means. Some peoples' bodies will respond at the lower end, but some people will require to be at the high end of the range or maybe higher!

[msthrugodicanmajor]

I just had my b12 test did and it was 463 and the range was between 200 and 1100. It said it was normal but I’m having some of those side effects that’s why I asked to be tested. So I’m listening to you and I need B12 I kinda figured I do

[sammyprestwood]

Plants don't even contain the Vitamins and minerals anymore because the ground is depleted. of them, so being a vegetarian may not be a great idea

[prepareahead]

My B12 level is 240 but they tell me that’s normal. Have SOB numbness and tingling muscle weakness balance problems and tachycardia they treat the symptoms but never the cause. I don’t have Much of a stomach left on on supplements but they give me PPIs because my hiatal hernia. Now I have osteoporosis. They had to remove most of my stomach because my gastroparesis cause the longing of my stomach to have calcified food and it got necrotic. My MCV and MCH are very high but they say it’s normal.

[twwt]

I live in the uk and I have an injection every 12 weeks from my surgery but I am still suffering with tingling all over my body, especially on my scalp and in my face. Everything I see online talks about pins and needles in the hands and feet but it is much worse than that and the Dr’s seem surprised when you say you have tingling elsewhere in the body. I also find that any old injuries or ailments start to hurt. I’m at a loss right now as to what to do, having to live with this is a nightmare.

[m-]

In my home country the normal range is 138–652 pmol/l. To me it sounds like very broad range

[kkristina]

I am 59 my B12 is 184 pmol/mL, serum iron is 12 % saturation is 0.17. I am on thyroid med (Hashimotos) and that is all okay supposedly and last year was diagnosed with intestinal metaplasia and gastritis. So frustrated because I had low B before, in 2016 had shots and then no B12 tests since about 2019. I feel like I can barely do anything yet supposedly all my problems are because I gained weight and have high blood pressure (used to be low/normal). My blood pressure went from normal to very high in 3 months. I feel like this stomach, B12 and iron issue is more important than is being acknowledged, I remember how i felt when I had optimal B12 and iron...

[endgamep]

I eat mostly raw vegan. My b12 was close to zero three months ago. And MMA test showed about 10X higher than recomended level. After 3 months on 1000mcg tablets my B12 is 380 pmol/l. And MMA 0.3, slightly above range <0.27. I still have neuroligical symptoms. Balance problems. Most supplements makes me feel bad. But Garden of life raw b12 is good.

[wocket]

Carnivore red meat only begins to sound more and more healthy. Almost if like it's the optimum human diet.

[wendythewitch]

Hi Dr. Marr. I was googling B12 and your video came up so I watched it. 🙏🏼 thank you! I wish I was out in BC bc I would def make the effort to visit your office! I’m in ON and sadly my Dr. is useless! I went yesterday and pretty much had to beg him to send me for blood work! I just looked at the Blood Requisition and there isn’t a box for B12 let alone any Mineral (eg. Fe) or Chemical Element. Where did those elements go? There used to be the whole left side full of them but not anymore! I’m going to look into the tests on here that I’m not sure what they stand for (but the others I do bc I’ve done enough research!) 🤓🤓🤓 plus I have a background in Chemistry and studied one semester of hematology.

I’ve been doing some research and thought I might need a B supplement. Anyways great video and informative. I’ll subscribe so I can learn more. Take care!I know how busy you must be so just wanted to say thank you for answering my question Dr. Marr!!! 👏💞

[freddiereadie]

Why go injections, when there's sublingual? No mention also of methyl being more absorbable than cyano b12 variant.

[MultiNiravshah]

I have 152 and I live in Mississauga. I have many symptoms what you have described. Looking for a treatment. I have lots of weakness and headaches

[CandyGirl]

Even before I became vegan, I had B12 injections as routine - working in a rushed restuarant environment, where you were on your feet all day, and at the end of the night you would realise you hadn't had anything to eat or drink.

Niacin is another B vitamin that can do with supplementation.

The other supplements vegans and those on a plant based diet should look out for are Vit D and K2, which are actually not found at very high levels, even in animal products.

[Samantha-fkgz]

Funny enough I live in Canada and I started getting unbalanced, dizzy, headaches, and headaches so I went and got a b12 blood test. It was 135 pmol/L. They said it was only a small bit under the normal 😅

[seelogic]

Wow, awesome video ! Im going to ask my GP to test my B12 levels then, and ill go by your recommendations not whats considered "normal".

My vit D was 22.4ng/ml a couple of weeks ago, apparently here in Australia thats considered "perfectly adequate". I dont think so !