Vitamin B12 Deficiency Explained - A-Z of the NHS - Dr Gill

Understanding Vitamin B12 Deficiency is one of those conditions that people are aware of or might have heard of - especially after Downton Abbey did a story on pernicious anaemia. But many people, even those who receive treatment have not often had anyone help them understands Vitamin B12 Deficiency

B12 deficiency is an essential vitamin, meaning that we must consume it in the diet. As such, vitamin B12 deficiency can be due to failure to absorb, or failure to consume and here we take a look at the overall B2 topic

#DrGill #VitaminB12 #B12deficiency

00:00 - Introduction to B12
01:17 - Causes of B12 Deficiency: Dietary, Absorption, and Pernicious Anemia
02:01 - Role of B12 in Health: Heart, Mind, and Nerve Functions
02:33 - Diagnosis and Symptoms of B12 Deficiency
03:40 - Managing B12 Deficiency in Crohn's Disease
04:39 - Understanding Vitamins
05:27 - Treating B12 Deficiency: Injection Therapy and Dietary Adjustments
07:21 - Seeking Reliable Information on B12 Deficiency
08:12 - Avoiding Dr. Google for Medical Advice
08:38 - B12 and Folate Deficiency
09:12 - Final Thoughts

[alexmaclean]

I spent 2 years feeling tired and irritable for no obvious reason. The day my doctor discovered a simple vitamin supplement was all that was needed literally changed my life. Within a week I felt 10 years younger and much happier.

[janepowell]

My B12 blood test was 147 however my GP told I was within healthy levels. I had all the symptoms. I now self inject at home and feel 100x better. Patient heal thy self . 😊

[dannib_ot]

As somebody who has issue with B12!
It's crazy how it can really affect the body. I had to have injections in order to help with it. I sometimes still struggle with tiredness and depression. I still take B12 vitamins which do help but at times I still struggle with it. The doctors have been absolutely amazing in helping me understand this issue and sorting out B12!

I'm grateful for you making this video because alot of people don't understand when I explain this issue to them.

[peteredwards]

one important factor in B12 deficiency that wasn't mentioned was the long term use of Proton Pump Inhibitors

[princessmaiya]

I had iron, b12 and folate deficiency in my 2nd year of uni, I remember my mood changing, I used to get so angry/irritated, as it got worse it affected my legs, I couldn't stand or walk for more than 30 mins without feeling like I was about to faint. I also experienced tight chest/palpitations and I needed to sleep every afternoon because I was so exhausted. My memory and concentration was so bad I have no idea how I passed my exams that semester. The ironic thing is I actually fell asleep during the B12 lecture that semester because I was ill so I missed out on realising I had B12 deficiency.

[josephjordan]

Always good to know you're here and alive doc! Your videos are very informative and I learn more and more as you post.

[morgan]

In my opinion, the biggest obstacles and dangers around this are that if you have Pernicious Anemia, Serum B12 will be falsely elevated and so your levels may appear normal even though they aren't. Which is why it's important to test Homocysteine and Methylmalonic Acid alongside it. Another thing is doctors often only test once, and feel comfortable if it's 250ish because it's not flagged in the system. But really they should be retesting at certain intervals, because even if you're above the reference range the level shouldn't be steadily dropping. And if it is steadily dropping it's not going to just stop dropping without intervention usually. I have also run into people who are found to have B12 deficiency but their doctors don't care about identifying the root cause. Which is just wild to me. If you have Pernicious Anemia you need to be aware of it, and you just need to test for Intrinsic Factor Antibodies and Parietal cell Antibodies it's not like it's difficult. Having Pernicious Anemia puts you at a much higher risk of Stomach Cancer, so doctors really need to be sure where the B12 deficiency is coming from imo because it goes beyond just treating the B12 when dealing with PA

[kellyofthehead]

Hmmm it's such a shame no UK doctors know enough about this! I've been given PPIs for years for IBS, and now 4 years of suffering with severe fatigue.... leading to nerve problems, severe depression, unable to eat, acid reflux, pins and needles, balance problems, memory loss doctors don't understand that the level in your blood are not what is actually being used and absorbed! They simply don't take the whole picture, and rely on a false blood result, nor do enough doctors know about the cofactors, like folate, magnesium, b Vitamins.

I've most likely got permanent damage now, after being told I had M.E, and sent away to research it for myself.

Spread the word, check the levels that are actually being used, save lives!

[jonathangilbey]

would you be interested at all in covering the topic of vitamins as a whole? There's a whole host out there and I don't know what I need/how to identify deficiency

[alec]

Pernious anemia is not rare . Just taking a b12 injection is not the answer . You have to be tested for intrinsic factor , MTHFR gene . MMA and homocysteine .
3monthly injections are ridiculous ., it like saying all cancers are the same . You have both skipped over the subject . Folate not folic has to be taken on an empty stomach as it is water soluble, and if you are getting b12 injections, you have to up your magnesium . Antibiotics destroys b12 . I could go on and on . Hope this helps 🙏

[joemulgrew]

I had 10 years + of chronic lower leg pain. I thought i was going to have to retire through ill health. I did not go to the Docs as my mother suffered from the same condition which was never diagnosed or cured. Also i did not want to go onto heavy duty pain killers iam a nurse and see too many people addicted to prescription medication. I had a week of unimaginable pain so severe that i was literally dragging myself across the floor as i could not walk. I went to the Doc and one blood test showed B12 deficiency. B12 tablet prescribed and within one week pain free with no pain killers, !0 years of my life wasted. Go to the doctor.

[becky]

Just got diagnosed as deficient in b12 this morning despite being in the ‘normal’ range but with increased MCV. So glad I read up on it and asked for bloods! Thanks for the fab video, learning lots :)

[epic]

There’s a difference between B12 deficiency and Pernicious Anemia. B12 deficiency is curable because the patient is not getting enough of the vitamin and can take an oral vitamin to rebuild their level. Pernicious Anemia is the severe stage of not being able to absorb the vitamin orally due to an autoimmune cause and the stomach does not metabolize it and the patient must take injections for life. The injection allows the brain to distribute the vitamin to the spinal cord and other vital organs that need it.

[sonofliberty]

I also have Crohn's and my mum recently suggested I ask about B12 on my next hospital visit. Thanks for mentioning this.

[AdelaAlonsoAlonso]

I've had plenty of non-descript symptoms for years (fatigue, IG issues, irritability, depressive episodes). I did get checked bc there is both thyroid disease and diabetes in my family but we found nothing.

Then I started getting numbness and tingling on my hands, and losing coordination and memory. Again this was attributed to stress or just normal aging. Then I started seeing double, even with one eye closed, and the ophthalmologist wasn't able to correct this issue or understand it.

Bam! Vit B12 deficiency. We are still testing to see why is it happening and how bad the neuropathy is but I am shocked at how much damage it can do and also quite frustrated we didn't catch it earlier.

[charmingresignation]

Very informative, as always! What might be a good idea is an FAQ bit, especially if you're dealing with a topic that has a lot of misconceptions or can generate confusion. Before you film, people could send in their questions about whatever topic is planned and you two could pick a few and answer them. I think it would be really helpful, and a good opportunity to do some medical myth-busting :)

[marygilson]

Some people with the MTHFR Deficiency gene mutations may need methylcobalamine and not regular B12 and they may need methyl folate instead of folic acid.

[bartharris]

Oh nice! As a vegan, I take a B12 supplement but I’m not entirely sure what it’s for.

And so many foods are fortified with B12, I’m not even sure if I need to take extra!

[dachickenman]

What kind of supplements do you recommend?

[LadyBlanche.]

When testing for B12 deficiency what do you test for- inactive levels as well as the active level? As far as I know the nhs only tests the B12 active levels when they should test for the B12 inactive levels which paints a better picture.