Scary Signs You Have Vitamin D Deficiency
Wondering why you cant seem to shake that cold or stomach infection with medication? Chances are an underlying Vitamin D deficiency could be jeopardising your recovery.
Vitamin D is stored and synthesised in the body naturally, activated by the liver and kidney when exposed to the sun . Its key to maintaining calcium and phosphate levels in the body as well as keeping our immune system healthy.
Several factors have contributed to the rising incidence of Vitamin D deficiency. The main one being lack of proper exposure to sunlight because we dont spend enough time outdoors. Our sedentary lifestyle is another problem. Its found that people who are overweight/obese are more prone to Vitamin D deficiency. Since Vitamin D is a fat soluble compound , a high fat deposition in the body creates a greater demand for Vitamin D. Research has also shown people with dark skin pigmentation are more at risk as their skin colour blocks the suns ability to stimulate Vitamin D production. Genetic and other medical conditions such as liver and kidney disease can also cause a shortfall.
A Vitamin D deficiency isnt easy to diagnose, as it doesnt always cause symptoms until levels become very low or have been low for some time. But some of more alarming signs to watch out for include:
Diet Lacking Vitamin B12
Some people get pernicious anemia because they don’t have enough vitamin B12 in their diets. This cause of pernicious anemia is less common than other causes.
Good food sources of vitamin B12 include:
- Breakfast cereals with added vitamin B12
- Meats such as beef, liver, poultry, and fish
- Eggs and dairy products
- Foods fortified with vitamin B12, such as soy-based beverages and vegetarian burgers
Strict vegetarians who don’t eat any animal or dairy products and don’t take a vitamin B12 supplement are at risk for pernicious anemia.
Breastfed infants of strict vegetarian mothers also are at risk for pernicious anemia. These infants can develop anemia within months of being born. This is because they haven’t had enough time to store vitamin B12 in their bodies. Doctors treat these infants with vitamin B12 supplements.
Other groups, such as the elderly and people who suffer from alcoholism, also may be at risk for pernicious anemia. These people may not get the proper nutrients in their diets.
How Much To Get
The answer depends on things including your age, your eating habits and medical conditions, and what medications you take.
The average recommended amounts, measured in micrograms , vary by age:
- Infants up to age 6 months: 0.4 mcg
- Babies age 7-12 months: 0.5 mcg
- Children age 1-3 years: 0.9 mcg
- Kids age 4-8 years: 1.2 mcg
- Children age 9-13 years: 1.8 mcg
- Teens age 14-18: 2.4 mcg
- Adults: 2.4 mcg
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Functional Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Some people can experience problems related to a vitamin B12 deficiency, despite appearing to have normal levels of vitamin B12 in their blood.
This can happen as the result of a problem known as functional vitamin B12 deficiency, where there’s a problem with the proteins that help transport vitamin B12 between cells.
This results in;neurological complications involving the spinal cord.
Vitamin Deficiency And Malnutrition
Normally, pancreatic enzymes break food into small molecules that your body can absorb into the bloodstream. When EPI prevents the digestive system from breaking down food, the body cant use those nutrients and vitamins.
Fat and protein absorption are significant nutritional problems tied to EPI. You may also lack vitamins A, D, E, and K because the extra fat in your digestive tract absorbs the vitamins and they are then expelled from your body with the fat.
Malnourishment can lead to symptoms like muscle weakness and low body weight. Vitamin deficiencies can also cause vision problems, osteoporosis, and muscle weakness.
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Can Abdominal Discomfort Result From A Vitamin Or Mineral Deficiency
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The deficiency causes stomach distress and abdominal pain, and can also lead to depression, skin rashes and hair thinning. Vitamin B-12 Deficiency. Another possible cause of abdominal and stomach pain is a deficiency in vitamin B-12, or cobalamin.It can be caused by a wide-range of factors.
Were talking intense pain where you cant lie down or even move. Vomiting, sweats. This lasts for over 12 hours or more.
Tingling Hands Or Feet
Vitamin B-12 deficiency may cause pins and needles in the hands or feet. This symptom occurs because the vitamin plays a crucial role in the nervous system, and its absence can cause people to develop nerve conduction problems or nerve damage.
In the nervous system, vitamin B-12 helps produce a substance called myelin. Myelin is a protective coating that shields the nerves and helps them transmit sensations.
People who are vitamin B-12 deficient may not produce enough myelin to coat their nerves. Without this coating, nerves can become damaged.
Problems are more common in the nerves in the hands and feet, which are called peripheral nerves. Peripheral nerve damage may lead to tingling in these parts of the body.
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How To Ensure You Are Getting Enough Vitamin D
Although research on the relationship between IBS and vitamin D is far from conclusive, it is important that you make sure that your body has sufficient levels of vitamin D for reasons separate from your digestive problems. If you have not already done so, speak with your healthcare provider to have your level checked. Once you have a sense of your level, you can speak with your healthcare provider about what things you can do to ensure that your body is getting enough of this essential substance. Keep in mind that there are three main ways to take in vitamin D:
Causes And Risk Factors Of Hypochlorhydria
âSome things can make you more likely to get hypochlorhydria.
Age. Your stomach secretes lower amounts of hydrochloric acid as you age. Hypochlorhydria is more common in people over 65.
High stress levels.Long-term stress can lead to low stomach acid.
âSmoking and drinking. Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol can decrease the nutrients in your body. This can cause less stomach acid.
Lack of vitamins. Nutrients such as iron, zinc, and B vitamins are essential for maintaining stomach acid levels. A poor diet can result in low stomach acid, as can a loss of nutrients due to health problems, stress, smoking, or alcohol.
Antacids and other medication. Long-term use of antacids can cause hypochlorhydria. Medicines for treating stomach ulcers or heartburn can also cause low stomach acid production. Talk with your doctor about changing medications if you notice symptoms of low stomach acid.â
Helicobacter pylori infection.H. pylori is a type of bacteria that often causes stomach ulcers. H. pylori infection can be a major risk factor for low stomach acid if it isnât treated.
Stomach surgery. Stomach surgeries such as gastric bypass can cause hypochlorhydria.
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Does Ensure Cause Gas And Bloating
docause gasbloatingEnsureHere are 11 proven ways to reduce or eliminate bloating.
The Most Overlooked Risk Of Stomach Bloating
Gastrointestinal DisordersGastrointestinal disordersInflammatory bowel disease Intrinsic factorStomach bloatingStomach painVitamin B12 anemiaVitamin B12 MalabsorptionVita Sci
Gassy, painful stomach bloating from indigestion may mean that you need more of an essential vitamin in your blood supply. If your gut feels like a war zone, then experts recommend getting tested for vitamin B12 deficiency, a form of anemia linked to gastritis.
Stomach bloating? Check your B12.
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Can Taking Vitamins Cause Bloating
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Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin B12 DeficiencyVitamin B12 deficiency may lead to nerve damage. These symptoms include nausea and vomiting, heartburn, abdominal bloating and gas, constipation or diarrhea, loss of appetite, and weight loss. An enlarged liver is another symptom.
Likewise, what vitamins help with bloating? If you regularly feel bloated and struggle to properly digest meals, you could consider taking supplements to relieve symptoms. One group of vitamins that can help aid digestion and therefore prevent a bloated tummy, is the B vitamins.
Also, can vitamin D supplements cause bloating?
IBS symptoms: Vitamin D deficiency could cause bloating and painful diarrhoea | Express.co.uk.
What supplements are good for bloating?
Fennel has been used for centuries to help tame tummies: drink it as a tea or take a supplement. And peppermint oil can help fight IBS symptoms like cramping or bloating it works by relaxing the muscles of your intestines. Try taking capsules before or during meals.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Stomach Bloating Could Be A Sign Your Levels Are Too Low
Vitamin B12 performs a number of pivotal roles in the body and these roles are responsible for both physical and mental processes. Take its role in supporting the nervous system. The nervous system transmits signals between the brain and the rest of the body, including internal organs. Having your stomach become more bloated could be an indication your B12 levels are too low.
It may come as a surprise that a deficiency of vitamin B12 in a persons diet can lead to digestive tract issues such as bloating and gas, according to medical website LiveStrong.
It can also cause a range of other issues related to the digestive tract such as nausea and vomiting, heartburn, constipation or diarrhoea, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
Fortunately, its possible to top up B12 through foods, supplements and prescribed injections, which may help alleviate the gas and bloating that a lack of B12 can cause.
According to the NHS, Good sources of vitamin B12 include:
- Meat
- Milk and other dairy products
- Eggs
It explains: These symptoms include nausea and vomiting, heartburn, abdominal bloating and gas, constipation or diarrhoea, loss of appetite, and weight loss. An enlarged liver is another symptom.
Bloating is very common and often occurs after eating certain foods, swallowing too much air or food intolerances.
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Why do some people become deficient in B12?
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How To Get More Vitamin D
Vitamin D is naturally found in only a handful of foods, including egg yolks, certain types of mushrooms and fatty fish like salmon and sardines, but fortified options are abundant.
You can find vitamin D in fortified dairy products and plant-based alternatives , breakfast cereals and some orange juices.
Top Food Sources of Vitamin D
- Fatty fish
- White mushrooms
- Fortified dairy, soy, oat, or almond milk
- Egg yolks
Fiber can get confusing. For some people, a high-fiber diet can induce or exacerbate gas and bloating. For others, a low-fiber diet may bring on bloat.
“Everyone is different, and you have to evaluate each case of bloating individually to understand what’s behind it,” Freuman notes. “The same remedy that helps alleviate symptoms in one person can worsen symptoms in someone else.”
Let’s break it down even further: “A high intake of fiber may lead some people to experience intestinal gas or bloating as the result of a high stool burden, or more fiber coming in than is coming out, which causes stool to build up,” Freuman says.
A high intake of fermentable carbohydrates from naturally high-fiber foods can also cause intestinal upset in people sensitive to these classes of plants.
On the other hand, a diet lacking in adequate amounts of fiber can also result in tummy troubles for some.
So, do we load up on all the fiber or forego it altogether? Neither.
If you’re bloated, it’s not automatically given that adding more fiber to the diet will alleviate your symptoms.
Stomach Bloating From B12 Deficiency Yes It Happens
If you suffer from constant lot of stomach bloating and other signs of indigestion, it can be linked to vitamin B12 deficiency. Your ability to digest vitamin B12 and use it to prevent pernicious anemia can be traced directly to the environment in your gut. Symptoms of stomach bloating can be the first clue in distinguishing why youre suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency, and how to prevent it.
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Malabsorption In The Small Intestine
Sometimes pernicious anemia occurs because the body’s small intestine can’t properly absorb vitamin B12. This may be the result of:
- Too many of the wrong kind of bacteria in the small intestine. This is a common cause of pernicious anemia in older adults. The bacteria use up the available vitamin B12 before the small intestine can absorb it.
- Diseases that interfere with vitamin B12 absorption. One example is celiac disease. This is a genetic disorder in which your body can’t tolerate a protein called gluten. Another example is Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disease. HIV also may interfere with vitamin B12 absorption.
- Certain medicines that alter bacterial growth or prevent the small intestine from properly absorbing vitamin B12. Examples include antibiotics and certain diabetes and seizure medicines.
- Surgical removal of part or all of the small intestine.
- A tapeworm infection. The tapeworm feeds off of the vitamin B12. Eating undercooked, infected fish may cause this type of infection.
What Vitamin B12 Cant Do
The Internet is full of articles lauding the use of vitamin B12;to prevent;Alzheimers disease, heart disease, and other chronic conditions or reverse infertility, fatigue, eczema, and a long list of other health problems. Most are based on;poor or faulty evidence.
Take Alzheimers disease as an example. Although there is a relationship between low vitamin B12;levels and cognitive decline, clinical studiesincluding those involving people with Alzheimers diseasehave not shown improvement in cognitive function, even doses of the vitamin as high as 1000 micrograms.
For now, its best to get enough vitamin B12;to prevent a deficiency, and not look to it as a remedy for what ails you.
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Vitamin A For Gastrointestinal Health
Vitamin A plays a very important role in helping maintain the health and function of your entire gastrointestinal tract, which is essential for proper digestion and preventing the discomfort associated with gas and bloating. Vitamin A is found in a variety of foods, including sweet potatoes, carrots, peppers, milk, cheese and eggs.
Your body stores excess vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, in your liver, and getting too much of it in your diet or through supplements can be harmful to your health. To get what you need for digestive health, but not enough to make you sick, get most of your vitamin A from fruit and vegetable sources.
Am I At Risk Of A Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency is widespread, with about one billion people worldwide falling below proper levels of this essential vitamin. Several risk factors increase your chances of a deficiency. Here are a few to keep in mind:
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B12 Deficiency In The Gut
To digest vitamin B12 from food, you need to have a healthy ecosystem in your gastrointestinal tract. Good bacteria winning the battle over the bad, proper absorption of nutrients, and all that.
But for many, damage to the parietal cells of the stomach, acid reflux, and medication overuse lead to a vicious cycle of vitamin B12 anemia that feeds into constant symptoms of fatigue, stomach bloating, sore muscles, dizziness, and memory problems.
Symptoms of pernicious anemia include stomach bloating, and also diarrhea, heartburn, brain fog, painful numbness in the hands and legs, cognitive impairments, and more.
Are You At Risk Of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
There are many causes for vitamin B12;deficiency. Surprisingly, two of them are practices often undertaken to improve health: a vegetarian diet and weight-loss surgery.
Plants dont make vitamin B12. The only foods that deliver it are meat, eggs, poultry, dairy products, and other foods from animals. Strict vegetarians and vegans are at high risk for developing a B12;deficiency if they dont eat grains that have been fortified with the vitamin or take a vitamin supplement. People who have weight-loss surgery are also more likely to be low in vitamin B12;because the operation interferes with the bodys ability to extract vitamin B12;from food.
Conditions that interfere with nutrient absorption, such;celiac;or;Crohns disease, can cause B12trouble. So can the use of commonly prescribed heartburn drugs, which reduce acid production in the stomach . The condition is more likely to occur in older people due to the cutback in stomach acid production that often occurs with aging.
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