Sublingual B12 is very helpful for fatigue problems and low energy. Vitamin B12 is important for the body to create new red blood cells that supply oxygen to your body and brain. A deficiency of B12 can cause fatigue, anemia, lightheadedness, insomnia, poor concentration, and permanent nervous system problems.
A B12 deficiency may be the result of an auto-immune disorder where the body destroys parietal cells in the stomach that secrete the chemical instrinic factor that helps the body to absorb vitamin b12. If anemia is present due to b12 deficiency, it will be corrected with high dose oral B12 supplementation. Sublingual B12 is prefered because it can bypass the stomach (if absorbtion issues are present) and be absorbed directly into the blood stream.
Other causes of deficiency are malabsorbtion from food, a vegetarian diet, or alcoholism. The incidence of malabsorbtion increase with age and may be the result of chronic inflammation in the stomach, or bacterial overgrowth.
Cognitive issues associated with B12 deficiency may be the result of vascular changes in the brain. It is believed that these changes can be reversed with the correction of this deficiency. These vascular changes in the brain may be due to elevated levels of homocysteine and/or increased levels of damagin free radicals. Mice fed a diet deficient in B12 were found to have “significant deficits in spatial learning and memory”. High homocysteine levels can also put a person at risk of heart disease, blood clots, or stroke.
Studies also show that there is a correlation of symptoms of depression with B12 deficiency. B vitamins are important for the creation of certain mood enhancing neurotransmitters like dopmaine and serotonin. One study showed depressed patients that took high levels of B12 along with antidepressants, had the highest level of recovery from depressive symptoms.
