Vitamin B12 Side Effects

Vitamin B12 Side Effects You Need To Know About

Those who are suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency need to correct their condition as soon as possible. If this applies to you, then you need to correct your situation right away because if you don’t, your health problems may dramatically worsen.

Long-term vitamin deficiency may lead to permanent nerve damage, Alzheimer’s and other dreadful diseases. If you are experiencing these problems, you can recover your health by taking vitamin B12 supplements, but only in the right amounts so as to avoid vitamin B12 side effects. However, most of these adverse side effects are connected to only one form of vitamin B12 supplements – vitamin B12 injections.

For those who are having vitamin B12 injections, you need to be aware of the various adverse side effects. In addition, B12, in any form, if it is to be of benefit to your body, must be taken in the correct amounts. There are people, who in their desire to recover their health quickly, got into more health problems as a result of taking vitamin B12 supplements in large doses. Although large dosages of vitamin B12 are not toxic, it is still wise to take them judiciously and in accordance with the instructions on the bottle.

Side Effects Of Vitamin B12 Injectables
Vitamin B12 is indeed good for your health, but taking more of it than you should, especially if it is directly injected, can be detrimental to your health. Some of the side effects are only mild, but some are severe. Below are some details of these effects which you should be aware of.

A) Mild B12 Side Effects –
• You may experience some pain and swelling on the part of your skin where the supplement is injected.
• It can also be accompanied by mild to severe headaches, nausea and vomiting.
• You can also experience slight indigestion or mild diarrhea.
• There may also be some joint pains as well as skin rashes.

B) Severe B12 Side Effects –
• Large doses of vitamin B12 may cause palpitations and shortness of breath.
• You may also feel chest pains.
• Difficulty in swallowing.
• Feeling of numbness throughout your body.
• Sudden weight gain.
• Weakness and muscle cramps.
• Muscle pains, especially in the legs.
• Frequent urination, especially at night.

These side effects, some experts believe, are not really because of the B12 itself, but because of the preservatives that are used in vitamin B12 injections. Unfortunately, all vitamin B12 injections contain preservatives. So in order to avoid these side effects you should only use injectables if you cannot absorb vitamin B12 in any other form, or if you doctor has specifically said you need it.

C) Psychological B12 Side Effects – excessive intake of vitamin B12 can also show by way of adverse mental side effects which includes:
• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Insomnia

These side effects will usually subside in a few hours after the excess amount of vitamin B12 has been eliminated from your system.

D) Unusual B12 Side Effects –
• There is a hereditary condition called Leber’s disease that causes the optic nerve to atrophy. Taking large doses of vitamin B12 may trigger the onset of this disease. It can cause the rapid deterioration of the optic nerve. If your family has a history of this disease, check with your doctor first before taking supplemental doses of B12.
• A special group of people must be careful about their intake of vitamin B12. These are people who have undergone heart surgery and have coronary stents placed in their arteries. Taking vitamin B12 may increase the possibility of narrowing their arteries again. You need to ask the permission of your heart doctor before taking any amount of vitamin B12.

One Thing You Can Do To Avoid Vitamin B12 Side Effects
It is always best to get your nutrients, and that includes vitamins, from natural sources. For those who are sensitive to cobalt and cobalamin (which are ingredients of synthetic vitamin B12) you may need to get your vitamin B12 supply from natural sources. Natural food rich in vitamin B12 includes beef liver, milk and eggs. You can also get vitamin B12 in fish and other aquatic products, such as shells and oysters.

Conclusion
Most people won’t have problems absorbing vitamin B12 from food sources. But people with certain medical conditions, certain lifestyles, or those unable to absorb B12 efficently, may have to take a b12 supplement. Although vitamin B12 is very beneficial to our health, we always need to consider any medical conditions before taking it, especially when taking larger doses.