Vitamin B12 Boost for Liver Disease

Vitamin B 12 Benefits Liver and Beats Fatigue  - This is one of those super vitamins that  has been used for years to boost energy and speed up your metabolism.  Although found in many foods, it is easily taken orally or through injections. If you are low on B 12, you have probably experienced some symptoms. Luckily, this water soluble vitamin acts quickly in the body and is considered safe for most anyone.

The miracle drug? B12 actually gained a reputation for being a cure-all in the 1960's. Most of my life, my mama made me do all of the housework. Well, that was how it felt anyway. I moaned and complained while folding clothes or mopping the kitchen floor. She would watch soaps on television, smoke cigarettes, and drink iced tea. She complained that having us 4 kids had taken all of her energy.  Looking back, I'm sure we did!

Then she read a magazine article about B12. I sat in the car with my sisters the first time she got a shot. She came out of the doctor's office smiling and telling me what a good girl I was for helping with my sisters. That night she filled up muffin tins with meatloaf mix and served them up with mashed potatoes.  She sang the Bushel and a Peck song to us at bedtime. I would lie in bed and think about Vitamins, and of course pray for the boys in Viet Nam.

Any time mom announced that she was going to the doctor to get her B12 shot, I knew it was going to be fun. She would be cooking and cleaning like crazy. After days of serving us frozen fish sticks on paper plates, she would now be browsing a McCall’s magazine for recipes. We praised her so much over the muffin pan meatloaf that she went a little crazy with it. She filled those little cups with everything from jello to mashed potatoes and cheese, and even pudding. Us kids loved it when mama had energy!

 All of the laundry would be caught up and we would open the dresser drawers to find even our socks were matched and lined in neat little rows. I remember running in the front door after school and there was mama. She had the record player blasting and was dancing the Watusi. Yes, I thought B12 was a miracle drug in the 1960’s.  

I believe that Vitamin B 12 Benefits Liver and Beats Fatigue, BUT before you run out and start gulping down pills or rolling up your sleeve, there are some things to consider:

If you are low on Vitamin B 12, you might have experienced these symptoms - anemia, dizziness, and fatigue, memory loss, jaundice, numbness or tingling in arms and legs. One article I read stated that it could cause mania. Well at least I have an excuse now if I ever want to go manic on someone. Oops! Low on B12.

Dosage – It is a good idea to take them along with the other B Vitamins. They can usually be easily obtained in a B Complex or in a multi vitamin. By taking a 1 a Day type of vitamin, you are probably getting all that you need. Most of them contain at least 2 micrograms per capsule along with the supporting B and other important vitamins. Check out the safe Vitamin blog here. Shots do NOT have an advantage over pills.

Timing – For some, Vitamin B 12 can really rev up your engine. Remember Mama.  I cannot take it, or eat any foods that contain it after 3:00 P.M. I just came up with that time, because that is when I also cut out caffeine. It can leave me wide awake and raring to go! That means a sleepless night. Not everyone is sensitive to it, but a simple trial can reveal what is the best time for you to take it. You don’t want to be doing the Watusi at midnight.

Diet – B 12 is found naturally in foods like organ meat, eggs, chicken, and dairy products. That is why many vegetarians take extra B 12 as a supplement to their diet. Many cereals and granola or protein bars are fortified with B 12. See my liver loving low sodium diet blog. If you are not getting enough in your diet, you may turn to supplements for that energy boost!

Benefits – The list is long. I’ll dive in by saying one of the best benefits for me was that it helps build red blood cells. It can also help with fibromyalgia or neuropathy.

Vitamin B12 can help with a specific type of anemia - pernicious anemia. It also helps repair and stimulate nerve cells. I love this part: It can help your brain function. My poor brain needs the help! I read years ago about how it stimulates T Cells. These are long known to be the killer cells that launch attacks against unhealthy cells in your body. I look at it as an immune booster and anti-cancer Vitamin!

More on Vitamin B12 - 

Acid reflux medications may make it harder to absorb B12. This may be a problem if you have varices. I used a sublingual during treatment and always took it with food. Now I take it in either my probiotic green powder or my multi-vitamin.