B’s Beat the Blues

Losing your “joie de vivre” and can’t quite put your finger on why?  Could be a lack of B vitamins.  Actually, B12 deficiency has reached epidemic proportions, but often goes undiagnosed.

 The USDA reports that at least 40% of the general population is lacking in B 12.

 To make matters worse, as you age, your ability to absorb B12 diminishes.  Add in other risk factors, like prescription meds, ie. Blood sugar regulating meds, proton pump inhibitors, or vegan/vegetarian diets and you end up with a recipe for exhaustion.  We’re talking about the chronic tiredness that high quality sleep doesn’t even touch. You’re dragging around day after day with no end in sight.

 A double-edged sword, vitamin B complex can provide phenomenal health benefits, but on the flip side, lack of B vitamins can severely impact your mood.  More than 25% of clinically depressed older women were found deficient in B-12. Folate (Vitamin B-9) is often used in conjunction with antidepressants to increase their efficacy.

 Vitamin B6 is also necessary to maintain a healthy brain. It helps sustain a healthy, calm nervous system and aids in the production of neurotransmitters, your feel good chemicals, that enable your brain and nerve cells to talk to each other.  Another symptom of low B6 is anemia, since your body needs B complex to build red blood cells. That’s another reason for exhaustion.

 What about natural sources of B vitamins?

 Foods rich in B vitamins are:

• Seafood - Clams, Caviar, Octopus, Tuna, Crab, Lobster, Scallops
• Organ meats – Liver, Liver sausage
• Meat – Lean lamb, Lean beef, Venison, Pastrami, Hard salami
• Poultry – Turkey, Lean chicken, Ostrich, Emu Steak
• Dairy – Swiss cheese, Whey powder, Milk
• Grains – Cereal, Brewer’s yeast
• Vegetables – carrots, spinach, peas and potatoes
• Fruit - Bananas
• Seeds – Sunflower seeds

 Note that Vitamin B 12 can be consumed in large doses since you either excrete the excess or store it in your liver for up to a whole year.

 But, is your vitamin B absorbed?

 Heavy drinking causes inflammation in the stomach lining, which in turn affects digestion.  Overall, an unhealthy GI system results in poor nutrient absorption.  Ailments like autoimmune disorders and inflammatory bowel disease compromise the ability to extract nutrients from foods. People with congestive heart failure and hyperthyroidism can have absorption problems too.

 If untreated, B vitamin deficiency can result in mood changes, nerve damage and dementia. You get the picture, respect your need for these vital nutrients.  Eat a high quality diet and supplement with a premium vitamin and mineral supplement. 

Monster Multi fills the bill.  A daily supplement rich in B5, B6, B12, plus a healthy dose of all the other vitamins and minerals you need to help keep you nourished and feeling good all day, every day.