By Mary Powers powers@commercialappealcom
School’s back in session. The holidays are just ahead.
Gas prices are surging. The Mid-South’s largest utility is warning of heating bills up as much as 70 percent this winter.
And, don’t forget public health experts advice that American adults get 60 to 90 minutes of exercise. Every day.
It’s enough to send anyone searching for an energy boost .
Enter vitamin B12.
Despite continuing skepticism in some medical circles, B12 shots remain a favorite among the frazzled and weary.
We need B12 for normal nerve function and red blood cell production. It also plays a role in making the genetic material DNA found in nearly every cell.
Too little B12 is linked to a form of anemia, the nerve damage known as neuropathy and a long list of symptoms that include balance and memory problems, fatigue, depression and the confusion known as dementia.
But federal nutritional surveys found most American children and adults get the recommended amounts of B12 in their diet. B12 is found naturally in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. It’s also available in fortified cereal and other food.
Yet plenty of us are apparently wondering if we might benefit from a dash more.
Kaye Ivanoff, of The Shot Nurse, said B12 shots are extremely popular with men and women. The Memphis company offers B12 injections, vaccinations and other services on a walk-in basis at its office at 4646 Poplar, Suite 100, or on location at area companies. “There is a percentage of people who will benefit from B12, even if their lab work doesn’t indicate a deficiency,” she said.
“I get a lot of questions about it,” said Dr. Allison Stiles, a Memphis doctor specializing in internal medicine and pediatric care.
Stiles had a long list of folks who might benefit from some extra B12.
Most are candidates because the vitamin is missing from their diets or they are less able to absorb it because of medications or health problems.
Her list includes vegetarians, pregnant women, those battling alcoholism, the AIDS virus or certain immune disorders.
Other candidates are individuals taking medicine to block stomach acid, those who underwent gastric bypass surgery for weight loss or older patients, especially those who have endured decades of indigestion.
All are at risk for B12 shortfalls because the vitamin requires stomach acid and proteins from the pancreas to help the body digest and absorb the vitamin.
The diabetes drug Metformin can also interfere with B12 metabolism.
Missing from Stiles’s list are healthy adults. “Normal young folks would not benefit from the shots,” she said.
It would likely be tough convincing Jennifer Moreau, 33, of Germantown.
She’s a single mother with two pre-school children and a full- time job as a sales assistant in the investment department of AM South Bank.
She credits the monthly B12 shots she’s gotten for the past year through The Shot Nurse with helping her manage stress, sleep better and increase her energy.
“The first month I didn’t really notice anything. By the second month I was sleeping better. The shot kind of keeps you on an even keel,” she said.
She said she started the injections “thinking what could it hurt? Now I’ve worked it into my budget.” The shots cost $20 each.
Diane Lawton, 46, works in customer service at the same East Memphis bank branch.
She was looking not for more energy, but relief from migraine headaches , when she started getting B12 shots several years ago.
Since then she’s gone from two or three migraines per month to just occasional headaches. “If I have a headache every once in a while, that’s OK,” she said. Lawton said the B12 injections didn’t increase her energy.
Both women said they haven’t made other changes in their work or home lives that would explain their increased energy or decreased headaches.
Although Moreau and Lawton aren’t his patients, Dr. Ray Walker said he’s heard similar testimonials from those who are.
“Many people say they feel better,” said Walker, a family practice physician and a University of Tennessee Health Science Center associate professor.
But so far the evidence to support such reports is sparse, he said. Walker said the placebo effect, in which a patient’s confidence in a treatment affects the outcome, is one possible explanation.
When patients ask about B12, Judi Harrick’s likely to recommend a B complex supplement that includes the other B vitamins, such as B2 and B6.
Harrick is a founder of the Healing Arts Medical Group, which combines traditional and alternative medicine. Her credentials include national certification as an acupuncturist.
“We push concentrating on foods that are rich in B vitamins,” she added.
She and others said there’s no evidence B vitamins supplements pose a health risk. “The body will take what it needs and pee off the rest,” she explained.
Stiles said she screens some patients, particularly older patients, for B12 deficiencies. She’ll recommend a nasal spray or injection for patients who have B12 levels at the low edge of normal and balance or nerve problems that might have a B12 link.
Reversing symptoms linked to B12 shortfalls often takes months, she added.
Both Stiles and Walker said if patients want a B12 shot, they’ll provide it.
A fact sheet from the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements noted that older individuals are more likely than their children or grandchildren to develop B12 deficiencies.
“As a general rule, most individuals who develop a vitamin B12 deficiency have an underlying stomach or intestinal disorder that limits the absorption” of the vitamin, the NIH background sheet noted.
It cited insufficient information and side-stepped making a recommendation about B12 supplments for younger adults. It said better tools and standards are needed for diagnosing B12 deficiencies.
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How much B12 do folks need and where can they find it?
Fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products are all good sources of vitamin B12. Here is a sample of how those sources compare.
Type of Food / Amount per serving* / Percent of recommended daily amount** /
100 percent fortified cereal, cup / 6 / 100 /
Salmon, 3 oz. cooked / 4.9 / 80 /
Sirloin, broiled, 3 oz. / 2.4 / 40 /
Fast food cheeseburger, double patty / 1.9 / 30 /
Canned tuna, 3 oz. / 1 / 15 /
Milk, 1 c. / 0.9 / 15 /
Egg / 0.6 / 10 /
Source: National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements
*micrograms per serving
**Developed by the federal Food and Drug Administration
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Recommended shots for adults
Even adults who aren’t interested in B12 shots, will sometimes need shots. Here are the three most commonly recommended adult vaccines.
Influenza: Federal health officials recommend a flu shot annually beginning at age 50 or for anyone who is pregnant, battling chronic illness, provides patient care or cares for or lives with an infant younger than 6 months old. The shots are offered at public and private clinics, physician offices, churches and businesses. They are free to qualified Medicare patients. Others should expect to pay at least $17.
Pneumococcal pneumonia: Designed to prevent a bacterial infection that’s responsible for the most common type of pneumonia, the shot is recommended for adults battling chronic diseases like diabetes or lung problems. Check with a doctor about a booster shot after age 65. It’s recommended at age 65 for healthy adults. The vaccine’s available at area clinics and physician offices. Expect to pay at least $30.
Tetanus-diphtheria: A shot is recommended at least every 10 years. A booster might be recommended after five years following an injury or for someone traveling internationally. It is widely available. Expect to pay at least $40.
– Mary Powers
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