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Real members of MyMSTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

Why is vitamin B12 so important

A MyMSTeam Member asked a question 💭
Mims, FL

I’ve had bloodwork done over and over, I do realize that the doctors all watch what your bloodwork looks what’s needed to keep a healthy body. I was prescribed Vitamin B12 but I couldn’t stomach it so yesterday at my oncologist office they gave me an injection of B12. I know B12 is an important vitamin. I also know that lack of that vitamin can cause psychological problems.

June 11
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MyMSTeam

Vitamin B12 is really important for keeping your central nervous system healthy. It helps protect the myelin sheath — the protective coating around your nerve fibers. For someone with MS, this is especially significant since MS already attacks that same myelin sheath. Low B12 can cause symptoms that overlap with MS, which Show Full Answer

Vitamin B12 is really important for keeping your central nervous system healthy. It helps protect the myelin sheath — the protective coating around your nerve fibers. For someone with MS, this is especially significant since MS already attacks that same myelin sheath. Low B12 can cause symptoms that overlap with MS, which can make things confusing. These shared symptoms include:

- Vision problems
- Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
- Difficulty walking or speaking
- Memory and cognition issues
- Fatigue

You're absolutely right that low B12 can also affect mental and psychological health over time. The good news is that a B12 injection is a great solution when oral supplements are hard to tolerate. It bypasses the stomach entirely and gets straight into your system. Your care team can also use injections, oral medications, or nasal sprays depending on what works best for you.

A MyMSTeam member shared a similar experience, saying that starting B12 after being very low on it helped reduce their symptoms noticeably.

June 11
A MyMSTeam Member

I agree with Tiffany246. B12 is for a lot of things and it helped with neuro issues. The problem is that there is a limit on how much the human body can absorb orally. Excess swallowed and processed through the gi system is discarded. That is why it is often given as an injection, to bypass the lack of absorption. It is not a cure but it helps with nerve conduction and development.

June 12
A MyMSTeam Member

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause a lot of issues . That’s great you got the shot . They also have drops that can be taken if the pills bother your stomach. @A MyMSTeam Member I hope you feel better soon !

June 11
A MyMSTeam Member

PS my husband's were in the low normal range recently because he takes anti acid drugs like Prilosec which causes the gut to not absorb the b12

June 11
A MyMSTeam Member

I think you are okay if they want to be certain ask them to order a MMA level years ago I asked my neuro to order one- I used to work in clinical nutrition years ago.

Methylmalonic acid (MMA) is a dicarboxylic acid and metabolic byproduct of the propionate pathway, formed from the breakdown of certain amino acids (methionine, valine, threonine, isoleucine), odd-chain fatty acids, and cholesterol. It serves as a critical clinical biomarker, with elevated levels primarily indicating vitamin B12 deficiency or rare genetic disorders known as methylmalonic acidemia.

June 11

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