Vitamin B12 And Sleep

A deficiency of vitamin b12 can cause insomnia and therefore supplementing your diet with vitamin b12 may help you sleep better.

Vitamin B12 does this by influencing the sleep hormone melatonin. Melatonin is a critical hormone produced in the absence of light stimulation, by the pineal gland which is located in the brain. It is responsible for regulating sleep and circadian rhythms and helps you fall asleep.

There are many different causes of insomnia and a lack of vitamin b12 may be one of them. Studies show that B12 causes an earlier release of melatonin at night which resets the circadian rhythm (sleep wake cycle). Very serious circadian rhythm disorders have been successfully treated with vitamin B12 in the methylcobalamin form, although it may not work for everyone.

Causes Of Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

As meat is the primary source of vitamin B12, people who eat no animal products whatsoever ie strict vegatarians, are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. However vegetarians who eat eggs and fish will get B12 in their diet. Some seaweeds contain the vitamin, and the gut may manufacture a certain amount of B12.

Certain medical conditions which causes a lack of intrinsic factor cause vitamin B12 deficiency.
Medical conditions that interfere with absorption in the small intestine such as Crohns, IBS, Celiac disease etc.

Nicotine has been known to reduce serum vitamin B12 levels although the need for vitamin B12 supplementation in smokers has not been adequately studied.

Certain medication also puts you at risk for B12 deficiency whether you eat meat or not. Omeprazole (Prilosec, Losec), cimetidine (Tagamet)and other drugs that inhibit gastric secretion can cause a deficiency. If you regularly take tablets for stomach ulcers, heartburn acid reflux etc, this may be creating a B12 deficiency.

Some older people develope B12 deficiency because they don't have enough hydrochloric acid in their stomach to maintain intrinsic factor, but in fact some older people who have enough stomach acid are still deficient. Researchers don't yet understand why this is so.

Is There A Test For vitamin B12 deficiency?

There are several tests that help diagnose B12 deficiency.

A physical test may show problems with the reflexes.

A CBC (complete blood count) or a vitamin B12 serum test are blood tests that are most often used.

Rarely, Homocysteine, which is an indirect test and Methylmalonic Acid (MMA), a more direct method is used.

There are other tests too, which measure gut secretions or the antibodies to gut secretions.

The Schilling test can help find the cause of deficiency.

Where To Find Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is found in large quantities in animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, and dairy products.
Better sources of vitamin B12 include calf's liver, snapper, sardines, salmon, venison, shrimp and scallops.
Some is present in small quantities in certain seaweeds and algae such as nori, but there is no evidence that this form of vitamin B12 is bioavailable to human beings.

Methylcobalamin Best Vitamin B12 Supplement

Cyanocobalamin is the usual form of B12 sold in the US. Hydroxocobalamin and adenosylcobalamin are two other forms.But another form, methylcobalamin, may be the best of all and is the neurologically active form of B12. Taking methylcobalamin as a sublingual lozenge or sublingual spray allows you to absorb it well.
Some patients who did not respond to b12 were found to be deficient in folic acid and correcting their folate levels resolved this.

Vitamin B12 Dose For Sleep Disorders

The dose of oral B12 supplements for sleep disorders is 3000 mcg a day and this dose also corrects B12 deficiency. In published studies, it took four weeks for the sleep effect to take place so do give it enough time to work for you.