Ever notice how you feel more energetic in the summer? Have you ever wondered if it was related to the number of BBQ’s you attend? OK, I know it is a bit of a stretch, but there might just be a link, especially if you are a carnivore. Vitamin B12 gives you energy and one of the best sources of it is red meat. What do you eat at BBQ’s? Red meat! There’s the stretched link.
People with a B12 deficiency, don’t necessarily fall asleep more quickly than those without it. But they do feel fatigued. It’s a different type of fatigue; probably the lethargic fatigue I mentioned in a previous article. My area of expertise is sleep-related fatigue. I am not an expert in all the other types of fatigue, but I do know how it feels to be fatigued because of low B12. Without my B12 supplements, my blood tests always show that I am slightly deficient….and I can vouch for the need for B12 because my energy is so low that I don’t feel like doing anything. I feel lethargic fatigue.
As this summer’s BBQ season draws to a close, pay attention to your energy levels. If you have a B12 deficiency, you might start to feel fatigued. It sneaks up on you slowly as your B12 drops across a week or two. If you do feel fatigued, ask your medical doctor to test your B12 levels. If you are low, take the prescribed dose. Take it regularly, don’t miss a day. B12 levels take a few days to build back up, and when they do, your energy should return. Keep in mind that most of the research shows that supplementing with B12 to increase energy only has an effect in people who are B12 deficient[1]. This means that taking B12 strictly for energy without understanding your vitamin levels, might not be the best approach. Always talk to your medical doctor about supplementing vitamins.
Footnote
[1] For an interesting article on vitamin B12, see Gavura, S. (2011). Vitamin B12: The energy panacea? Science-Based Medicine. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/vitamin-b12-the-energy-panacea/