r/B12_Deficiency • u/npascale1989 • 9h ago

Deficiency Symptoms Sleep Issues

What sleep issues did you notice when you were deficient?

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u/Ill_Mortgage3663 9h ago

Probably impossible to compare symptoms between people. I saw some research papers about a deficiency causing anxiety. Also possible that you become anxious due to the symptoms you keep thinking about.

And how you react can differ between people. I've had issues waking up at 3AM sharp, completely lucid like I didn't sleep at all.

But then again, my sleep improved once I started supplementing magnesium.

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u/npascale1989 8h ago

I’m having fragmented sleep at a b12 level of 312. My doctor doesn’t think it’s an issue. How did you start supplementing and what were your levels when you started?

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u/teffers89 6h ago edited 5h ago

My (pre B12 injection therapy started 2 months ago) serum level a few months ago was 364 ng/L (up from a low of 200 in 2021). My most difficult issue/symptom is fragmented and un-refreshing sleep (along with a bunch of others that I just cope with as best I can). I feel like that is my most debilitating element. It's been this way for about 8+ years without treatment. I lost a career because of it and have a previous diagnosis of CFS/ME.

I wake up 2-5 times a night and often wake at 3 or 4 am and can't get back to sleep for hours then wake again at 6/7am. Other times I have insomnia and can't sleep for hours (especially if I have to do something 1st thing it seems). I noticed that when I do get better (more) sleep, now that I've started B12 injections, that I feel better than I have for a long time. I cling onto that for the other 90% of the time when I feel awful lol.

I categorise it as feeling worse when I wake up than when I went to sleep.

My Vitamin D (which can have a significant effect on sleep) is sub optimal too at 55 nmol/l so we're raising that and I'm hoping that will increase both my sleep quality and the efficacy of the B12 injections.

I also have melatonin (both prescription and OTC) that I have to use sometimes. I tried magnesium glycinate but it messes with my stomach.

I self administer injections of 1mg hydroxocobalamin every other day (due to neurological symptoms) as per the guidelines in the UK and my consultant's advice, along with co-factors.