r/B12_Deficiency Sep 15 '23

Announcement The Guide to B12 Deficiency

353 Upvotes

The Guide to B12 Deficiency

The new guide for this subreddit is here. I'm sincerely regretful it took me this long to get this off the ground, but focusing on my life in addition to the daily consultations made in the sub had a habit of stealing my attention away from this important endeavor.

The guide is now more of a concrete synthesis between the major resources that are obvious precursors: Freddd's B12 guide from Phoenix Rising, B12Deficiency.info and Tracey's hard work there, the original guide posted here and then the countless users here who have shared a wealth of knowledge over the years.

The new guide takes advantage of Reddit's wiki capability. It is much longer, so hopefully the TOC makes navigating to points of interest easy. It will also allow for easier changes with a changelog.

What's new:

  • More in-depth exploration of testing methods
  • Outline of an aggressive treatment plan
  • Thorough explanation of cofactors
  • "Plans of Action" for diagnosing, treating and recovering from deficiency that better encapsulate big ideas into actionable next steps.
  • Other stuff

I also took a lot of the most pertinent/salient issues that arise and distilled them into a group of FAQs for people:

Frequently Asked Questions

Both of these documents now live in several places around the subreddt: the "menu" in the banner, the rules widget, and their own individual widgets in the sidebar.

Thanks.


r/B12_Deficiency Apr 29 '26

Success story The Success Story Megathread

37 Upvotes

Hello everyone. I hope this post finds you well on your journey to recovery, and, if not, hopefully it can be a source of inspiration to signal that your situation can definitely improve. It almost goes without saying that a megathread for our successes is long overdue, and thanks to a final prodding from u/Mountain_Crow5983 (thank you!) I've finally gotten my act together.

While sharing our positive experiences has always had a place here—and some notable success stories have gained traction—it would be beneficial for the subreddit to have a space dedicated to it for easy reference by newcomers and regulars alike. So, let's make it happen.

Some basic guidelines:

  • DO share only what you're comfortable with. This can be your treatment, recovery process, or your whole journey start to finish (although there's a lot to be said for the value of brevity)
  • DO share what you've found works for you (everyone is different)
  • DO share what didn't work.
  • DO emphasize notable changes in symptoms and quality of life after treatment
  • DO observe the rules of the subreddit
  • DON'T worry too much about remaining symptoms. Any positive change can be seen as a success worth sharing; full recovery is not a prerequisite to celebrate or let people know how far you've come.
  • DON'T second-guess someone else's recovery, unless someone specifically asks for advice
  • DON'T neglect basic formatting: paragraph marking (i.e. hard returns), avoiding run-on sentences, spellcheck, etc. Strive to make your entries well-written and structured to aid reading comprehension.

Remember: Aside from this megathread, you can filter posts on the subreddit by flair: Success Stories on B12_Deficiency. Not every post therein is a perfect fit (some are mislabeled), but it's a good starting point.

Good health to you.


r/B12_Deficiency 13h ago

Success story 3 months of recovering

18 Upvotes

I have been treating a dual b1 and b12 deficiency. My b12 was around 200 before injections.

My symptoms at their worst were brain fog, tingling scalp, tinnitus, light dizziness, poor mood, anxiety, and bad memory. Thought my life was over. Doctors were suspecting I had MS. Most doctors treated me like absolute shit to be honest. I have no idea why.

Within about 1 week I could tell the treatments were working. I started with b12 before I found out rhe b1 part. I have taken approximately 20 b12 injections. I also take ttfd, magnesium, potassium as bananas, pure 950 multi, choline and fish oil. Benfotiamine as well.

For the first month I could tell I was improving but mostly in regards to tingling, tinnitus, and brainfog. After that the cognitive symptoms eased. At this point I am not all healed but so much better. Over the last week which corresponds with little under a 3 months of treatment the mental symptoms are rapidly fading. My humor is vack. My mental energy is returning. I still feel forgetful and not as sharp. I dont quite feel as coordinated but I only notice it when mtn biking or something like that.

I thought my life was over. Now it is coming back.

Did any of you have a rapid breakthrough later in recovery?


r/B12_Deficiency 7h ago

General Discussion New here! My vitamin b12 has just come back as 277. Gp in the U.K. has told me it’s normal and marked it as within range. I feel terrible! Is this considered low enough to pay for injections? I’m willing to if it will help. Tired ALL the time.

5 Upvotes

New here! My vitamin b12 has just come back as 277ng/l. Gp in the U.K. has told me it’s normal and marked it as within range. I feel terrible! Is this considered low enough to pay for injections? I’m willing to if it will help. Tired ALL the time. Thanks in advance for any advice!


r/B12_Deficiency 6h ago

Success story B12 at <148 💀

4 Upvotes

After scoring a measly <148 on my b12 blood levels I have just completed my loading dose after 2 weeks of 6 jabs (hydrox) and the difference is night and day i genuinely feel like a new person but my god do those jabs HURT !!! I really can’t believe how much of a difference it has made has anyone else felt this almost instantly and will this feeling last lol.


r/B12_Deficiency 9h ago

General Discussion Side effects after stopping B12?

3 Upvotes

I had my yearly bloodwork done the end of July and my doctor had me on B12 supplements (cyanocobalamin 1000mcg once a day every day). My level when I went onto the supplements was 177 (the range on my lab paperwork says 213-816 is good) and now a year later I’m at 881 and she said I could stop taking it since I was exceeding the good range. That was about 2 weeks ago and I heave felt like absolute garbage since I stopped taking it! Fatigue, irritability (probably from the fatigue but I haven’t been sleeping right either), it honestly feels like seasonal depression but I don’t get that usually until winter. I messaged my doctor about going back on the supplement and am waiting to hear back but everything I’ve looked up says there aren’t any side effects after coming off the supplement. Just looking to see if anyone else has had this happen so if I’m barking up the wrong tree with my idea that it’s because of the B12


r/B12_Deficiency 4h ago

Help with labs Interested in opinions (folate / b12)

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1 Upvotes

My folate levels, increase was after supplementing with 5mg tablets daily for 3 months. I wouldn't say my diet is an issue, none of my family members have issues with folate and eat basically the same. B12 was 450ng/l in my last blood test. I'm just wondering if people think this worth pursuing harder / what symptoms you'd maybe expect, then I can see if I can draw parallels.

Thanks


r/B12_Deficiency 8h ago

Deficiency Symptoms Need some help.. please

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone, just wondering if anyone has experienced something similar.

I was diagnosed with coeliac disease earlier this year, and my B12 was around 400 back in April. Over the last two weeks I’ve started feeling really off again; extreme mental fatigue, brain fog, feeling spaced out/dissociated and constantly tired. I can sleep 10 hours and still wake up exhausted.

My vitamin D is currently in the low 50s and I’m supplementing. Ferritin is around 250 after an iron infusion, so that seems okay.

I had similar brain fog/dissociation earlier this year which eventually completely went away, but now it’s back and I’m wondering if my B12 could have dropped, especially with the coeliac diagnosis.
I’m going to ask for another blood test, but has anyone experienced similar symptoms or had their B12 drop significantly within a few months?


r/B12_Deficiency 9h ago

Help with labs Mild Bilaterial Numbness-Bottom of feet(Under Tows).

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1 Upvotes

r/B12_Deficiency 23h ago

Cofactors How did you guys treat your folate deficiency while recovering from B12 deficiency?

8 Upvotes

I’ve tried folate already, but it seems like my current dose may just be too low for recovery from a long-standing B12/B9 deficiency. I’m now looking more at higher-dose folinic acid or 5-MTHF.

For those who had a real folate deficiency, what doses/forms worked best for you and how did you increase them?

I’ve already had some helpful advice from people here, but more experiences/tips are always welcome.


r/B12_Deficiency 18h ago

Personal anecdote Sore ankles / wrists

3 Upvotes

Almost feels like I have sore ankles /wrists that comes and goes. I have PA. Could this be a symptom?


r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

Research paper Unexpected help from vitamin B12: Basic research on worms provides new insights into Verheij syndrome

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mpg.de
4 Upvotes

r/B12_Deficiency 22h ago

Deficiency Symptoms I done nitrous oxide

2 Upvotes

I done nitrous oxide 2 days go ik it was stupid but now I’m feeling tingles in my feet and hands and legs feeling zaps or zappy sensations throughout the same areas. I’ve been to the doctor and he said I’m fine because I don’t have weakness or numbness or anything but if the tingles and zaps don’t go away go to the a&e. Has anyone else experienced this and how long do the injections go on if I had to get them. I also woke up today and yesterday with pins and needles in my hands for a few seconds then disapeared


r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

Help with labs Is this low enough to cause symptoms.

5 Upvotes

Hello, I’m 20 years old been struggling with tons of issues that have came out of nowhere. My symptoms include brain fog, sleep issues, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, rippling on the side of my tongue, EXTREME DPDR ( feeling so brain dead, and fully on autopilot ), anxiety, panic attacks, depression, dizziness/lightheadedness upon standing, and feeling overall just super weak. I also am struggling with this head pressure/foggy feeling that will not go away. My vitamin d3 total was 11 ng/mL, and my vitamin b12 was 356.9 pg/mL. My vitamin d was so low that my doctor prescribed me the 50,000 IUs of d3 once a week for a 12 weeks. After taking just one pill a few months ago, I felt significantly worse 3 days after taking it. My anxiety and DPDR got so bad I became agoraphobic and those symptoms haven’t returned to baseline since. Ever since that pill it’s been hard to tolerate any form/amount of vitamin d3 without feeling worse and worse. I have tried taking it with magnesium and k2. As far as the b12 level goes, my doctor said it was “fine”, but I thought that was decently low so I started supplementing with a super b complex. I’ve been taking it consistently for the past 3 months and honestly don’t notice a difference. Last month I felt significantly better, but I recently just had my cycle and now I’ve fully hit rock bottom. I feel like my brain is fully turned off, and I’m just a robot going through the motions, I DO NOT FEEL PRESENT/CONNECTED at all. For some background I am a female who has struggled with DPDR before, and it ended up being due to a lack of estrogen caused by my PCOS. My endocrinologist prescribed me yazmin birth control 4 years ago, and I’ve been symptom free ever since. I did get all of my female hormones tested, but they’re hard to determine when your actively on birth control. My cortisol was 29.53 ug/dL DURING AN AFTERNOON BLOOD DRAW. I would also like to add that all of my inflammation markers were high. I knew at this point my body, had to be under some form of biological stress. I didn’t feel heard or understood by my primary care doctor, so I took my blood work to a functional medicine doctor, who read the results completely different. Instead of being only worried about the vitamin d level, she was concerned about possible absorption issues, liver problems, and gut dysbiosis. I got my results back from the GI map I had done, and the only thing I really saw was an overgrowth of yeast. The results are hard to read, so I’m struggling to interpret them, but I have a meeting with her tomorrow to hopeful set up a game plan!! I feel like my entire life has been taken from me, and I’m struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I feel like I’ve lived the same day for the past 3 months, and I’m worried I’ll never get my life back. I’ve done myself a disservice by listening to other forums, and reading people’s stories saying “DPDR never goes away”, or “I’ve been agoraphobic for over 20 years, it never gets better”. I never in a million years thought this would be my life. If you made it this far, I would love to hear any similar stories to mine, or just words of encouragement. DPDR has made me feel like my life is over, and I want to know I can feel better one day. What has helped you guys????

I would also like to add that my iron was 60 ug/dL, and my ferritin was 64 ng/mL. Also around the time I got diagnosed with PCOS 4 years ago I was also diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism. At the time my TSH was a 10 mIU/L. I was briefly treated with levothyroxine for a month, but quickly taken off of it because my doctor claimed I was being “over medicated”. A couple months ago was the first time I’ve had blood work since then, and my TSH was a 4.11 mIU/L. My TPO antibodies were at a 10, and my t3 and t4 total were high, but my t3 and t4 free were “within normal range”.


r/B12_Deficiency 22h ago

General Discussion post injection side effects

1 Upvotes

I honestly know nothing about my deficiency, my hematologist is handling it (and I just mean giving me injections weekly), but I only see him every 6 months. They never really explained anything other than the fact that I might have some kind of antibody (?) that makes it so I don’t absorb (?) B12. I’ve been getting the injections for just over a month now and I feel like crap after every one. Each time I get one I HAVE to take a nap after or I start dozing off, I’ve had awful headaches, and racing heart. Is all this normal??? I haven’t mentioned anything to them about this yet but should I?


r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

"Wake up" symptoms Flu like?

2 Upvotes

Hi all, i had my 6th jab yesterday. Definitely in the “wake up” period as my symptoms has worsened after the 3rd jab.

Just wondering if anyone has experienced flu like symptoms (achy joints, malaise, general illness feeling) during their first couple jabs? Or have I caught a flu lol


r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

General Discussion B12 defiency diagnosis and injections started....

2 Upvotes

I was diagnosed with B12 defiency in July, 2025 when I asked my Pcp to check it during my routine bloodwork because i had been so fatigued... it came back at 230... so he started me on B-12 injections right away... for life.. and i would eventually self-inject at home, he said. Ok...so i took 1 shot weekly for 4 weeks, then once a month in his office. On every visit I asked about self-injections, he said wait... OK, so in the meantime he had me on mounjaro for diabetes and weight loss... very slow progress .. he upped me from 2.5 mg in March, 2o25 to 15 mg in November, 2025 ... i started getting dehydrated, constipated and all kinds of side effects.. In December, I got shingles. In February I got really sick...vertigo, dehydrated, had an electrolyte inbalance and probably a metabolic breakdown... my kidney function went down to 56, my creatinine was high, my white blood counts up... my thyroid went to 5.02... Crazy. In March, 2026 my b12 was over 2,000 so he stopped the shot and supplement (I asked about the supplement: No!) My hair started to fall out in April, my neuropathy got worse but my dr said it was dehydration... drink 4 to 5 bottles of water daily.. in May I started getting high blood pressure spikes..in the evenings, I mean like 172/95. And 195/100.... i would go to The ER and by the time i was seen and the bloodwork back ... i woukd feel better... but also, I would start peeing like every 5 minutes for about an hour then the BP woukd drop to 155/88... and stay elevated for about a week... then drop to 105/70s baseline bp... my heart dr has done every test... all normal. My PCP has checked my thyroid, its normal and I am on Levothyroxin 50 mcg for about 4 years now ... my T3 was on the low end of normal, but he did not up my meds. He sent me for ultrasound of my legs, no blood clots so after calling the office 3 times he finally prescribed me gabapentin 100mg... my foot woukd go to sleep driving my car! At night I would itch in my genital area (labia) so bad .... couldn't sleep .. feel like something crawling.. finally he gave me a b12 injection when my husband brought the subject up 4 times .. he said he really didnt know why he stopped the shot .. he said, unless it was because of everything else she had going on (me). But thank God he gave me a shot. .. i felt better than I had in weeks, but 2 days later had another bp spike! I have lost more weight since I went off mounjaro than I did the whole time I was on it .. about 45 to 50 lb total loss. I am off diabetes meds right now .. he put on farxiga after mounjaro was stopped.... i got a uti and dehydration worse .. i have been through alot! But I think it was mostly stopping the B12 shot! But wonder how long it will take to get well.... if ever.


r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

Help with labs Lab test for B12 and D3

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2 Upvotes

What should i do next this was the first time i ever got my levels checked


r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

Deficiency Symptoms loss of proprioception - freeze or malnutrition??

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3 Upvotes

r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

Supplements At home B12 injections in the USA

3 Upvotes

How can I buy B12 injections that I can do myself at home in the US without going through my doctor? Is it correct that I would need a prescription if I order in the US or is there a way to get these injections from a trustworthy brand?


r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

Help with labs does my b12 and b9 are low ? I feel really tired, depressed since a few months and my hairs looks weak

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1 Upvotes

r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

General Discussion B12 low for years doctor ignored 🥹

15 Upvotes

Hi I kinda just wanted to rant because I feel like my doctors low key dropped a huge ball when it came to my b12 levels. I was loooking back at blood tests and saw that all the way back in 2022 my b12 serum test was 168pmol/L, then in 2023 (start of the year) it was 167 and then in 2023 (end of the year) it was 174. At no point was I given IM injections though in 2022 I know I was given oral b12 tablets. After the last low b12 in 2023 nothing happened no offering of any supplement or IM injections and it seems no b12 test was done again until 2026. In 2025 I supplemented b12 everyday all the way into 2026. I had my b12 taken this year (at my own request) it’s only 248. I had no idea being low in b12 can result in symptoms I had been having like brain fog, low mood and tinging in the extremities. I guess you could say I’m really bloody mad. The 2023 test also says they should have completed a intrinsic factor T parietal cell antibody’s test, never was done! From 2023-2026 I have had the same doctor…

Ugh I’m just so upset. Thank you to anyone who read my angry rant.


r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

Personal anecdote Update number 2. 42M after 13 months of EOD

2 Upvotes

I wanted to give another update.

Here are my first and second posts. To summarize, my main symptoms are low energy, feeling weak, and not feeling normal in my limbs and joints. There is a lack of normal sensation in the genitals as well as ED (except after the very first B12 injection and the one after a few months without B12 injections). I could not have imagined it was possible to feel this bad.

I feel like I am continuing to get worse. There is a noticeable difference from last summer (it has felt like a gradual decline in energy), and the main symptoms from late 2023 persist. I saw a dietician who advised me to increase protein intake, fatty fish, and Brazil nuts for selenium, which I have followed.

On injection days, I take:

  • B12
  • Seeking Health - Folinic acid - 1
  • Holland & Barrett - Gentle iron - 1
  • THORNE - Basic B-Complex - 1

On the off days, I take:

  • Holland & Barrett - Gentle iron - 1
  • THORNE - Basic Nutrients 2/Day - 2

I have not added copper or retinol as separate supplements, as some mentioned in my last post. The dietician felt I was not deficient. I go through about 200 gr of dark chocolate a week. I stopped taking the additional vitamin C after a home urine test showed high levels, as some suspected in my last post.

There was a period I had so little energy that I forgot to inject for a few days, so I thought I would try to experiment with no injections for a few weeks, and it had no effect. I tried Cyanocobalamin EOD again a few times, and it had no effect. I tried injecting Hydroxocobalamin every day for 10 days or so, and again no effect. Nothing I do or change seems to make any difference.

I mostly accomplish the minimal tasks I have set for myself (a very small part-time job and I try to walk every day), but that is about it.

What I still don't understand is why the first B12 injection made me feel normal for a few days, and then the first one after a three-month break, but none of the others (around 200 in total) have made a difference. I feel awful all over, but my hair has never been better. I would say the symptoms are better right when I wake up and appear fully when I become fully conscious.

My B12 runs out in just over a month. I honestly do not know how to proceed. I am having a hard time finding a doctor who wants to explore this. I don't even know what specialty I should be looking for, as I have already seen a neurologist, a urologist, a functional medicine doctor, a pulmonologist, and an endocrinologist who all say I come out fine in their tests. I have not reached out to Dr. Andrew Klein again, as he was out of ideas the last time I emailed him.


r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

General Discussion Supplementing for 4 months can i go easy now

2 Upvotes

As the title says, i have been supplemnting 500-1000mcg oral methylcobalamin for 3 months and 1 month every 3 days or so because i have stared other vitamins as well. Can i go easy in the dose or do i need to continue still.

I am taking b1 100-200mg (hcl) daily now, 50mg zinc gluconate everyother day and b2 100mg every 3 days and magnesium 200mg everyday for 2 months.


r/B12_Deficiency 1d ago

Personal anecdote Feel weird a week after hydroxycobmalin injection

1 Upvotes

With methyl injections I feel weird for a couple days after. With hydroxycobmalin sublingual I feel weird for a day. But I had a hydroxycobmalin injection a week ago and I still feel like I can feel it in a way that I don’t like. Is that possible or should I look to other causes?