Category: Holistic Health

How are low levels of Vitamin B12 and depression linked?

While most of us are guilty of making an offhand remark about depression from time to time, like “Yeah, I’m a little depressed today”, true depression is a significant, potentially life-changing condition that affects millions of people. It’s also very complicated; much more so than simply calling it a chemical imbalance.
While having too much or too little of certain chemicals in the brain can be a factor in depression, there are actually many possible causes, such as genetic predisposition, stressful or traumatic experiences, medical problems and reactions to drugs and medications. Inadequate levels of vitamin B, vitamin B12 in particular, may also be linked to depression. Researchers have yet to determine exactly why a lack of B12 leads to mood disorders, increased anxiety levels and depression, but it is believed that there may be a connection to the role it plays in the synthesis of mood-regulating brain chemicals, like serotonin and dopamine.
Vitamin B12 plays an important role in the body. Its presence is necessary for the production of red blood cells and functions associated with nerves, DNA and other bodily processes. Despite how necessary B12 is, like most other vitamins, the body cannot make its own and must rely on food or some other form of supplementation. This can often result in a B12 deficiency, especially in older people. Many individuals simply do not consume the necessary amounts and others have gastrointestinal absorption issues and cannot absorb enough, no matter how much they take in. Vegans and those who are strict vegetarians are prime candidates for vitamin B12 deficiency, because it is not found in vegetables or other plants; only in meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products and other foods that come from animals. Anyone having weight-loss surgery is also at risk, because the operation hinders the body’s ability to extract the vitamin from food.

Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency can manifest with a wide array of symptoms; sometimes all of a sudden and other times gradually, with intensity levels growing over time. One of the reasons that this condition is often misdiagnosed is that there is such a range of symptoms, making it easy to attribute to something else. Some of the symptoms include:

• numbness, tingling, burning or other strange sensations in hands, legs or feet
• staggering, coordination or balance problems when walking
• constipation
• appetite and weight loss
• anemia
• a swollen, inflamed or smooth tongue
• jaundice
• cognitive difficulties or memory loss
• paranoia
• hallucinations
• physical weakness
• fatigue

Vitamin B12 is crucial for brain function and, besides the other possible physical symptoms, deficiency can result in depression, psychosis, mania and dementia. For those who are unable to maintain an adequate level of vitamin B12, it is important that they consult with a healthcare professional and initiate a corrective plan. Suggestions for accomplishing this may include a change in diet, supplement recommendations or vitamin injections.

At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we know how important nutrition is to health and well-being. Today’s diets are depleted of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and other nutrients due to the decreasing quality of our food supply, poor soil and busy lifestyles.   Vitamins are a crucial factor to feeling energetic, maintaining a strong immune system, and decreasing risk factors for many diseases. Once we have diagnosed your particular case through carefully administered testing, we will make our recommendations for dietary changes or supplementation, such as highly absorbable vitamin injections, based on your individual needs.

To learn more about any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.

Holistic Health Services in Los Angeles With Dr. Judi Goldstone

• Functional Medicine Home
• Chronic Fatigue
• Adrenal Fatigue
• Brain Fog / Cognitive Function
• Anxiety Disorders
• Menopause Treatment
• Thyroid Treatment (Hypo & Hyperthyroidism; Hashimotos)
• Leaky Gut

Do mentally stimulating activities protect against memory loss? A recent study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic has determined that engaging in mentally stimulating activities, such as, computer use, craft activities, social activities and playing games decreased cognitive impairment by between 22 and 30 percent. More specifically, it was determined that taking part in these types of activities, even late in life, has the potential to delay new-onset mild cognitive impairment.

The Mayo Clinic describes mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as “an intermediate stage between the expected cognitive decline of normal aging and the more-serious decline of dementia. It can involve problems with memory, language, thinking and judgment that are greater than normal age-related changes”.

As we grow older, it’s expected that we will gradually begin to notice that we are not as mentally nimble as we once were. Everyone experiences walking into a room only to forget why we are there and going temporarily blank when trying to remember a name or think of a word. When memory or other behavioral issues go beyond what is generally expected, it may indicate some level of cognitive impairment.

Some possible warning signs include:

• Forgetting things more often.
• Inability to keep track of appointments or social engagements.
• Losing your train of thought or getting lost in conversations, books or movies.
• Feeling increasingly overwhelmed when making decisions or trying to make plans.
• Familiar environments no longer feel familiar.
• Becoming uncharacteristically impulsive or displaying poor judgment.
• Any or all of the above becoming noticeable to family and friends.

The news that some or all of these symptoms can be prevented or, at least, slowed, is definitely welcome. By following nearly 2,000 participants for an average four years each, the study determined that computer use decreased new-onset mild cognitive impairment by 30 percent, while craft activities, social interaction and playing games decreased impairment by 28, 23 and 22 percent, respectively.

According to Yonas Geda, M.D., psychiatrist and behavioral neurologist at Mayo Clinic’s Arizona campus and senior author of the study, “Our team found that persons who performed these activities at least one to two times per week had less cognitive decline than those who engaged in the same activities only two to three times per month or less.”

Of course, not all memory loss is age-related. Other causes include:

• lack of sleep
• stress
• alcohol and drug abuse
• chronic inflammation
• vascular diseases
• depression
• boredom
• insufficient nutrition
• vitamin and mineral deficiency
• free radical damage
• hormone imbalance

While mentally stimulating activities have the potential of keeping the brain more agile and able to function at a higher level, at any age, the issues in the list above may require other means for correction. At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we strongly believe correcting imbalances and deficiencies in nutrition, vitamin and antioxidant status, along with improving fitness and balancing and restoring hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, can offer help with memory issues while creating the foundation for a healthier and happier life.

To learn more about memory loss and what can be done, take advantage of our Free Consultation by calling (424) 247-4962 or click here to use our convenient online form.

Holistic Health Services in Los Angeles With Dr. Judi Goldstone

• Functional Medicine Home
• Chronic Fatigue
• Adrenal Fatigue
• Brain Fog / Cognitive Function
• Anxiety Disorders
• Menopause Treatment
• Thyroid Treatment (Hypo & Hyperthyroidism; Hashimotos)
• Leaky Gut

How important is the sunshine vitamin to our general health?

Vitamin D is called “the sunshine vitamin” because it’s produced in the skin in response to sunlight. While we all learned in elementary school how important it is for developing strong bones and teeth, and most senior citizens are constantly reminded that they should take a vitamin D supplement (along with their calcium) to help prevent osteoporosis, vitamin D has many other important purposes.

Because of the complexity of substances (including vitamins, minerals, and hormones) that interact to make the body function at optimal levels, it is essential to have a board-certified physician who understands the myriad connections among them and who is able to administer the appropriate doses of each to keep your body in balance.

The Functions of Vitamin D

Apart from regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorous, which not only helps to prevent osteoporosis, but also the softening of bones (osteomalacia), vitamin D performs the following significant functions:

• Maintaining a normal immune system to help the body fight disease
• Fighting depression and anxiety, regulating moods
• Assisting in weight loss when taken with calcium
• Helping to prevent heart disease

Several studies have attested to these benefits of vitamin D. In addition, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2006 points to evidence suggesting that vitamin D reduces your risk of developing multiple sclerosis, and findings published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2010 attest to the fact that vitamin D reduces your likelihood of developing the flu. Another interesting research study demonstrated that vitamin D deficiency was discernibly more common in fibromyalgia patients who were experiencing anxiety and depression.

How the Body Gets the Vitamin D It Needs

As mentioned, exposure to sunlight is a significant source of vitamin D. Only a small amount of exposure, about 10 minutes of mid-day sun, is necessary for individuals with fair skin. Dark-skinned people require more time in the sun to produce sufficient vitamin D.
Some food sources also provide vitamin D naturally, such as salmon, sardines, egg yolks, and shrimp. Other foods, such as milk, cereal, orange juice and yogurt, are fortified with vitamin D to help meet our dietary needs.

Reasons for Vitamin D Deficiency

Many factors of modern life tend to deprive of us our necessary quota of vitamin D. For one thing, our depleted ozone layer puts us at increased risk of skin cancer, which has wisely prompted the extensive use of sunscreen. While protecting us from skin cancer, however, sunscreen decreases our absorption of vitamin D. Also, the modern tendency to spend more time indoors and in urban environments in which tall buildings block sunlight makes us more prone to vitamin D deficiency.

Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include:

• Fatigue, aches and pains, malaise
• Severe bone or muscle pain or weakness
• Stress fractures, especially in the legs, hips, or pelvis

If you are experiencing such symptoms, it is important to have a full work-up, including blood tests for vitamin D deficiency and other abnormalities in order to get an accurate diagnosis, especially since these symptoms may be linked to other underlying causes.  A knowledgeable clinician who works routinely to keep the body in balance for optimal health will be able to diagnose and treat any imbalances you may be suffering from.

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