B12 Deficiency Quotes

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It was my experience with the medical profession that had years of experience treating me and knew that I was displaying symptoms that matched B12 deficiency, that they were unable to make that diagnosis.
Steven Magee
COULD IT BE B12 DEFICIENCY? The neurological symptoms of B12 deficiency that occur in young and middle-aged people are very similar to those in older people. They include the following: • Numbness, tingling, or burning sensations of the hands, feet, extremities, or truncal area, often misdiagnosed as diabetic neuropathy or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) • Tremor, often misdiagnosed as essential tremor or pre-Parkinson’s disease • Muscle weakness, paresthesias, and paralysis, sometimes attributed to Guillain-Barré syndrome • Pain, fatigue, and debility, often labeled as “chronic fatigue syndrome” • “Shaky leg” syndrome (leg trembling) • Confusion and mental fogginess, often misdiagnosed as early-onset dementia • Unsteadiness, dizziness, and paresthesias, often misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis • Weakness of extremities, clumsiness, muscle cramps, twitching, or foot drop, often misdiagnosed as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) • Psychiatric symptoms, such as depression or psychosis (covered in greater length in the next chapter) • Visual disturbances, vision loss, or blindness In contrast, a doctor ignorant about the effects of B12 deficiency can destroy a patient’s life. The
Sally M. Pacholok (Could It Be B12?: An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses)
He shared his place with a Dr. Tubeside, whose practice consisted largely of injecting people with "vitamin B12", a euphemism for the physician's own blend of amphetamines. Today, early as it was, Doc still had to edge his way past a line of "B12"- deficient housewives of a certain melancholy index, actors with casting calls to show up at, deeply tanned geezers looking ahead to an active day of schmoozing in the sun, stewardii just off in some high-stress red-eye, even a few legit cases of pernicious anemia or vegetarian pregnancy, all shuffling along half asleep, chain-smoking, talking to themselves, sliding one by one into the lobby of the little cinder-block building through a turnstile, next to which, holding a clipboard and checking them in, stood Petunia Leeway, a stunner in a starched cap and micro-length medical outfit, not so much an actual nurse uniform as a lascivious commentary on one, which Dr. Tubeside claimed to've bought a truckload of from Fredericks's of Hollywood, in a variety of fashion pastels, today's being aqua, at close to wholesale.
Thomas Pynchon (Inherent Vice)
Although there are certainly a number Hair Loss regarding treatments offering great results, experts say that normal thinning hair treatment can easily yield some of the best rewards for anybody concerned with the fitness of their head of hair. Most people choose to handle their hair loss along with medications or even surgical treatment, for example Minoxidil or even head of hair hair transplant. Nevertheless many individuals fail to realize that treatment as well as surgical procedure are costly and may have several dangerous unwanted effects and also risks. The particular safest and a lot cost efficient form of thinning hair treatment therapy is natural hair loss remedy, which includes healthful going on a diet, herbal solutions, exercise as well as good hair care strategies. Natural thinning hair therapy is just about the "Lost Art" associated with locks restore and is frequently ignored as a type of treatment among the extremely expensive options. A simple main within normal hair loss treatment methods are that the identical food items which are great for your health, are good for your hair. Although hair loss may be caused by many other factors, not enough correct diet will cause thinning hair in most people. Foods which are loaded with protein, lower in carbohydrates, and have decreased excess fat articles can help in maintaining healthful hair as well as preventing hair loss. For instance, efa's, seen in spinach, walnuts, soy products, seafood, sardines, sunflower seed products and also canola acrylic, are important eating essentials valuable in maintaining hair wholesome. The omega-3 and also rr Half a dozen efas contain anti-inflammatory properties that are valuable in maintaining healthier hair. Insufficient amounts of these types of efa's may lead to more rapidly hair loss. A deficiency in nutritional B6 and also vitamin B12 can also result in excessive hair thinning. Food items containing B vitamins, like liver organ, poultry, seafood and soybean are important to healthier hair growth and normal thinning hair treatment. Both vitamin B6 and also vitamin B12 are simply within protein rich foods, which are needed to preserve natural hair growth. Vitamin b are incredibly essential to your diet plan to avoid extreme hair thinning. Certain nutritional vitamins as well as supplements are often essential to recover protein amounts which in turn, are helpful in stopping thinning hair. Growing b vitamin consumption in your diet is an effective method to avoid or perhaps treat hair damage naturally. Alongside the thought of eating healthily regarding vitamins, nutrients and also vitamins and minerals are also the utilization of herbal treatments which are good at preventing hair thinning as a organic thinning hair therapy. One of the herbal remedies producing healthcare head lines will be Saw Palmetto. Although most studies regarding Saw palmetto extract happen to be for your management of prostatic disease, more modern numerous studies have been carried out about its effectiveness for hair thinning. The actual plant has been seen as to operate in eliminating benign prostatic disease by lowering degrees of Dihydrotestosterone, the industry known cause of androgenic alopecia, the medical phrase regarding man or woman routine hair loss. While there isn't any clinical trials supporting this herb's usefulness being a normal hair thinning treatment, there is certainly some dependable investigation proving that it could decrease androgen exercise within
Normal Thinning hair Therapy The particular Dropped Art associated with Head of hair Repair
Remember, that even cows that are used to produce meat are injected with B12 these days. The cows don't eat grass anymore. They are deficient in this vitamin.
Sivan Berko (Vegan Kids: How To Raise Healthy Vegan Children And Keep Them On The Right Track (Vegan Children, Vegan Kids, Healthy Vegan, Vegan Diet, Vegan, Healthy Kids))
Magnesium’s role in bone health is multifaceted. • Adequate levels of magnesium are essential for the absorption and metabolism of calcium. • Magnesium stimulates a particular hormone, calcitonin, that helps to preserve bone structure and draws calcium out of the blood and soft tissues back into the bones, preventing some forms of arthritis and kidney stones. • Magnesium suppresses another bone hormone called parathyroid, preventing it from breaking down bone. • Magnesium converts vitamin D into its active form so that it can help calcium absorption. • Magnesium is required to activate an enzyme that is necessary to form new bone. • Magnesium regulates active calcium transport. With all these roles for magnesium to play, it is no wonder that even a mild deficiency can be a risk factor for osteoporosis. Further, if there is too much calcium in the body, especially from calcium supplementation, as in Muriel’s case, magnesium absorption can be greatly impaired, resulting in worsening osteoporosis and the likelihood of kidney stones, arthritis, and heart disease. A chance meeting in a hotel with a woman whose lymphoma worsened immediately after being prescribed 2,500 mg of calcium, but no magnesium, for her osteoporosis made me consider that excess calcium can also deposit in cancerous tumors. Other factors that are important in the development of osteoporosis include diet, drugs, endocrine imbalance, allergies, vitamin D deficiency, and lack of exercise. A detailed review of the osteoporosis literature shows that chronically low intake of magnesium, vitamin D, boron, and vitamins K, B12, B6, and folic acid leads to osteoporosis.
Carolyn Dean (The Magnesium Miracle (Revised and Updated))
I first met this young client when he was eight years old. He was very shy with a calm disposition. He had been diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder and his parents had hired a special tutor. His mother and father were already clients of mine, and his mother was very conscientious with his diet. She was most concerned about his extreme fatigue, how difficult it was to get him up in the morning, and how difficult it was for him to fall asleep. He was also falling asleep at school. In addition, she was concerned he was having difficulty remembering his schoolwork. With sensory processing disorder, children may have difficulty concentrating, planning and organizing, and responding appropriately to external stimuli. It is considered to be a learning disorder that fits into the autism spectrum of disorders. To target his diet and nutritional supplementation, I recommended a comprehensive blood panel, an adrenal profile, a food sensitivity panel, and an organic acids profile to determine vitamin, mineral, and energy deficiency status. His blood panel indicated low thyroid function, iron deficiency, and autoimmune thyroid. His adrenal profile indicated adrenal fatigue. His organic acids test indicated low B vitamins and zinc, low detoxification capacity, and low levels of energy nutrients, particularly magnesium. He was also low in omega-3 fatty acids and sensitive to gluten, dairy, eggs, and corn. Armed with all of that information, he and I worked together to develop a diet based on his test results. I like to involve children in the designing of their diet. That way they get to include the foods they like, learn how to make healthy substitutions for foods they love but can no longer eat, and learn how to improve their overall food choices. He also learned he needed to include protein at all meals, have snacks throughout the day, and what constitutes a healthy snack. I recommended he start with a gut restoration protocol along with iron support; food sensitivities often go hand in hand with leaky gut issues. This would also impact brain function. In the second phase of his program, I added inositol and serotonin support for sleep, thyroid support, DHA, glutathione support (to help regulate autoimmunity), a vitamin and mineral complex, fish oils, B-12, licorice extract for his adrenals, and dopamine and acetylcholine support to improve his concentration, energy, and memory. Within a month, his parents reported that he was falling asleep easily and would wake up with energy in the morning. His concentration improved, as did his ability to remember what he had learned at school. He started to play sports in the afternoon and took the initiative to let his mom know what foods not to include in his diet. He is still on his program three years later, and the improvements
Datis Kharrazian (Why Isn't My Brain Working?: A revolutionary understanding of brain decline and effective strategies to recover your brain’s health)
Combine iron intake with vitamin C. Research has established that the absorption of non-heme (plant-based) iron is significantly enhanced when it’s ingested in conjunction with foods high in vitamin C—up to sixfold, in fact. Accordingly, I combine red pepper or citrus fruits such as oranges or grapefruit (all high in vitamin C) with dark leafy greens or pumpkin seeds (high in iron) in my daily blended smoothies. And as an extra step, I always keep a bag of pumpkin seeds in my car, along with some fruit to munch while I drive—a tip I picked up on the friendly advice of former pro triathlete and plant-based pioneer Brendan Brazier. Avoid coffee and tea at mealtime. The tannins contained in coffee or tea (irrespective of caffeine content) impede the body’s ability to absorb iron, up to 50 to 60 percent. So if you’re concerned about your iron stores, it’s best to avoid these drinks an hour or so both before and after meals. Vitamin B12 supplementation. Vitamin B12 is another compound required to generate red blood cells. So a deficiency in this vitamin can also lead to anemia. And vitamin B12 is the one essential nutrient that simply cannot be found in the plant kingdom. But again, there is no need to be alarmed, run out to the grocery, and start gorging on steaks. The fix is easy. You can simply take a B12 supplement, available in capsule form at any health food store. Alternatively, many meal supplements contain the RDA of B12. Furthermore, nutritional yeast, which we use in a variety of our recipes in our cookbook The Plantpower Way, such as Cashew Cheese, is also high in B12
Rich Roll (Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself)
Pernicious Anemia translates into fatal blood deficiency, as a century ago it killed many of the people that developed it. It was a horrible and prolonged death process. It was later discovered that feeding raw liver to the patients would treat it. Today the condition is treated with vitamin B12 and iron supplements.
Steven Magee (Magee’s Disease)
What causes hypochlorydria (low stomach acid)? Some of the different factors that can cause low stomach acid include nutrient deficiencies, hypothyroidism, and intestinal dysbiosis, including SIBO. Signs of a HCL deficiency: sense of fullness during or after eating, bloating or belching immediately after eating, undigested food in the stool, one or more nutrient deficiencies (especially iron and vitamin B12), and brittle fingernails Recommended dosage of betaine HCL: 350 to 3,500 mg/day Note: If taking betaine HCL, please make sure you do so with meals high in protein (at least 15 grams). You also want to start with a low dosage (i.e., one capsule with each meal), and if you experience heartburn or any other type of burning sensation, this is a sign that you are taking too much and should decrease the dosage.
Eric Osansky (Hashimoto's Triggers: Eliminate Your Thyroid Symptoms By Finding And Removing Your Specific Autoimmune Triggers)
Pernicious anemia killed many people before the development of B12 supplements!
Steven Magee (Pandemic Supplements)
Essential Supplements I want to start with two essential nutrients for mental health which many people are deficient in: vitamin D and vitamin B12.
Robert Wayfair (The Brain Heart Link: End Anxiety, Depression, Panic Attacks, Control Anger, Negative Thinking And Master Your Emotions)
B12 deficiency may cause the COVID-19 disease to become severe.
Steven Magee (COVID Supplements)
Nutritional deficiencies—Iron-deficiency anemia is unusually common among celiac sufferers, affecting up to 69 percent. Deficiencies of vitamin B12, folic acid, zinc, and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K are also common.
William Davis (Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health)
I started to see a serious decline in health in high altitude professional astronomy. Most noticeable was the onset of constant fatigue, memory issues and confusion. The condition progressed during my time in the commercial and utility solar industry where I started falling asleep at work and developed hot skin. The doctors tested me and said I had shift work disorder in 2008 and vitamin D and Vitamin B12 deficiencies in 2011. In 2015 I had a COVID-19 like sickness that made everyone in the family really sick. I never recovered and this started regular visits to the doctors. They diagnosed severe sleep apnea and mental illness and prescribed a CPAP machine. Under the care of the doctors I became much sicker on their prescription drugs and treatments. I eventually got smart and figured out I was not going to recover under their care and they may actually kill me! In 2021, moving to Hawaii island revealed that I had ‘Altitude Hypersensitivity’ and a high altitude commuting disease called ‘Magee’s Disease’. By the end of 2023 I had developed the treatments for these conditions and made a reasonable recovery. There is no cure for either condition. They are life-long illnesses. I now have to live well below 1,000 feet near sea level and take the treatments for the rest of my life. I documented the conditions in the books ‘Toxic Altitude’ and ‘Magee’s Disease’. The treatments for the hypoxic high altitude damage appeared transferable into COVID-19 and Long COVID and these are documented in the books “COVID Supplements” and ‘Long COVID Supplements’.
Steven Magee
Solve this: by taking the following supplements: Vitamin D, as people suffering from gut problems are usually deficient in this vitamin 25–50mg of zinc, 2–4mg of copper, 800mcg of folic acid and 800mcg of vitamin B12, all of which can help repair the gut; and check your iron status too Supplements of homoeostatic soil organisms (HSOs), good-guy organisms found naturally in soil that were part of the human diet before 1930 – these have been shown to calm an inflamed gut Bentonite, or hydrated aluminium silicate, which has the remarkable ability to get bacteria and viruses to stick to it – since bentonite is not absorbed, it passes through the colon, taking toxins with it
Lynne McTaggart (Arthritis: Drug-Free Alternatives to Prevent and Relieve Arthritis (What Doctors Don't Tell You))
There is only one guaranteed way to be sure if you are vitamin B12 deficient and that is to get your doctor to prescribe you high dose vitamin B12 injections and see if your health improves in the long term.
Steven Magee
LINUS PAULING WAS WRONG about megavitamins because he had made two fundamental errors. First, he had assumed that you cannot have too much of a good thing. Vitamins are critical to life. If people don’t get enough vitamins, they suffer various deficiency states, like scurvy (not enough vitamin C) or rickets (not enough vitamin D). The reason that vitamins are so important is that they help convert food into energy. But there’s a catch. To convert food into energy, the body uses a process called oxidation. One outcome of oxidation is the generation of something called free radicals, which can be quite destructive. In search of electrons, free radicals damage cell membranes, DNA, and arteries, including the arteries that supply blood to the heart. As a consequence, free radicals cause cancer, aging, and heart disease. Indeed, free radicals are probably the single greatest reason that we aren’t immortal. To counter the effects of free radicals, the body makes antioxidants. Vitamins—like vitamins A, C, E, and beta-carotene—as well as minerals like selenium and substances like omega-3 fatty acids all have antioxidant activity. For this reason, people who eat diets rich in fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants, tend to have less cancer, less heart disease, and live longer. Pauling’s logic to this point is clear; if antioxidants in food prevent cancer and heart disease, then eating large quantities of manufactured antioxidants should do the same thing. But Linus Pauling had ignored one important fact: Oxidation is also required to kill new cancer cells and clear clogged arteries. By asking people to ingest large quantities of vitamins and supplements, Pauling had shifted the oxidation-antioxidation balance too far in favor of antioxidation, therefore inadvertently increasing the risk of cancer and heart disease. As it turns out, Mae West aside, you actually can have too much of a good thing. (“Too much of a good thing can be wonderful,” said West, who was talking about sex, not vitamins.) Second, Pauling had assumed that vitamins and supplements ingested in food were the same as those purified or synthesized in a laboratory. This, too, was incorrect. Vitamins are phytochemicals, which means that they are contained in plants (phyto- means “plant” in Greek). The 13 vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, C, D, E, and K) contained in food are surrounded by thousands of other phytochemicals that have long and complicated names like flavonoids, flavonols, flavanones, isoflavones, anthocyanins, anthocyanidins, proanthocyanidins, tannins, isothiocyanates, carotenoids, allyl sulfides, polyphenols, and phenolic acids. The difference between vitamins and these other phytochemicals is that deficiency states like scurvy have been defined for vitamins but not for the others. But make no mistake: These other phytochemicals are important, too. And Pauling’s recommendation to ingest massive quantities of vitamins apart from their natural surroundings was an unnatural act. For example, as described in Catherine Price’s book, Vitamania, half of an apple has the antioxidant activity of 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C, even though it contains only 5.7 milligrams of the vitamin. That’s because the phytochemicals that surround vitamin C in apples enhance its effect
Paul A. Offit (Pandora's Lab: Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong)
However, Pauling’s interest in these carotenoids and flavonoids was confined to their chemical structures and the influence of structure on optical properties; he did not address their health functions. In 1941 Pauling was diagnosed with Bright’s disease, or glomerulonephritis, which was at the time an often-fatal kidney disorder. On the advice of physicians at the Rockefeller Institute, he went to San Francisco for treatment by Thomas Addis, an innovative Stanford nephrologist. Addis prescribed a diet low in salt and protein, plenty of water, and supplementary vitamins and minerals that Pauling followed for nearly 14 years and completely recovered. This was dramatic firsthand experience of the therapeutic value of the diet. Revelations When Pauling cast about for a new research direction in the 1950s, he realized that mental illness was a significant public health problem that had not been sufficiently addressed by scientists. Perhaps his mother’s megaloblastic madness and premature death caused by B12 deficiency underlay this interest. At about this time, Pauling’s eldest son, Linus Jr., began a residency in psychiatry, which undoubtedly prompted Pauling to consider the nature of mental illness. Thanks to funding from the Ford Foundation, Pauling investigated the role of enzymes in brain function but made little progress. When he came across a copy of Niacin Therapy in Psychiatry (1962) by Abram Hoffer in 1965, Pauling was astonished to learn that simple substances needed in minute amounts to prevent deficiency diseases could have therapeutic application in unrelated diseases when given in very large amounts. This serendipitous and key event was critically responsible for Pauling’s seminal paper in his emergent medical field. Later, Pauling was especially excited by Hoffer’s observations on the survival of patients with advanced cancer who responded well to his micronutrient and dietary regimen, originally formulated to help schizophrenics manage their illness.19,20 The regimen includes large doses of B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium, zinc, and other micronutrients. About 40 percent of patients treated adjunctively with Hoffer’s regimen lived, on average, five or more years, and about 60 percent survived four times longer than controls. These results were even better than those achieved by Scottish surgeon Ewan Cameron, Pauling’s close clinical collaborator, in Scotland. After a long and extremely productive career at Caltech,
Andrew W. Saul (Orthomolecular Treatment of Chronic Disease: 65 Experts on Therapeutic and Preventive Nutrition)
The only other nutrients low or borderline low with a diet without animal products are B12, zinc, iodine, and the marine fats eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), all of which are easily supplemented. Of course, vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin,” also has to be considered because deficiencies are common and can lead to serious health problems.
Joel Fuhrman (The End of Dieting: How to Live for Life (Eat for Life))
is important to note that long-term use of PPIs is associated with an increased risk of dementia, depression, colorectal cancer, pneumonia, and hip fractures; deficiencies of B12, vitamin C, iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc; and imbalances in the gut microbiome.3 Proper acid production in the stomach is important to the work of many essential digestive enzymes, especially pepsin, for the digestion of proteins. Stomach acid is also important for killing bacteria, viruses, parasites, and yeast that we are exposed to in our diets.
Dale E. Bredesen (The End of Alzheimer's Program: The First Protocol to Enhance Cognition and Reverse Decline at Any Age)
Metformin has been correlated with vitamin B12 and B6 deficiencies, which can lead to anemia, so be sure to monitor your vitamin levels and supplement as needed.
Tony Robbins (Life Force: How New Breakthroughs in Precision Medicine Can Transform the Quality of Your Life & Those You Love)
GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY COMPLICATIONS: 14-YEAR FOLLOW-UP11 Vitamin B12 deficiency 239 39.9 percent Readmit for various reasons 229 38.2 percent Incisional hernia 143 23.9 percent Depression 142 23.7 percent Staple line failure   90 15.0 percent Gastritis   79 13.2 percent Cholecystitis   68 11.4 percent Anastomotic problems   59 9.8 percent Dehydration, malnutrition   35 5.8 percent Dilated pouch   19 3.2 percent
Joel Fuhrman (Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss)
Although you can get choline from some vegetables, such as spinach and beets, most vegans and vegetarians are deficient in it, just as they tend to be deficient in B12. Vegans and vegetarians, you guys do need to supplement with choline and B12, regardless of whether you have a dirty MTHFR or not.
Ben Lynch (Dirty Genes: A Breakthrough Program to Treat the Root Cause of Illness and Optimize Your Health)
It was unfortunate that every time my vitamin B12 levels were tested that they showed values that were in the USA normal range and prevented the B12 deficiency from being diagnosed and treated.
Steven Magee
A mental health professional stated this to me 'You are not crazy, but you may be losing your mind'. After many consultations, he unfortunately failed to diagnose the B12 deficiency that I had that is known to cause these adverse mental health symptoms.
Steven Magee
I discovered my B12 deficiency accidentally while experimenting with energy drinks, because I was fed up with being fatigued, sleepy and showing symptoms consistent with Dementia all the time. I bought a variety of energy drinks and the only one that I exhibited a positive response to was the one with a huge dose of vitamin B12.
Steven Magee
Experimentation with vitamin B12 showed that I needed to take 25,000 mcg daily, which was over a million times the recommended daily dose.
Steven Magee
I had noticed the onset of sickness that was consistent with sleep disorders and B12 deficiency during working extreme nights shifts at very high altitude atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
Steven Magee
In my office, I check labs on everybody who comes to see me for weight loss. Let me tell you, meat eaters have extremely poor nutritional labs. They are predictably deficient in vitamin D, folate, thiamine, vitamin A, and even B12
Garth Davis (Proteinaholic: How Our Obsession with Meat Is Killing Us and What We Can Do About It)
An elevated methylmalonic acid (MMA) level can be used to confirm a vitamin B12 deficiency; an elevated homocysteine level can be used to confirm folate deficiency.
Eugene C. Toy (Case Files: Family Medicine)
All vegetarians and vegans should get themselves tested for B12 deficiency, however
James Lee (Chill Pills & Mood Food - Restore calm and happiness with powerful supplements and neurotransmitter-boosting food)
There are many myths about vegan diets propagated by people who don’t know the research. The most common one asserts that a vegan/vegetarian diet is deficient in essential vitamins, which proves that it’s dangerous and unnatural. I find this myth ironic in the extreme, given that I run lab tests on thousands of meat eaters and most of them are extremely vitamin deficient. I diagnose B12, thiamine, iron, and especially vitamin D deficiency in meat eaters on a regular basis.
Garth Davis (Proteinaholic: How Our Obsession with Meat Is Killing Us and What We Can Do About It)
It was my experience that the medical profession could not correctly diagnose me. It fell onto me to discover the low level radiation sickness (LLRS), low blood oxygen levels during sleep, B12 deficiency, food intolerance, multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) deficiency, bruxism and mercury poisoning.
Steven Magee
Migraine, like my patient Sarah had, also correlates closely to poor metabolic health. In the ENT otology clinic, we often saw this condition and had limited success in treating it. Sufferers of this debilitating neurological disease—about 12 percent of people in the United States—tend to have higher insulin levels and insulin resistance. A comprehensive review of fifty-six research articles identified links between migraine and poor metabolic health, pointing out that “migraine sufferers tend to have impaired insulin sensitivity.” The review supports the “neuro-energetic” theory of migraine. Additionally, evidence suggests that micronutrient deficiencies in key mitochondrial cofactors may also be a contributing factor of migraine. Research has suggested that migraines could be treated by restoring levels of vitamins B and D, magnesium, CoQ10, alpha lipoic acid, and L-carnitine. Vitamin B12, for instance, is involved in the electron transport chain responsible for the final steps of ATP generation in the mitochondria, and studies have indicated that high doses of B12 can help prevent migraine. These micronutrients usually have fewer side effects than other drugs used to treat migraines, making them a promising option for relief, which can be obtained through a diet rich in these micronutrients, or supplementation. Having high markers of oxidative stress, a key Bad Energy feature, is associated with a significantly higher risk of migraine in women, with some studies suggesting that migraine attacks are a symptomatic response to increased levels of oxidative stress. Less painful and more common tension-type headaches are also linked to high variability (excess peaks and crashes) in blood sugar. Hearing Loss The same story of metabolic ignorance in the ENT department unfolded for auditory problems and hearing loss, one of the most common issues presented to our ENT clinic. We’d typically tell our patients that their auditory decline was inevitable, due to aging and loud concerts in their youth, and we would suggest interventions like hearing aids. Yet insulin resistance is a little-known link to hearing problems. If you have insulin resistance, you are more likely to lose hearing as you age because of poor energy production in the delicate hearing cells and blockage of the small blood vessels that supply the inner ear. One study showed that insulin resistance is associated with age-related hearing loss, even when controlling for weight and age. The likely mechanism for this is that the auditory system requires high energy utilization for its complex signal processing. In the case of insulin resistance, glucose metabolism is disturbed, leading to decreased energy generation. The impact of Bad Energy on hearing is not subtle: A study showed that the prevalence of high-frequency hearing impairment among subjects with elevated fasting glucose levels was 42 percent compared to 24 percent in those with normal fasting glucose. Moreover, insulin resistance is associated with high-frequency mild hearing impairment in the male population under seventy years of age, even before the onset of diabetes. These papers suggest that assessing early metabolic function and levels of insulin resistance is essential in the ENT clinic and counseling individuals on the potential warning signs is paramount.
Casey Means (Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health)