Some surprising information on vitamin B12 side effects

While the B-complex of vitamins are essential to our health, there are some peculiarities associated with this vitamin. Vitamin B12 side effects show up mainly in interactions with common medications, but has also been shown to exacerbate cases of acne vulgaris and acne rosacea.

First, if you are taking a vitamin B supplement, it's important that the proper balance between each B vitamin is maintained. A deficiency of one of the B vitamins can result in an imbalance and lack of absorption of the others. Unless you are advised by your doctor to take a vitamin B-12 supplement rather than a B-complex supplement which supplies all of the B vitamins, always take a B-complex to avoid creating deficiencies in the others.

So what does vitamin B12 do for your health? This B vitamin helps regulate your metabolism, is essential to the formation of red blood cells and helps maintain your central nervous system.

Natural food sources of vitamin B12 are few: Meat, fish, poultry and dairy products are the only sources of this vitamin. As we age, vitamin B12 is not as readily absorbed. While the daily requirement of vitamin B12 is about 1.8 mcg, a supplement which contains 500 mcg may only deliver as little as 1.8 mcg of absorbed vitamin B12!

Now, let's take a look at some commonly prescribed medications which can cause vitamin B12 side effects to show up, either in malabsorption or a decrease in the effectiveness of the medication.

Antibiotics can deplete your body's stores of vitamin B12. Tetracycline is one antibiotic that you should never take at the same time of day as vitamin B12. This vitamin B12 side effect interferes with the absorption of tetracycline and therefore reduces the effectiveness of the antibiotic. If you're prescribed a round of tetracycline, it's best to suspend any B-12 supplementation during the period you're taking the tetracycline.

Metformin is a commonly prescribed medication for diabetics which helps regulate insulin and blood sugar levels. Here again, you need to be aware that this medication may introduce another of the Vitamin B12 side effects, adversely affecting your body's stores of vitamin B12. However, studies have shown that by increasing your calcium intake, this vitamin B12 side effect is reversed.

If you're taking medications in conjunction with chemotherapy, or medications for seizures, these too will produce a vitamin B12 side effect resulting in malabsorption. There are other prescription medicines which also interfere with your absorption and body stores of vitamin B12.

Another peculiar vitamin B12 side effect was revealed in a study of cases of acne rosacea and acne vulgaris. Patients who were taking a high dose of Vitamin B complex did not respond to the typical medication. Vitamin B12 was implicated as the culprit. When the patients discontinued the supplement, their condition promptly improved, using the same medication.

Your best bet is to ask your doctor, nutritionist or pharmacist about any possible vitamin B12 side effects whenever you are prescribed a medication.