Vitamin B12, Link Between B12 Deficiency and Tinnitus?

[Karl28]

So after some blood tests done a few months ago I have a vitamin b12 deficiency.

From looking on Google there seems to be some links between tinnitus and vitamin b12.

Some even say that tinnitus is more common to happen to people with low b12.

Has anyone here taken vitamin b12?

I'm just wondering if it could be helpful to me since I have this deficiency in it.

 

[ChrisJ]

Hey,

Yes you should be increasing your b12 if you are deficient in any case. I took Solgar's b12 methylcobalamin 1mg/1000ug per day for about a month. I didn't realise you were only supposed to take one or two per week so when I had my blood test it came back really high. It sadly had no impact on my tinnitus.

By the way the best blood test to get is for active b12 and not the serum b12 which only looks at your b12 stores. I had to do quite a bit of research to find that out. The methylcobalamin are the better ones and dissolve under your tongue going straight in to the blood stream. Overdosing is hard because b12 is water soluble. I hope you get better results than me.

 

[ChrisJ]

Oh and one other thing, you should take it with a B complex vitamin that includes B6 otherwise it doesn't work as well. I also increased my B vitamins naturally in my diet by eating liver pate etc but you can look up some good foods that you like which are high in this group of vitimins.

 

[Cheza]

Some even say that tinnitus is more common to happen to people with low b12. Has anyone here taken vitamin b12? I'm just wondering if it could be helpful to me since I have this deficiency in it.

I took the methylcobalamine B12 for several months after getting tinnitus, thinking it would help because I'm probably deficient in it since I'm a vegetarian. Vegetarians tend to have low B12 levels because B12 is derived from meat sources.

Unfortunately, like most of the supplements I've taken, it made no difference at all. Very disappointing.

 

[walkthroughwalls]

I have been vegan for 7 years and have taken b12 for that long. Blood tests always came back fine and I have not noticed any effect on my tinnitus.

I take VEG1, which is designed for a vegan diet, so that may or may not be too much of a good thing for you. As ChrisJ said, always try to get rid of vitamin deficiencies, whether they may directly have an effect on your tinnitus or not.

 

[PaulBe]

B12 deficiency usually comes from a lack of dietary B12 (i.e. meat), or an absorption failure (not taken in or not taken up). The outcome is usually pernicious anaemia as B12 is essential for red blood cell maturation. Absorption issues can be triggered by auto-immunity meaning certain cells in the stomach that absorb B12 can be destroyed, or reduced in number. Auto-immunity is becoming a big issue in developed countries. It's implicated in Menierre's (inflammatory changes to middle ear tissue on visualization), so I wouldn't be surprised if some cases of tinnitus and various other other attendant issues had a chronic inflammatory component.

 

[uae96]

I have a problem in absorbing vb12 although I eat lots of meat

 

[PaulBe]

I have a problem in absorbing vb12 although I eat lots of meat

The capacity for absorption is influenced by the quantity of working Parietal cells in your stomach. These cells produce something simply called "Intrinsic Factor" which is needed to make B12 absorbable. B12 is acid-sensitive and relies on other enzymes to ship it through the stomach shielding it from acid exposure. It gets absorbed in the duodenum where it is more alkaline.

Conditions like type 1 diabetes come into existence as certain cell types in the pancreas become destroyed or depleted at a rate that drops their numbers below that necessary for their function to occur. The relationship between hair cells and deafness is a kind of similar concept. You lose them faster that they can salvage/replenish whatever, thus a chronic disease process ensues.

 

[John G]

I think I read that b12 shots are the best way. I also read that the usual testing the regular doctors do for b12 levels are not that accurate.

 

[PaulBe]

I think I read that b12 shots are the best way. I also read that the usual testing the regular doctors do for b12 levels are not that accurate.

If you can't get it from dietary absorption anymore its the only way.

 

[lymebite]

There is a recent feature film about undiagnosed B12 deficiency called "Sally Pacholok." The full version of the movie is now available to watch free of charge on YouTube.

Sally Pacholok, an emergency room nurse, is the author of the book "Could it be B12?" on which the movie is based.

 

[bill 112]

There is a recent feature film about undiagnosed B12 deficiency called "Sally Pacholok." The full version of the movie is now available to watch free of charge on YouTube.

Sally Pacholok, an emergency room nurse, is the author of the book "Could it be B12" on which the movie is based.

I watched this,definitely worth the look.

 

[jib]

Hello,

This is the abstract of a study published in 1993 about a possible link between B12 deficiency and tinnitus. It's short but quite interesting.
http://www.amjoto.com/article/0196-0709(93)90046-A/abstract

Be aware that it was conducted on army personnel that was mostly composed of people with Noise Induced Hearing Loss.

I've Noise Induced Hearing Loss + tinnitus since one year. The tinnitus is due to the noise exposure upon my audiologist and various tests he asked me to do. The tinnitus became intermittent but it's still quite annoying 50% of the time.

Today I just have results from my B12 blood test and it's rather low (220 pg/ml). Not low enough to be considered as a deficiency upon the laboratory criteria (180 pg/ml) but low enough to be consider as a deficiency upon the criteria of the study mentioned above (250 pg/ml). I would have been included in the 47% that have NIHL + tinnitus + B12 deficiency.

I think I will ask meds opinions and ask how I can go for having additional B12 in an appropriate manner. I'll let you know.

best regards,

 

[Jett]

Had three B12 shots 2000 mg in last three months (was way low on lab tests)
For next two days after each shot T was lowest I have ever heard it since It began a year ago ,family remarked my color and appearance had visibly improved, it felt great each time and
The T was way way down, def a corrolation with B 12 going on with Y

 

[lymebite]

Bit of a long thread at this link on Hyperacusis and B12 deficiency. Not much in the way of answers, but interesting it is being discussed.

https://healthunlocked.com/pasoc/posts/131986303/who-has-noise-sensitivity-and-what-is-it

 

[Roberth]

I received my vitamins from Swansons.. I took a mega dose of vitamin B12 one week ago and since that i have been on 500 mcg every day. I think (?) that my tinnitus has disappeared. At least I don't hear it anymore so.. But probably it's just temporarily. I have tried almost everything so i'm a very pessimistic guy. I haven't increased or decreased my benzo, so it can't be that.

I think that too much folic acid compared to B12 can make tinnitus worse. I have a bad feeling about folic acid nowadays. I took 400 mcg a day and i am still taking the same amount but now with B12 also. Bottom line: I don't know yet. But let's assume my experience is real and permanent and not just imagination... Wow !!

According to me the best masking noise are the following combined:


Maybe i will not need them anymore. I can only wish.

 

[lymebite]

A new study on B12 and tinnitus.

Vitamin B12 and Tinnitus

An unexpected, safe, inexpensive, and simple approach for many sufferers of tinnitus

By Mark Carney, ND, LAc

http://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2017-03/vitamin-b12-and-tinnitus