Dr. Aqsa Ghazanfar - The B12 Deficiency Survival Handbook: Fix Your Vitamin B12 Deficiency Before Any Permanent Nerve and Brain Damage

The B12 Deficiency Survival Handbook

Copyright 2014 by Regev Elya.

All rights reserved. It is strictly prohibited to use any part of the publication without my prior consent.

All registered trademarks in this book are property of their respective owners.

Disclaimer

This book has taken many hours and sleepless nights and is the result of a lot of research thanks to the brilliant minds of some of the highest authorities in the subject today.

However, the information provided isn't guaranteed to be accurate, and the material in this book is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to replace a professional advice and you should always consult a healthcare practitioner before undertaking anything described in this book.

We expressly disclaim responsibility from anything that may result from the use or application of the information provided in this book.

Again, always consult a doctor before applying anything from this book. This is not a joke it's your life here.

Table of Contents

Publisher's Preface

by Regev Elya

Let me get straight to the point, fellas. I'm super-proud to be introducing this book. B12 started as a particular interest of mine back in the days when I practised veganism (I now don't) and it ended up being quite a passion.

What started as a few highly-researched articles on my site ended up being this book. I received a good amount of emails, comments and responses which I found very exhausting to be answering each and every time. Then the idea struck.

"Why won't I just create the perfect resource for this vitamin?

That's how this book was born.

I knew my limitations though. I knew what B12 does but I needed some reinforcement when it comes to the biochemical process behind it. I then collaborated with Dr. Aqsa Ghazanfar, who brought a lot of credibility and top-notch research abilities to the table. With plenty of specialist help and on the shoulders of giant scientists, we managed to create this resource.

The book you are about to read is the direct result of hours and hours and of sometimes-enlightening-sometimes-frustrating research, separating the junk from the real legit science. We owe our thanks to some great Ph.Ds who helped with it, and we're very confident it's going to solve all your B12 issues.

Time to de-construct the mystery behind this vitamin to small, manageable, easy-to-understand pieces.

With no further ado, let's give the reins to Dr. Ghazanfar. She's the one who did the heavy lifting, I'm just the architect and editor.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Why a B12 Deficiency Book

If someone asked me 15 years ago to write about something that in my opinion deserves immediate medical attention, I would have probably chosen to write about heart disease or cancer.

My choice wouldn't be based on the fact that these diseases are the leading causes of death, or that they are relatively incurable once they reach a particular stage. If I were to write based on those, I would probably collect some morose data and make a book out of it.

If good enough, it would end up with research institutions or land me a good job. Those are not the accomplishments I wish to make when I write about something. I want to write material that really makes a difference.

Whenever I find out about something that could change peoples lives or prevent them from acquiring a disease, I simply write about it. Making the right diagnosis is just a small part of our job as doctors. But it's not enough for me, especially when I find out alarming facts about something as simple as a vitamin.

The vitamin Im talking about is B12. So what alarming statistics did I come across? According to the Agricultural Research Service of the United Sates, it is estimated that 40 percent of people between 26 and 83 years of age have B12 levels in the plasma which are in the lower normal range.

This range is whats followed in the labs but many individuals experience symptoms at these values. Whats even worse is that low B12 levels are almost equally common amongst the youth and the elderly.Vitamin B12 deficiency is found in approximately 40 percent of those above the age of 60 years.

'So what?' you're saying, 'There are numerous other diseases that require attention!'; this seems to be a trivial issue, doesnt it? Absolutely not! Dont mistake these vital statistics to be mere data heres why vitamin B12 deficiency can rightly be called an epidemic which requires immediate attention:

• If 40% of the elderly population suffers from a B12 deficiency and symptoms of numerous diseases attributed to ageing (such as Alzheimers, decreased cognitive function, dementia and lethargy) mimic the symptoms of B12 deficiency, then many people above the age of 60 might as well have a very easily curable vitamin deficiency!
• How could it be that simple? Wouldnt doctors know if its a B12 deficiency? No. Thats because this topic is not covered well in medical schools which is why many doctors do not test for it routinely. I know this because I'm a doctor myself.
• Whats even worse is that the lab values of normal levels of B12 in the plasma are too low. Many people experience symptoms even when their B12 levels are within normal limits. The former fact is the main reason why such a large amount of people suffering from this easily curable disease are never being diagnosed with it. Damnation.

These deficiencies in the health care system have been recognised by numerous doctors and those specialising in the treatment of B12 deficiency. However, awareness of this issue still does not exist on a fairly large scale and a lot has to be done if we are to successfully rid ourselves of this problem.

The first step is always from the patient whenever it comes to the diagnosis and treatment of a disease. If a patient does not recognise his own symptoms and report to a doctor, there isnt much that can be done about his disease.

Therefore, do not ignore the symptoms that this disease causes, however mild they might be, and consult your doctor about the required tests as well as the treatment options.

If youre not satisfied with the explanation you get, do not delay a consultation with a specialist who treats B12 deficiency specifically since the treatment is ridiculously simple and untreated disease could turn your life upside down.

Dont believe me? The chapters that follow will definitely clarify any doubts you have. So until then, lets read on.

Who Am I?

If youre concerned about that, well and good. If not, Im worried about you. When it comes to your health, do not believe just about anything you hear or read check the qualifications of the author and always look up the references they have given in context to whatever they have written. Nothing in science is acceptable without proof.

So who am I? Im a medical doctor, not a nutritionist or a nutrition scientist. But why am I writing this book and not some 'specialist'?

Thats because scientists have already written a couple of books and done a lot of research already that hard work has just not reached people like us (yet).

When I read statistics regarding vitamin B12, I started looking up why it remains undiagnosed and how it could affect literally every organ of the body. You see, we doctors arent exactly taught all the aspects of nutritional deficiencies and interestingly, this particular deficiency can make us flip through the textbooks of just about any speciality!

I read paper after paper of research carried out on B12 only to discover that most of us dont have a darn clue how this deficiency is affecting millions of people and could be the possible cause of incurable conditions such as Alzheimer and contributes to heart disease amongst the other problems it leads to.