Vitamin B12 Deficiency: A Rare Cause of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, including B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, C, D, iron, and magnesium, are among the most common causes of unexplained fatigue. Vitamin D deficiencies affect over 50% of the global population, and approximately 12.5% have iron deficiency anemia.
Vitamin B12 is involved in the process of creating melatonin. View Source , the hormone that helps control sleep. Preliminary research suggests that a lack of vitamin B12 may be linked to short sleep, trouble sleeping, and excessive daytime sleepiness. Vitamin B6 may benefit people with insomnia.
General physical symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency can include: Feeling very tired or weak. Experiencing nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Specifically, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) can increase risk of sleep disorders and is associated with sleep difficulties, shorter sleep duration, and nocturnal awakenings in children and adults [13,14,15]. The exact mechanisms by which vitamin D regulates sleep are still far from being elucidated.
B vitamins are vital for supporting brain function, energy levels and cell metabolism as well as help the body produce melatonin. Research has shown that maintaining sufficient levels of Vitamins B3, B5, B6, B9 and B12 may help achieve good sleep.
Hypersomnia is excessive sleepiness. There are many causes of excessive sleepiness, including insufficient or inadequate sleep, sleep disorders, medications and medical or psychiatric illnesses. The characteristics of hypersomnia vary from one person to the next depending on age, lifestyle and underlying causes.
The deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause specific skin manifestations, such as hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair and nail changes [1].
The association of vitamin B12 (VitB12) with sleep patterns is also not definitive. Some researchers found that VitB12 supplementation is associated with a decrease in sleep duration [15, 21, 22], whereas others found no significant association between VitB12 and sleep duration [23].
Common causes of tiredness and fatigue include: not getting enough sleep or finding it hard to get to sleep (insomnia) an unhealthy lifestyle (such as having an unhealthy diet and not getting much exercise) stress, depression and dealing with life challenges, such as bereavement or looking after a new baby.
Melatonin. The hormone melatonin helps control your natural sleep-wake cycle. Some research suggests that melatonin supplements might be helpful in treating jet lag or reducing the time it takes to fall asleep — although the effect is typically mild. Side effects can include headaches, nausea and daytime sleepiness.
The best vitamin for anxiety: Magnesium
And the experts we spoke with were unanimous: It's hard to beat magnesium for anxiety. Magnesium plays a key role in the body's stress response. It can help manage anxiety by regulating the feel-good hormone serotonin and improving brain function.
Supplementing vitamin B6 may improve sleep quality and duration. A 2019 study also found that taking a supplement of magnesium, melatonin, and vitamin B complex for 3 months improved sleep and helped treat insomnia. Read more about B vitamins.
Chronic fatigue or sleepiness may result from stress, physical or mental health conditions, consistently not sleeping well, or the side effects of medications. Sometimes these factors are easy to identify, while at other times the cause is more difficult to pinpoint, as in the case of a sleep disorder.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency: A Rare Cause of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness.
While the recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms, higher doses have been found to be safe. Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine. High doses of vitamin B-12, such as those used to treat a deficiency, might cause: Headache.
The consequences and severity of B12 deficiency are variable depending on the degree of deficiency and its duration. Major organ systems affected include the blood, bone marrow and nervous system.
The expert added: “Your body can crave foods that are high in iron such as marmite, twiglets, milk, salmon, egg yolks, tuna, chicken and other meats. “These are all good sources of vitamin B12, so if your body is craving them, listen to it.”
Vitamin B12 Deficiency: A Rare Cause of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness | Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
Many cases of tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Try these self-help tips to restore your energy levels. If you feel you're suffering from fatigue, which is an overwhelming tiredness that isn't relieved by rest and sleep, you may have an underlying medical condition.
Other possible causes of oversleeping include the use of certain substances, such as alcohol and some prescription medications. Other medical conditions, including depression, can cause people to oversleep. And then there are people who simply want to sleep a lot.