13/11/2025
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Mindset & Body Reset.
๐ฟ Did you know B12 deficiency can be the hidden root of mental health struggles?
Itโs not just about โlow energy.โ Vitamin B12 plays a direct role in mood, cognition, and brain chemistry.
๐ Up to 30% of patients hospitalized for depression are deficient in B12.
๐ Case studies show even severe depression with catatonia can fully reverse when B12 is corrected. One woman who didnโt respond to medications went into remission after B12 therapyโand never relapsed.
โ ๏ธ What causes deficiency?
โข Diet low in animal protein
โข Low stomach acid or gut absorption issues
โข Autoimmune conditions
โข Alcohol use
โข Certain medications (like acid blockers & metformin)
โ
Optimal levels: We recommend aiming for >600 pg/mLโnot just โwithin range.โ
๐ก Moral of the story: Donโt overlook your labs. B12 could be the missing piece of the puzzle.
Mood disorder with mixed, psychotic features due to vitamin b12 deficiency in an adolescent: case report.
Tufan AE, Bilici R, Usta G, Erdogan A. (2012) Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 22;6(1) 25. doi: 10.1186/1753-2000-6-25.
Web URL: View this and related abstracts via PubMed here. Free full text of this article is available online.
Abstract:
Vitamin B12 is one of the essential vitamins affecting various systems of the body. Reports of psychiatric disorders due to its deficiency mostly focus on middle aged and elderly patients.
Here we report a case of vitamin B 12 deficiency in a 16-year old, male adolescent who presented with mixed mood disorder symptoms with psychotic features. Chief complaints were "irritability, regressive behavior, apathy, crying and truancy" which lasted for a year.
Premorbid personality was unremarkable with no substance use/exposure or infections. No stressors were present. The patient was not vegetarian. Past medical history and family history was normal.
Neurological examination revealed glossitis, ataxia, rigidity in both shoulders, cog-wheel rigidity in the left elbow, bilateral problems of coordination in cerebellar examination, reduced swinging of the arms and masked face. Romberg's sign was present. Laboratory evaluations were normal. Endoscopy and biopsy revealed atrophy of the gastric mucosa with Helicobacter Pylori colonization. Schilling test was suggestive of malabsorbtion.
He was diagnosed with Mood disorder with Mixed, Psychotic Features due to Vitamin B12 Deficiency and risperidone 0.5 mg/day and intramuscular vitamin B12 500 mcg/day were started along with referral for treatment of Helicobacter pylori.
A visit on the second week revealed no psychotic features. Romberg's sign was negative and cerebellar tests were normal. Extrapyramidal symptoms were reduced while Vitamin B12 levels were elevated. Risperidone was stopped and parenteral Vitamin B12 treatment was continued with monthly injections for 3 months.
Follow-up endoscopy and biopsy at the first month demonstrated eradication of H. pylori. He was followed monthly for another 6 months and psychiatric symptoms did not recur at the time of last evaluation.
Despite limitations, this case may underline the observation that mood disorders with psychotic features especially with accompanying extrapyramidal symptoms lacking a clear etiology may be rare manifestation of vitamin B12 and/or folate deficiency in children and adolescents and be potentially amenable to treatment.
