Could It Be B12? - An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses

Uncovers a public health crisis that even many doctors don't know exists

- the chronic misdiagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency.

This book is highly recommended to ALL health professionals and policymakers - as essential reading - but it is written in a clear and highly accessible style making it suitable for the general public too.

And it can't be recommended enough to anyone who has persistent physical or mental symptoms that do not respond to treatment - because as the book explains, symptoms of B12 deficiency can mimic almost any psychiatric, neurological or physical health disorder. This, together with the general lack of awareness can mean that deficiency often goes unrecognised.

Unless recognised and treated, the damage from B12 deficiency can become irreversible - causing permanent brain and nervous system impairment. 

Vitamin B12 is absolutely essential - but deficiencies can arise from problems with absorption as well as diet - and are remarkably common in some population subgroups (notably older adults, and anyone following a vegan or even vegetarian diet). 

Mental symptoms of B12 deficiency are highly variable between individuals, and often occur in the absence of any detectable anaemia. They may be primarily neurological (tingling or painful nerves, loss of sensation, movement or other functions, as in Multiple Sclerosis); or primarily psychological / psychiatric - ranging from fatigue, 'brain fog', irritability, anxiety or depression, through paranoia, agitation, psychosis and/or dementia; or both.

Unfortunately, B12 deficiency is very often misdiagnosed - or detected too late to prevent permanent damage, because

1. existing tests are inadequate, and
2. doctors are simply not taught about it.

For more information on the potentially devastating effects of unrecognised B12 deficiency in early life, and how common this may be in pregnant mothers, infants and children of any age (because again, the symptoms are often mistaken for those of other conditions, including Autism, ADHD, Dyspraxia, Anxiety, Depression) see:

• Could It Be B12? Pediatric Edition

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Presenting a wide scope of problems caused by B12 deficiency, this comprehensive guide provides up-to-date medical information about symptoms, testing, diagnosis, and treatment. 

Could it Be b12?, written for both the patient and the interested layperson, outlines how physicians frequently misdiagnose B12 deficiency as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, neurodevelopmental disorder, Parkinson's disease, depression, or other mental illnesses.

Now in the second edition, this resource has been thoroughly updated with the latest research, diagnostic tests, treatment options, case studies, and testimonials.

About the Authors

Sally M. Pacholok, RN, has worked as an emergency room nurse and paramedic for 25 years. A member of the Emergency Nurses Association, Pacholok diagnosed herself with vitamin B12 deficiency after doctors failed to identify her condition.

Jeffrey J. Stuart, DO, is a board-certified physician and a member of the American Osteopathic Association, the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, the Macomb County Osteopathic Society, and the Michigan Osteopathic Association.