Narcolepsy is one of the many sleep disorders that can be life threatening when not taken seriously and left unmanaged. There are a lot of treatment options, including pharmacological treatments, non-pharmacological treatments, and/or natural remedies to choose from to help in controlling narcolepsy symptoms. Pharmacological treatments may be done to help in relieving symptoms of narcolepsy, however, vitamins and minerals are encouraged to be taken to improve overall nervous system health. In fact, taking all B vitamins are important for proper functioning of the nervous system, Vitamin B-12 is a main kind of B vitamins that can help in keeping cells healthy.
Vitamin B-12 Overview:
All kinds of B vitamins are essential in keeping the body convert all food intakes into energy, including Vitamin B-12, which is also known as cobalamin. Vitamin B-12 also plays a role in the production of DNA and RNA, keeping nerve cells healthy, and it also plays a role in the production of red blood cells (RBC) with the help of folate, and promotes proper utilization of iron. When folate and Vitamin B-12 work together, they produce an ezyme called S-adenosylomethionine (SAMe), which can affect the immune system’s function and a person’s mood.
Sources of Vitamin-B12:
Vitamin B-12 can be usually found through people’s usual diet. However, for those people who are vegetarian, vegan, and/or people who are suffering from intestinal conditions, Vitamin B-12 may be deficient. Deficiency of Vitamin B-12 may cause diarrhea, anxiety, fatigue, and tingling sensation in the feet. Vitamin B-12 can be found in:
- Poultry Products
- Eggs
- Milk
- Liver
- Fish
- Shellfish
Narcolepsy Overview:
Narcolepsy is not just an ordinary sleep disorder, it is a type of chronic central nervous disorder that is characterized by multiple of sudden sleep and/or excessive daytime sleepiness. A person suffering from narcolepsy can’t fight the urge to fall asleep and may experience sudden loss of muscle tone, hypnagogic hallucination, and sleep paralysis.
Vitamin B-12 and Narcolepsy:
Narcolepsy has no known cure as of the moment. However, treatments are available to help in managing symptoms of narcolepsy. Since narcolepsy is a disorder involving the central nervous system, it is important to take vitamin B-12 supplements to promote nerve cell health. There is no enough information that can support the effectiveness of vitamin B-12 in people with narcolepsy, however, vitamin B-12 can help in relieving general fatigue, which usually occurs in people with narcolepsy.
