Anyone have an association between vitamin B12 and tingling/pain in the feet?

For a year now, I have had extreme foot pain, and feel tingling when I rub the tops. Prolonged standing/walking is painful, even after as little as 30 minutes. My foot X-rays do not show much arthritis or osteoporsis. I just had a blood test and am borderline low in B 12 and wondered if there was some connection there. I am a female, age 55, and very active until this condition started. The only other symtom I have noted in the past year is more frequent diarrhea. I don’t fit into any of the normal paramaters of foot pain sources, and so far, my podiatrist has not been able to provide much relief. Part of the problem is that I am unable to take the best NSAIDS, in 3 days I have severe stomach cramps and diarrhea. I do wear custom fitted orthotics, and they help, but I still can barely walk sometimes. Other times there is no pain at all, and there does not seem to be any pattern, except they are way worse when I am on my feet a lot.

I read your question, and I think it’s possible. B12 is needed for you to be able to absorb iron from your intestine. As we get older, it’s harder to absorb iron. If your iron level is low, you will have too few red blood cells. Now a test can show that you have enough red blood cells, but if your B12/iron is low, there may be few but larger red blood cells – they do not work as well as the normal sized RBCs because there is not as much surface area for them to release their oxygen and nutrients.

Low RBCs would cause circulation problems, which tend to happen in our legs, and would cause tingling pain.

While you are increasing your B12, try an old fashioned remedy – sit with your feet elevated, so the old blood can flow back into your body and allow room for new. If you have been active, especially walking, that should tone the muscles in your legs to keep your circulation good.

From a lady of 54 who’s had many of the ailments out there and resolved most of them.

PCOS *Polycystic Ovary Syndrome*

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