How Do B12 Levels Affect Pain In Knee Joints?
I asked Google AI, the title of this post and received this answer.
Low Vitamin B12 levels can cause or worsen knee joint pain primarily through nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), which causes sensations of pain, tingling, or numbness in the legs. Deficiency also increases homocysteine, a pro-inflammatory amino acid linked to joint inflammation and, in some cases, accelerated cartilage deterioration.
Key Connections Between B12 and Knee Pain:
Neuropathic Pain: A lack of B12 damages the myelin sheath protecting nerves, leading to pain, pins and needles, or burning sensations often felt in the extremities, including the knees.
Inflammation and Joint Damage: Low B12 levels are associated with higher homocysteine levels, which can cause inflammation, swelling, and increased friction in the joints.
Deficiency Symptoms: Along with joint pain, B12 deficiency commonly causes fatigue, muscle weakness, and numbness.
Improvement with Supplementation: Studies suggest that maintaining adequate B12 levels, or using supplements, can reduce joint pain and improve mobility.
If you are experiencing persistent joint pain or numbness, it is advisable to have your B12 levels checked.
From my own experience, I would also get tested for coeliac disease.
I Seemed To Have Improved My Left Knee
My left knee has always been weaker than my right.
- What really made it bad was living with C and our three children in a fourth floor walk-up flat with no lift.
- I usually carried the double-pushchair up the stairs a couple of times a day.
- It should also be born in mind, that my left humerus was broken by the school bully, when I was fifteen.
Our GP at the time, we were living in the flat, thought I should have an operation on the knee, but luckily I didn’t as another GP a few later gave me a set of exercises, that improved it to a certain extent.
Since my stroke and returning to London, I have relied on buses and trains, as I can’t drive and don’t even have a car.
My knee seemed to be getting worse and I reasoned it wasn’t being helped, by the high step in and out, you get on some trains and buses.
This picture shows the high step into a Northern Line train at Moorgate station.
I found that the step-down here, gives a bang on my knee every time I get out of the train.
This second picture shows Bank station, which is a new platform and level.
It’s surely very much a matter of GCSE mathematics and geometry, with a bit of money to get many more train and bus entries level.
So I have developed a maneuver to get out of the train or bus.
- Most doors have a vertical rail on either side. You can see one rail in the first picture.
- As I want to avoid hurting my left leg any more, I grab the rail on the left side of the door going out, with my left hand.
- I have my bag in my strong right hand. If I have two bags, one is usually My Faithful Servant, so I can hold them both in my right hand.
- I then swing around the vertical rail holding on with my left hand.
- So far, every time I’ve landed safely and lightly on my right foot.
My left knee seems to be improving.
Surprisingly, the extra pulls on my left arm don’t seem to harm it.
The Anonymous Widower 