Vegetarian May Need Vitamin Supplement

Q. My son is a vegetarian. As far as I know, he sometimes eats eggs or cheese, but not fish or any kind of meat. He’s very picky about what he eats and has been anorexic in the past.
Can you give me some information about the importance of vegetarians taking vitamin B12? I’d like something I can show him, so maybe he will believe me.
A. Vitamin B12 is one of those nutrients that doesn’t get much respect and yet it is crucial for good health. Vegetarians are frequently low in this nutrient because it is usually found in animal products such as fish, chicken, eggs or meat.
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include numbness and tingling of the legs or hands, memory problems, confusion, depression, difficulty walking, sore tongue, loss of appetite, constipation and anemia.
Certain medications may interfere with vitamin B12 absorption. That’s why vegetarians taking heartburn drugs such as Aciphex, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Protonix or the diabetes drug metformin may be at higher risk of deficiency. We encourage your son to have his vitamin B12 level checked. If he needs a B12 supplement, he may want to look for one derived from yeast.