Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Symptoms Doctors Miss & the Mental Health Connection | Tracey WittyVitamin B12 Deficiency: Symptoms Doctors Miss & the Mental Health Connection | Tracey Witty
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Host Vicky Midwood and guest Tracey Witty talk about vitamin B12 deficiency, how it can mimic mental illness and neurological disease, and why many people struggle to get proper testing and treatment. The conversation highlights personal stories, medical blind spots and the importance of self-advocacy for those dealing with unexplained symptoms alongside recovery.
43:43•27 Oct 2026
Vitamin B12, Misdiagnosis and Mental Health: A Candid Chat with Tracey Witty
Episode Overview
- Vitamin B12 deficiency can show up as psychiatric issues, heavy periods, fatigue, memory loss and neurological symptoms, yet often goes unrecognised.
- Reference ranges for B12 differ widely between laboratories, so focusing on symptoms rather than just numbers is crucial.
- People who eat meat, fish, eggs and dairy but are still deficient usually need injections, as tablets follow the same route as food.
- Being your own advocate—asking for tests, second opinions and copies of results—can be essential to getting adequate B12 treatment.
- Polypharmacy and certain medications may mask or worsen B12-related problems, so checking B12 status can be an important part of broader recovery.
“You then become the expert. You know your body more and better than anybody else.”
What insights can experts and survivors share about addiction? This conversation takes a fascinating detour into vitamin B12 and how a simple deficiency might masquerade as mental illness, fatigue, or even serious neurological conditions. Host Vicky Midwood chats with guest Tracey Witty, founder of a long-running B12 information platform, whose own journey started when a loved one was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The diagnosis, as Tracey explains, “just didn’t fit,” and her digging led to the shocking realisation that vitamin B12 deficiency can present as psychosis, heavy periods, premature greying, memory loss and more – yet often goes unrecognised by doctors. You’ll hear Tracey describe how her relative was eventually found to be B12 deficient, sectioned, dismissed with advice to “just eat some broccoli,” and then finally treated with injections that transformed their health.
She also shares her own story of multiple miscarriages, brain fog, and exhaustion that dramatically improved once she started regular B12 injections, saying her recovery was “the difference between night and day.” The chat is especially relevant for anyone in addiction recovery or dealing with low mood, anxiety, or chronic fatigue. It raises an uncomfortable but vital question: how many people are being medicated for mental health issues when an untreated B12 deficiency might be part of the picture?
Vicky and Tracey break down symptoms, explain why injections often work better than tablets, and stress the importance of being your own advocate: knowing your body, asking for tests, and not accepting “within range” as the final word when you still feel unwell. If you or someone you love is struggling with unexplained symptoms alongside recovery, could a simple nutrient be worth questioning with your doctor?
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