bowzette

become anemic as I found out yesterday. I haven't been riding well in some time. Legs give out too soon at a sustained higher tempo effort. I think it is a result of several factors-age, taking PPI for acid reflux and not eating food high in B12. So now I'm doing B12 doping. Actually I could use a little EPO if you have any extra or blood transfusion if I can get my red cell count high enough to be of benefit! I mention this 'cause it is a common aging issue and it can sneek up on you over a period of time. Fatigue, balance issues and brain fog are the most common signs of B12 deficiency.

rubic

B12 is certainly necessary. If you have a true medical need for EPO, you can get it. We're not talking about cheating on the racing front, we're talking about a true medical need.

rubic

Also, fatigue, balance issues and brain fog are symptoms of a stroke. Perhaps you need an immediate medical evaluation.

NealH

What is your hemoglobin and hemotacrit numbers? Mine was 13.0 and 37.8 respectively the other day and needless to say, I'm not real happy. My doc still won't do anything. I get the same advice - eat more red meat and dark green leafy vegetables.

Foods high in B12 and Folic acid are beneficial, as is red meat and vitamin C. I reckon nothing builds blood faster than red meat. Vit C improves the absorption of iron and other nutrients.

RamahX

I'm wondering the same. As +50 peeps I imagine many of us are on reflux, cholesterol and blood pressure lowering meds, and maybe even struggling with mood issues.

One HAS to wonder what this does to our cycling endurance, especially in this heat. Heat indexes where I am are 99 and up I'm focusing on good nutrition now that I'm riding again, but I need to relearn what pertains to us as 'older peeps'

Maybe some of the docs who haunt our ranks could chime in, I'm taking over 50 multi vitamins, won't hesitate to consume a great steak (red meat), but wondering if I too should be taking B-12 etc to make up for age and new medicine caused/related deficiencies.

B. Carfree

Lack of B12 often leads to pernicious anemia. One cause is an autoimmune reaction to the B12 carrier protein that brings this vitamin in from the digestive tract. If the carrier is gone, you're going to need to take B12 by injection. (This is actually fairly common among females.) Keep an eye on your Hb and hematocrit to make sure you are making progress.

I used to reverse blood dope regularly. Every couple months I would go by the local blood bank and give them a large unit in exchange for some juice and donuts (they really wanted my wife's O-neg CMV-neg for the premies, but took mine while we were there). I never really noticed much of an impact on my riding, but since I'm kind of large (6'2" 185#), it probably wasn't much difference. Since I moved to a place where the blood bank has hygiene standards that are lower than what I am willing to accept, I haven't been donating.

OldsCOOL

B12, gooood stuff. I have been overloading that stuff for years. You could say I have expensive urine.

OldsCOOL

Also, low thyroid.

Lack of motivation, etc etc.

RideMyWheel

The PPI drugs (proton pump inhibitors) bowzette mentioned in the OP are Nexium, Prevacid, and Prilosec. They all impair the body' stability to absorb B12. It's a big deal I wasn't aware of until recently.

My big problem turned out to be a vitamin-D deficiency. This is also becoming more common and is very easy to remedy. About three weeks after I began taking 5,000 i.u. daily, I began to notice a huge difference in my energy level, mental clarity and MOOD. That's when my fitness plan got kicked into overdrive--I felt good enough to do it for the first time in years.

Go to the doctor and get your bloodwork done. There are a couple dozen little things that might be a little off, but are easy to fix. I HATE going to the doctor for anything, but this time he really took care of me and corrected my course.

vic303

AND of significant sleep apnea/deprivation...

bowzette

I have no reason to think I have any issues other than B12 deficiency. I did have some "brain fog" and short term memory issues last fall but got off the Lipitor statin and my perception is this cleared things up. I suspect aging (68), diet, very little red meat and eggs, and the PPI for the past six months created the short of red blood cells-actually enlarged red blood cells. My iron seems to be fine. I posted the tread because I suspect this is not an unusual problem for a number of older riders especially if on certain medications. I don't have a medical need EPO but it would be great fun on the Saturday ride!

OldsCOOL

Oh man, dont bring up statins. I did that and got thread locked.

Last March I had blood labs for the first time in 20yrs. The only bad news the doc had for me was thyroid numbers. He said the results should have been 3-6 but I had....56. Significantly low. I could have argued and justified every symptom of old age (I am 56). He brought out the numbers and shut me up. I enjoy having my thyroid back online, again.

fietsbob

Doping Control wil not be checking you , as you are not racing .. so do what is recommended by your Doctors ..

RamahX

If PPI's impair absorption of B12 would taking oral supplements not work? Also, how common are Vitamin D deficiencies?

RideMyWheel

That is a good question, and I don't know the answer. I was told that taking oral supplements WOULD work. Since that was not my problem (I was convinced that it was) I can't tell you how well it would work. I have taken monthly b12 injections and felt a little stronger, but again, I was never deficient--I was self-diagnosing incorrectly.

Let me rephrase the statement about vitamin-D deficiencies--they are more commonly DIAGNOSED now because it's a relatively new test. My father had it, and so did I. Mine was worse than his. It costs virtually nothing to treat it, and the test is run alongside a normal blood panel--meaning it didn't cost me anything extra to discover. It's not like Testosterone where they're trying to sell you a prescription supplement or a shot. I'm highly skeptical of all these new tests and the new drugs we're supposed to buy.

My vitamin-D deficiency symptoms were insomnia, headaches, lack of mental focus, and muscle weakness. I've read that a deficiency can lead to bone loss, increased risks of heart disease and cancer. I recently discovered that I have shrunk an inch since 2002. That may be normal for a boy my age, but it shocked the hell out of me!

I'll have a follow-up test in September.

Berta

I've heard a lot of people have vitamin D deficiency, but like you said this wasn't as common a part of a routine blood panel as it is now. I do have the symptoms you listed, so I should have this test done and also look into B12.

Complicating matters with the issue of building blood are the recently(?) publicized nutrition studies that indicate that a diet high in animal proteinspecifically during middle age can increase cancer risk. I don't remember if there were other risks involved off the top of my head, or the average amount per day that supposedly causes trouble. "Inflammation" seems to be the it health concern these days.

Dudelsack 

My 0.02 USD. I can see someone who limits their intake of B12 and takes PPI and has "just a touch of" atrophic gastritis that they don't know about (pretty common at our age), developing B12 deficiency.

Honestly, I've never seen B12 deficiency develop in someone on a normal American diet (eating anything that don't eat them first) and with a normal gut just because they take PPI, and I've checked for it lots. Ditto magnesium. Ditto calcium and vitamin D.

Checking those levels is easy enough to do. I personally think people should be able to check them on their own, but that's just me.

In my own case, my hemoglobin was lowish until I got treated for low T. Now it's fine. But I'm not a better cyclist for it, or maybe I am. Who knows?

DnvrFox

I don't know your age, but I am wondering if we are making too much of this 50+ "older peeps"?

Do I have problems at 74yo? - yes. Some typical and some not so typical - indeed, a couple rather serious and rare. But, I rode 20 miles today, 35 miles one day earlier this week (both into heavy winds), swam today, lifted a bunch of weights, did 50 body dips, etc. If we spend too much time dwelling on age-related-changes, I think it becomes self-defeating.

Just do it.

RideMyWheel

It's certainly worth the money to get all of that tested--which was practically nothing since insurance covered it all. 5,000 i.u. of vitamin D-3 is costing me less than a dime a day. A few years ago when I was getting B-12 shots they cost $20 a month, and the fifth one was free. My doc told me that a multivitamin would likely be sufficient for all of my vitamin B needs.


I'll bet the "T" helps in a lot of ways. I don't know this guy, but we went to the same high school and know a lot of the same people: Sex drive vs. golf drive: Player sues PGA over testosterone - CNN.com

I think maybe the B12 deficiency is more common in women than men? My mother had it in her 30's. She still gets the shots at 73 because she says it makes her feel better and she notices it when she skips a month. I felt a little stronger when I took the shots, but again, my doc says I don't have a problem with that, so it may have all been in my head.

My doc also suggested some dietary changes that would help with my reflux and triglycerides (which aren't that far out of whack). The first thing he told me to eliminate were potatoes--ALL OF THEM. NO chips, no fries, no baked, scalloped, julienned, or hash browns. I didn't realize how may ways I was eating them. I forgot to ask about vodka.

He's become a strong proponent of a gluten-free diet, not just for people with Celiac disease, but for EVERYONE. He recommended two books, and I've been slowly working my way through them:

Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health: William Davis: 3520700000720: Amazon.com: Books

Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar--Your Brain's Silent Killers: David Perlmutter, Kristin Loberg: 9780316234801: Amazon.com: Books

I don't believe everything I read, but there are some interesting arguments presented with evidence to back them up. Gluten-free bread ain't bad if you make it yourself in a bread machine and only eat it fresh. Gluten-free cookies are another story, though.

Sorry to drift off-topic with a dietary discussion in the middle of a doping thread.