Is Your Twitching Eyelid A WARNING Sign?
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted February 6, 2023
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
It happens without warning. Your eyelid suddenly starts to twitch.
It’s just annoying at first. But after a while, it starts to worry you…
“What’s causing it?” you wonder.
Well, it turns out that a twitchy eyelid could be your body sending you a signal that something is wrong.
As strange as it sounds, scientists say it may be a warning sign that your body is running low on a necessary nutrient.
Now, most folks have an eyelid twitch at some time in their lives.
In fact, it’s so common there’s even a name for it… myokymia.
This kind of repetitive spasming of the eyelid muscle can be triggered by a variety of things. It can even occur simply when you’re overtired or if your eyes are irritated.
Drinking too much alcohol or caffeine can set it off, as can certain medications.
But an article published in the journal Neurology India warns that a vitamin B12 deficiency can cause eyelid twitching.
Vitamin B12 is vital for certain critical processes to occur in the body.
Those include:
- producing oxygen-carrying red blood cells,
- maintaining an active metabolism,
- and strengthening your nervous system.
And that last one is linked directly to those annoying eyelid spasms.
You see, B12 is required to form the myelin sheath, an insulating layer that coats your nerves.
Myelin allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along your nerve cells. When the nerves around your eyes aren’t getting the B12 they need, they can start to LOSE that coating (demyelination), causing myokymia.
But twitching eyelids aren’t the only sign of a B12 deficiency.
Other symptoms to be on the lookout for are:
- a sore, red tongue
- mouth ulcers
- depression
- muscle weakness
- a “pins and needles” feeling (neuropathy) typically in fingers and toes
If you have any of these symptoms, it’s important to see your doctor and have your B12 levels checked.
If you ARE low, you can start replenishing your levels by eating plenty of vitamin B12-rich foods such as dairy foods, clams, sardines, tuna, salmon, trout, organ meats (liver and kidneys), and eggs.
You can also take a B12 supplement. I typically suggest a B-complex, which covers all of the B vitamins that often work hand-in-hand.
P.S. If you’re a senior, you’re at a higher risk for being low on ANOTHER critical vitamin. And this deficiency can drive up dangerous inflammation levels. CLICK HERE for all the details.
SOURCE:
Edvardsson B, Persson S. Blepharospasm and vitamin B12 deficiency. Neurol India 2010;58:320-1
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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