Safety Information Prescribing Information

Vitamin B12 Deficiency & Vegans and Vegetarians

Following a vegan or strict vegetarian diet could lead to vitamin
B12 deficiency.

  • A vegan diet does not include any meat or animal products for food
  • A strict vegetarian diet primarily consists of eating plants for food

Vitamin B12 is primarily found in animal products. Those who follow a
vegan diet have a high likelihood of becoming vitamin B12 deficient.

The common cause is limited or no consumption of foods that contain a lot of vitamin B12 such as meat, seafood, and animal products.


If you or someone you know follows a vegan or a strict vegetarian diet, you should know that
the diet may not provide enough vitamin B12 to keep your body healthy, and vitamin B12
supplementation may be necessary. Only your doctor can determine if you're vitamin B12 deficient. Start by talking to your doctor about testing and monitoring your vitamin B12 levels.

It’s important to have enough vitamin B12 in your body to keep you healthy. If left untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to serious problems with the blood and nervous system.
Vitamin B12 deficiency has also been linked to psychiatric symptoms such as impaired memory, irritability, and depressed mood.

Nascobal® Nasal Spray helps maintain healthy and consistent vitamin B12 levels. It is an
effective option for you or someone you know practicing a vegan or strict vegetarian diet
who needs vitamin B12 supplementation without the hassle of swallowing pills, waiting for sublinguals to dissolve every day, or having to deal with the pain of a monthly shot.


Available by prescription only.
INDICATION

* Nascobal® (Cyanocobalamin, USP) Nasal Spray is indicated for the maintenance of normal hematologic status in pernicious anemia patients who are in remission following intramuscular vitamin B12 therapy and who have no nervous system involvement.

Nascobal Nasal Spray is also indicated as a supplement for other vitamin B12 deficiencies including: dietary deficiency of vitamin B12 occurring in strict vegetarian diets; malabsorption of vitamin B12 resulting from conditions including HIV infection, AIDS, and Crohn's disease; inadequate secretion of intrinsic factor resulting from lesions that destroy the gastric mucosa and other conditions associated with gastric atrophy including multiple sclerosis, HIV infection, AIDS, certain endocrine disorders, iron deficiency, and subtotal gastrectomy; total gastrectomy; competition for vitamin B12 by intestinal parasites or bacteria; and inadequate utilization of vitamin B12 that may occur if antimetabolites for the vitamin are employed in the treatment of neoplasia.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Nascobal® (Cyanocobalamin, USP) Nasal Spray is a prescription, man-made form of vitamin B12.

Nascobal Nasal Spray is used to keep healthy levels of B12. It is used to treat patients with pernicious anemia who do not have nervous system problems and who achieved healthy vitamin B12 levels following vitamin B12 shots.

Nascobal Nasal Spray is used to keep healthy vitamin B12 levels in: strict vegetarians, people who cannot absorb vitamin B12 because of damage to their stomach or intestine from diseases (HIV/AIDS, Crohn's disease and sprue) or surgery, infections caused by parasites or bacteria, and patients who cannot process vitamin B12 because of certain cancer treatments.

Do not take Nascobal if you are sensitive to cobalt and/or vitamin B12 or any ingredients in the medication. In patients with Leber's disease, treatment with vitamin B12 can damage their sight (optic nerve atrophy). In patients with too many red blood cells (a condition called polycythemia vera), treatment with vitamin B12 may cause this condition to return. In patients with severe anemia treated with vitamin B12, low potassium levels (hypokalemia) and sudden death may occur.

Some patients will need a weekly spray of Nascobal in their nostril for the rest of their lives. Do not stop taking your medication without talking to your doctor. If you stop taking vitamin B12, anemia could return, or you could develop permanent nerve damage.

Side effects thought to be related to Nascobal use are usually mild and include headache, nausea, and rhinitis.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see full Prescribing Information.

For more information about Nascobal Nasal Spray, call 1-800-828-9393 (Option 2).

©2012 Strativa Pharmaceuticals, a division of Par Pharmaceutical, Inc.
Nascobal is a registered trademark of Par Pharmaceutical, Inc.
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