Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms: 5 Signs You are Vitamin B12 Deficient
Water-soluble vitamin B12 is important for normal brain functioning. Here are some vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms that you should keep an eye out for.
Vitamin B12, which is also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin required for the production of red blood cells and normal functioning of the brain. It also aids in DNA synthesis and regulation. The vitamin is not produced by your body and since it is water-soluble, it is expelled out of the body through urine when in excess. As your body does not store the vitamin for a longer duration, you need to consume foods that rich in vitamin B12 or supplements. Vitamin B12 is found in animal products like eggs, fishes and meat. The recommended amount of vitamin B12 for adults is 2.4 microgram per day on an average. However, according to a study conducted by Metropolis Healthcare, over 15 percent of the people in India lack the recommended amount of vitamin B12 and most of them are vegetarian. Here are some signs that you are vitamin B12 deficient. (ALSO READ Vitamin A deficiency: Symptoms, treatment and prevention of vitamin A deficiency).
1. Numbness without compressing any part of your body
Numbness or experiencing pins and needles is common when you sit in the same position for a long time or any part of your body is compressed but it can be a sign of vitamin B12 deficiency if you are experiencing numbness without being compressed. You may also experience electric shock waves. This is caused due to the nerve damage, which can happen when your body lacks vitamin VB12, poor production of red blood cells and low levels of oxygen. Vitamin B12 is important for proper functioning of the nerves and for red blood cell production.
2. Something wrong with your eyes
In rare cases, vitamin B12 deficiency can cause double vision, blurry vision and sensitivity to light. This happens because the lack of the vitamin plugs the retinal blood vessels or damages the optic nerve. Consult your doctor immediately if you experience this.
3. Dizziness
Lack of vitamin B12 is also linked to frequent episodes of dizziness. You may feel dizzy or wobbly while walking up the stairs, getting up from the chair or after strenuous work. You should talk to your doctor as soon as possible as it can be quite dangerous.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can change your complexion to yellow or pale as your body’s red blood production is affected by the lack of the vitamin. Due to the deficiency, you have low red blood cells and even those blood cells are fragile.
5. You are sleepy during the day
If you are feeling sleepy even after sleeping for 8 hours at night, then it can be due to the lack of vitamin B12. The lack of the vitamin affects the production of red blood cells. As there is a lack of red blood cells your body cells will not get enough oxygen and you will feel tired and sleepy.
You can eat dairy products and animal products like fish and eggs to up thelevel of vitamin B12 in your body. You can also ask your doctor and consume vitamin supplements.
Without enough red blood cells, your tissues and organs don't get enough oxygen. Without enough oxygen, your body can't work as well. Symptoms include weak muscles, numbness, trouble walking, nausea, weight loss, irritability, fatigue, and increased heart rate.
Without enough red blood cells, your tissues and organs don't get enough oxygen. Without enough oxygen, your body can't work as well. Symptoms include weak muscles, numbness, trouble walking, nausea, weight loss, irritability, fatigue, and increased heart rate.
feeling weak or tired. diarrhoea. a sore or red tongue, sometimes with mouth ulcers. problems with memory, understanding and judgment (cognitive changes)
B12 deficiency manifests as macrocytic anemia, and thus, the presenting symptoms often include signs of anemia, such as fatigue and pallor. Due to the increased hemolysis caused by impaired red blood cell formation, jaundice may also be a presenting symptom.
Skin lesions associated with vitamin B12 deficiency are skin hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair changes. Cutaneous lesions that do not respond to conventional therapy can be an indication of vitamin B12 deficiency. Malabsorption is the most common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency.
If vitamin B12 deficiency is left untreated, it can cause lasting side effects that affect the nervous system and brain. More severe side effects of vitamin B12 deficiency include: Peripheral neuropathy. Degeneration of the spinal cord.
New red blood cells need vitamin B12 and folate (vitamin B9) to grow and develop. If these vitamins are lacking, making DNA is hard, causing the immature red blood cells to die. This leads to anemia.
Some stomach conditions or stomach operations can prevent the absorption of enough vitamin B12. For example, a gastrectomy, a surgical procedure where part of your stomach is removed, increases your risk of developing a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia is usually treated with injections of vitamin B12, called hydroxocobalamin. At first, you'll have these injections every other day for 2 weeks or until your symptoms have started improving. Your GP or nurse will give the injections.
Others test B12 in combination with other vitamins, and there are at-home micronutrient test kits that include B12 in the panel. These kits may be purchased online and include the materials you need to obtain a sample of blood using a finger prick, which you return to the manufacturer for testing.
Does vitamin B12 affect your bowel movements? Low vitamin B12 levels may cause diarrhea or constipation. Additionally, a lack of vitamin B12 can prevent your red blood cells from providing enough oxygen to your digestive tract. This can lead to nausea, vomiting, gas, and bloating.
memory loss. pins and needles. loss of physical co-ordination (ataxia), which can affect your whole body and cause difficulty speaking or walking. damage to parts of the nervous system (peripheral neuropathy), particularly in the legs.
The other mental changes associated with B12 deficiency include apathy, agitation, impaired concentration, insomnia, persecutory delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations, and disorganized thought-process.
To screen for vitamin B12–deficiency anemia, your healthcare provider may order blood tests to see whether you have low hemoglobin or vitamin B12 levels. Tests to screen for vitamin B12-deficiency anemia. A complete blood count measures hemoglobin. Another blood test measures vitamin B12 levels in the blood.
For decades, scientists have noted an intriguing similarity between a deficiency in vitamin B12 – an essential nutrient that supports healthy development and functioning of the central nervous system (CNS) – and multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease in which the body's immune system attacks the CNS and which can ...
One primary symptom of B12 deficiency is fatigue – a level of tiredness or exhaustion so deep that it affects daily life activities. Other symptoms are neurological and may include tingling in the extremities, confusion, memory loss, depression and difficulty maintaining balance.
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