Vitamin B 12 Deficiency Symptoms is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential for our health. This vitamin is also known as cobalamin. Do you know why it is important? Vitamin B12 supports the production of blood cells and DNA. In addition, it plays a vital role in the proper functioning of your nervous system.
When your body does not get a sufficient amount of vitamin B 12, you might face both physical and psychological problems. Today, Canwinn Foundation will share vitamin b12 deficiency Symptoms that will make you aware to treat it on time.
Mainly, vitamin B12 can be naturally found in foods like:
- Meats
- Poultry
- Eggs
- Fish
- Dairy Products
In addition, vitamin B12 might be presented in fortified foods like plant-based milk like almond milk, soymilk, coconut milk, etc, and tuna, fortified cereal, and so on.
Who Are at a Higher Risk of B12 Deficiency Symptoms?
Those who might face a vitamin b12 deficiency are:
- The elderly
- People who had surgery and the part of the bowel that absorbs B12 has been removed
- Those who are on the drug metformin for diabetes
- People following a strict vegan diet
- Those taking long-term antacid drugs for heartburn
Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms
The worst thing is that vitamin B12 deficiency cannot be recognized at the start. It takes years when you will start to notice the Vitamin b12 deficiency symptoms. Therefore, its diagnosis is also complicated.
Perhaps, the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency would be:
1) Pale or Jaundiced Skin
One of the signs that you are a vitamin B12 deficient would be pale and slightly yellowish skin. As we have mentioned earlier Vitamin B12 plays a crucial role in Red blood cell production, the lack of B12 causes pale skin.
2) Weakness and Fatigue
These are the common symptoms that occur when vitamin B12 deficiency disable your body to produce red blood cells. These cells transport oxygen throughout your body which does not properly function due to deficiency. As a result, you feel tired and weak.
3) Nerve Damage Causing Prickling Sensation
Nerve damage is the serious symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency that grows with time. Vitamin B12 also plays a vital role in the metabolic pathway that produces fatty substance myelin.
Therefore, this substance protects and insulates by being surrounded by nerves.
When your body lacks vitamin B12, myelin does not get produced properly and as a result, your nervous system not able to function properly. Thus, your body senses the pins and needles that are alike prickling sensation.
4) Changes to Mobility
Over time, if you left the nerve damage untreated, it can change the way you walk and move. In other words, nerve damage due to vitamin b12 deficiency can interfere with your balance and coordination.
5) Glossitis and Mouth Ulcers
Glossitis is the condition when your tongue gets inflamed. This condition makes your tongue change its color and shape. Therefore, it becomes painful, red, and swollen. According to the studies, if the tongue is inflamed and it has long straight lesions on it, this is considered to be an early sign of vitamin B 12 deficiency. In some cases, B12 deficiency might cause oral symptoms like mouth ulcers.
5) Breathlessness and Dizziness
Anemia, due to this vitamin’s deficiency can make you feel a bit dizzy and you might be facing difficulty in breathing.
6) Disturbed Vision
Blurred vision can be a sign that your body is lacking vitamin B 12. This situation occurs when the B12 deficiency left untreated for the long term. This leads to nervous system damage to the optic nerve that leads to your eyes.
Due to nerve damage, the signal that goes from your nerves to the brain gets interfered with. This is one of the b12 deficiency neurological symptoms that cause impaired vision.
7) Mood Changes
In some cases of vitamin B 12 deficiency, people might face mood swings. According to the studies, it has been found that some of the brain disorders like depression and dementia are associated with B12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency Treatment
Ordinarily, the deficiency gets treated with vitamin b12 injections.
For Vitamin b 12 deficiency treatment, there are two types of injections:
- Hydroxocobalamin
- Cyanocobalamin
Other treatments include Vitamin B 12 rich diet if your deficiency is caused by a lack of the vitamin in your diet.
For more information on such kinds of deficiencies, stay connected with Canwinn Foundation!
