The human body can retain vitamin b12 for up to 4 years; therefore, its deficiency is uncommon while you’re consuming the correct dose of meat or dairy products regularly. If your body has a low content of vitamin b12 irrespective of any cause, you may face symptoms like; fatigue, improper heartbeat, anemia, memory loss, mouth inflammation, weakness, tiredness, visual impairment, etc.
Vitamin b12 is an essential vitamin of your body that needs to make red blood cells, the myelin sheath around nerves, DNA, chromosomes, and runs multiple functions, etc. Its active form methylcobalamin offers its methyl group and begins the methylation cycle in your body. Methylation is a novel process of the human body that activates multiple chemicals that serve your body.
You should consume meat, fish, eggs, fortified foods with vitamin b12 to ensure the regular supply of vitamin b12 to your body. The recommended daily intake value is 2.4 mcg of vitamin B12. Vegetarians, older people, childbearing women may encounter its deficiency. Vegetarians only rely on vegetables, and you know vegetables and fruit do not deliver enough vitamin b12.
The main causes that compel your body to experience its deficiency are;
- Malnutritioned
- Weight loss surgery
- Celiac or Crohn’s disease
- Medications that interfere with vitamin b12
- Too much consumption of alcohol
However, many symptoms are linked with its deficiency that bother you, and you will not feel comfortable. You may feel mild symptoms in starting; they become severe if you do not treat the symptoms. However, without further ado, let’s discuss its common symptoms.
Anemia
Your body uses vitamin b12 to produce new healthy red blood cells that circulate in your body through the bloodstream and provide oxygen to all cells for respiration. Its deficiency causes the formation of improper red blood cells; consequently, your body faces their dearth. This condition is known as anemia.
Folate and iron deficiency are also responsible for the low production of red blood cells.
Fatigue
Your body may feel fatigue symptoms; during b12 deficiency. Your body contains a low concentration of red blood cells that impair the oxygen availability to your cells. As you know, oxygen is necessary to produce energy, breathing processes, etc. In the aftermath of this, you may feel fatigued, weak, breathing and walking difficulties.
Cognitive problems or memory loss
Vitamin b12 helps your body to produce new myelin sheath around your nerve cells and make them stronger. Its deficiency may lead to the damaging of nerve cells and impair the sensation process of your body. Vitamin b12 deficiency affects your cognitive abilities, enhances depressive symptoms, and may lead to memory loss.
Mouth inflammation
Its deficiency also causes mouth inflammation and severe pain. Glossitis term is used to describe red, inflamed, sores mouth with intense pain. This can be an early indication of vitamin b12 deficiency.
Glossitis can also arise due to folate, niacin, and riboflavin deficiency.
Lack of energy
During this deficiency, your body does not produce enough red blood cells; that results into, unavailability of oxygen to your cells. Your body cells use oxygen to break down food and produce energy. Vitamin b12 deficiency may lead to a lack of energy, and you’ll not perform efficiently.
Visual impairment
Vitamin b12 high level reduces the chances of Macular degeneration and tries to maintain the visual ability. Its inadequate level may cause visual impairment, particularly in aging people.
Numbness in hand and feet
If you’re deficient in vitamin b12, you may feel pins and needle-like sensations in a particular area of your body like, in the hand, legs, and feet. This happens due to the damaging of peripheral nerves of your body.
Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
Vitamin b12 deficiency also disturbs the gastrointestinal tract and may cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, gas, bloating. Both children and adults can be affected by these symptoms. However, these are common symptoms of digestive system that can be appeared due to many other reasons.
Unfortunately, the above-described symptoms overlap with the symptoms of many other diseases; therefore, arrange a proper meeting with your doctor and do a test of vitamin b12 deficiency.
Conclusion:
Vitamin b12 (cobalamin) uses your body to kick off numerous functions that help your body to run smoothly. But its deficiency may impair your body functions, and you’ll suffer from multiple disorders. Symptoms that you’ll be more likely to experience are; fatigue, lethargy, tiredness, anemia, mental problems, sensation in the hands and feet, palpitations. You must use vitamin b12 supplements to overcome the symptoms of vitamin b12 deficiency.
Reference:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/vitamin-b12-deficiency-can-be-sneaky-harmful-201301105780
