Most Common Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms
Do you feel tired and irritated most of the time for no particular reason? Do you find it difficult at times to remember things or are you suffering from moments of depression? If these are true then you might actually be deficient in Vitamin B12. The problem with vitamin B12 deficiency is that the symptoms might not be always visible but people unknowingly might be suffering through it. Moreover, it takes years for the deficiency to develop and Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms to start showing.
Vitamin B12 and its importance
Vitamin B12 is responsible for production of red blood cells that delivers nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and cells of the body. One of the major causes behind this deficiency is improper and unbalanced diet that includes less of this vitamin. Another vital reason is deficiency of “intrinsic factor” like glycoprotein, which attaches to Vitamin B12 when it enters the stomach and helps in absorption of the vitamin.
Since the intake of various foods like red meat, fish, poultry are rich in Vitamin B12; this deficiency can be seen mainly in vegetarians, Vegans, and the elderly. Other products that can provide vitamin B12 are yogurt, brewer’s yeast, eggs, cheese, milk, breads, fortified food items and cereals. Read more about vitamin B12 foods
Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms
The most common symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are appearance of white spots on the skin as the melatonin reduces, itchy tongue, eye twitch, tingling pain in palms, tingling in the thighs, nervous shocks in one side of the body, shortness of breath without any chest pain, memory loss, difficulty in maintaining body balance, migraine headache, irritability, disorientation, personality changes, mania, sores at the corner of the mouths, psychosis, etc. Anemia is one of the biggest symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency that leads to conditions like vomiting, nausea, gas, constipation, diarrhea and heartburn.
The functioning of the central nervous system and brain are also affected due to Vitamin B12 deficiency. Every cell in your body gets affected if you have deficiency of vitamin B12. The cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract are also affected to a large extent if this situation persists. Depression, dementia, dizziness, fatigue, numbness in arms and legs, poor appetite and weight loss are other Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms, which can be easily checked by changing your diet into a healthy and balanced one. Moreover, there are tablets, sprays and injections available in the market that can meet up the body’s demands of vitamin B12. The injections are much more effective than the tablets, but you should take either of these after consulting with your doctor.
If you notice the above-mentioned Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms, then consult a doctor before changing your diet or taking any supplementary medicines, as the Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms are quite similar to symptoms of deficiency in folic acid.
