Symptoms Of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Learn the symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency. Check out the article we found over at Healthy and Natural World.

According to recent research, one in every four adults in the United States suffers from vitamin B12 deficiency. This vitamin is dubbed the energy vitamin and its shortage can result in an array of health problems, including some potentially very serious conditions. Despite being a water-soluble vitamin, B12 gets stored in your liver, kidneys and other body tissues, so the deficit can go unnoticed for a number of years. That is where the danger lies. By the time the condition gets detected, there might be some irreversible damage done already.

The causes of vitamin B12 deficiency

You get B12 deficiency because you are either not consuming enough vitamin B12, or you are unable to absorb it. As B12 appears mostly in animal products, strict vegetarians and vegans are among those at risk of developing the condition. So the first thing to look at is your diet.

Impaired Absorption

If you are not absorbing vitamin B12, the reason for that can be anything from stomach problems to auto-immune conditions. You’re also more likely to be vitamin B12 deficient if you are over 50 – when we get older, our absorption is not optimal any more due to the lack of stomach acid. Food has difficulty getting absorbed if you are suffering from ulcers, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, gastritis, or if you had a section of your gut surgically removed. The latter can be a part of a weight-loss surgery. Certain prescription drugs can affect your ability to absorb vitamin B12, including anti-ulcer drugs, antacids and Metformin – a drug taken by diabetic patients.
A very common cause of B12 deficiency is also pernicious anemia. This auto-immune condition is marked by a lack of a protein known as the intrinsic factor, which is needed for the absorption of vitamin B12.
Other reasons include overindulgence in coffee (more than four cups per day reduce your vitamin B12 levels), bacterial infections and exposure to nitrous oxide AKA the laughing gas.

Symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency

The most common symptoms include:

– fatigue and lack of energy
– shortness of breath
– headache
– cognitive problems, such as memory loss and difficulty concentrating
– pale or yellow skin (jaundice)
– stomach upset and weight loss

In severe cases it can lead to depression, psychosis or dementia. The symptoms can develop gradually and intensify over time. Since B12 is involved in so many of the body’s functions, the lack of it can lead to numerous life-threatening conditions. Reduction in B12 has been linked to cardio-vascular disease, cancer, stroke and birth defects.

How do you prevent and treat it?

We should get 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 per day. As mentioned before, the easiest way to prevent vitamin B12 deficiency is by eating the right food. Different meats, sea food, milk and eggs all contain it. If you eat meat and seafood, check its origin and support organic and free-range options.

Vegetarians and vegans have to make sure that they get enough of this vitamin. The non-animal options include consuming nutritional yeast and vitamin B12 fortified products, such as B12 fortified almond milk and cereals, and some breads.

If you cannot get enough of vitamin B12 through nutrition, you will have to start taking B12 supplements and B12 containing multivitamins. In severe cases, you might need vitamin B12 injections. This is also the case for people suffering from pernicious anemia.

If you suspect vitamin B12 deficiency, talk to your doctor, and consider changing your diet or start with the supplements. Vitamin B12 is one of of the 5 essential nutrients you may be missing from your diet.

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Read full article: Warning Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency and How to Fix It