Vitamin B12 deficiency and its symptoms

Introduction

Vitamin B12 helps your body in a variety of ways. It helps in the production of DNA and red blood cells, for example.

While B12 can be kept in the liver for up to five years, if your diet does not help maintain levels, you may become deficient. This anaemia occurs when your body lacks enough healthy red blood cells due to a vitamin B12 deficiency. 

Food Sources of Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is found in animal diets that are naturally fortified with it, as well as fortified foods.

Dairy products, eggs, fish, meat, and poultry are all animal sources. Follow the Nutrition Facts label present on a product to see if it’s fortified with B12.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

The majority of people in the United States obtain enough of this nutrient. If you’re not sure, ask your doctor if a blood test to check your vitamin B12 level is necessary.

As you get older, it may become more difficult to absorb this vitamin. It can also happen if you’ve had weight loss surgery or another procedure that involved removing a portion of your stomach, or if you consume a lot of alcohol. If you have any of the following, 

You may be at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency:

• Atrophic gastritis is defined by a thinner stomach lining.
• Pernicious anaemia is a type of anaemia that makes it difficult for your body to absorb vitamin B12.
• Misuse or excessive drinking of alcohol can make it difficult for your body to absorb nutrients and prevent you from eating enough calories. Glossitis, or a swollen, inflamed tongue, is one symptom of a B12 deficiency.
• Graves’ illness and lupus are examples of immune system disorders.
• Taking any drugs that prevent B12 absorption.  This includes proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec OTC), pantoprazole (Protonix), and rabeprazole (Aciphex), H2 Blockers like cimetidine (Tagamet), and famotidine (Pepcid AC), and diabetes medications like metformin (Glucophage).

Vitamin B12 deficiency can also occur if you eat a vegan diet (which excludes all animal products, including meat, milk, cheese, and eggs) or if you are a vegetarian who does not consume enough eggs or dairy products to meet your vitamin B12 requirements. In each of these circumstances, you can meet this demand by eating fortified foods or taking supplements. 

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

You could get anaemic if you don’t get enough vitamin B12. A slight deficit may go unnoticed. However, if left untreated, it can cause symptoms such as:

• Weakness, sleepiness, or headache
• Shortness of breath and heart palpitations
• A pale skin
• Constipation, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, or gas are basically all symptoms of a digestive problem.

Treatment

If you have pernicious anaemia or have trouble absorbing vitamin B12, you’ll require injections at first. Following that, you may need to continue getting shots, take big doses of a supplement by mouth, or get it through your nose.

You have options if you don’t eat animal products. If you’re deficient in vitamin B12, add vitamin B12-fortified cereals, a supplement, B12 injections, or a high-dose oral vitamin B12 to your diet.

In elderly people, vitamin B12 deficiency will almost probably require the use of a daily B12 supplement or a B12-containing multivitamin.

Treatment usually fixes the condition for the majority of people. However, any nerve damage caused by the deficiency may be permanent.

Prevention

Vitamin B12 insufficiency can be avoided in most people by consuming enough meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, and eggs.

If you don’t eat animal products or have a medical condition that makes it difficult for your body to absorb nutrients, you can get vitamin B12 through a multivitamin or other supplement, as well as vitamin B12-fortified meals.

If you decide to take vitamin B12 supplements, tell your doctor so they can determine how much you need and whether or not they will affect any medicines you’re taking.

Complications

Deficiency of B-12 increases our risk of health. There are several Risks mentioned below:

Pregnancy Complications

If a developing baby does not acquire enough folate from its mother, birth abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord can arise.

Nervous System Disorder

Vitamin B-12 deficiency, if left untreated, can cause neurological issues such as tingling in the hands and feet or balance issues. Since vitamin B-12 is required for optimum brain function, it might induce mental disorientation and loss.

Gastric cancer

Cancers of the stomach or intestine are more common in people who have pernicious anaemia.

Conclusion

Vitamin B12 helps your body in a variety of ways. It helps in the production of DNA and red blood cells, for example.

 Vitamin B12 insufficiency can be avoided in most people by consuming enough meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, and eggs.

You’ll need vitamin B12 injections at first if you have pernicious anaemia or have difficulties absorbing it. After that, you may need to continue getting shots, take large amounts of a supplement by mouth, or get it nasally.