Deficiency
B12 Vitamin
Are you getting enough vitamin B12? If you dont, the deficiency can cause some serious health problems. Vitamin B12 does a lot of things for your body. It helps make your DNA and your red blood cells. Since your body doesnt make vitamin B12, youll need to get it from animal-based foods or from supplements, and it needs to be consumed on a regular basis. Exactly how much you need and where you should get it from depends on things like your age, the diet you follow, your medical conditions, and in some cases, what medications you take.
Causes
Vitamin B12 deficiency can happen if you have certain conditions, such as:
Atrophic gastritis, in which your stomach lining has thinned
Pernicious anaemia, which makes it hard for your body to absorb vitamin B12
Surgery that removed part of your stomach or small intestine, including weight loss surgery
Conditions affecting the small intestine, such as Crohns disease, celiac disease, bacterial growth, or a parasite
Immune system disorders, such as Graves disease or lupus
Long-term use of acid-reducing drugs. Stomach acids help break down animal proteins that have vitamin B12.
You can also get vitamin B12 deficiency if youre a vegan or a vegetarian who doesnt eat enough eggs or dairy products. Vegans can take supplements containing vitamin B12 or eat fortified grains. The risk of B12 deficiency also increases with age.
Symptoms
A deficiency of vitamin B12 can lead to anaemia. A mild deficiency may cause no symptoms. But if untreated, it may progress and cause symptoms such as:
Weakness, tiredness, or lightheadedness
Heart palpitations and shortness of breath
Pale skin
A smooth tongue
Constipation, diarrhea, a loss of appetite, or gas
Nerve problems like numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, and problems walking
Vision loss
Mental problems like depression, memory loss, or behavioural changes
If you think you have symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, you can ask your doctor for a blood test. Infants who are born to vegan mothers and exclusively breastfed are at risk for anaemia, developmental delays, weakness, and failure to thrive.
Treatments
If you have pernicious anaemia or a problem with its absorption, youll need to replace vitamin B12 by injection initially and then continued injections, high doses of an oral replacement, or nasal therapy for life.
If the issue is that you dont eat animal products, you can change your diet to include vitamin B12-fortified grains, a supplement or B12 injections, or a high-dose oral vitamin B12. The elderly should take a daily B12 supplement or a multivitamin that contains B12.
For most people, treatment resolves the problem. But any nerve damage that happened due to the deficiency could be permanent.
Prevention
Most people can prevent vitamin B12 deficiency by eating enough meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, and eggs.
If you dont eat animal products, or you have a medical condition that limits how well your body absorbs nutrients, experts recommend taking a B12-containing multivitamin and eating breakfast cereal fortified with vitamin B12.
If youre using vitamin B12 supplements, let your doctor know, so he or she can make sure they wont affect any medicines youre taking. n
Source: webmd.com
