7 Common Symptoms Of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Nov 25, 2016 
by CureJoy Editorial

 

A recent study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition claims that 4% of females between the ages of 40-60 suffer from a deficiency of Vitamin B12.

 

“Is B12 Vitamin that critical for the body?”

Yes, it is.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause serious health issues as this critical element is required to make red blood cells, nerve development, DNA and various other bodily functions. Age is not the sole reason but various other factors such as certain common medications, lack of meat intake lead to Vitamin B12 deficiency.

You all will agree that diagnosing a problem is the crucial step than finding its solution. Thus, it’s is vital for everyone out there especially all you ladies in 30’s to be well versed with the symptoms of B12 deficiency. Below listed are some of the common and early symptoms that need’s medical attention.

 

Frequent Episodes Of Dizziness

Frequent episodes of dizziness/vertigo, wobbly feeling is one of the common symptom of B12 deficiency. Often, we dismiss the wobbly feeling post standing up after sitting for too long as ‘Head Rush’, however, with age all these common symptoms might point to something major as in this case might be Vitamin B12 deficiency. If you have been having these episodes recently, we suggest to bring this to your doctor’s attention.

 

 

Pins And Needles Sensation Throughout The Body

It is common to feel ‘pins and needles’ type sensation if you compress any body part for too long. However, if you feel the same sensation without even comprising the body for too long, the, you might be suffering from B12 deficiency. Apart from this, numbness, electric shock waves are some other symptoms as well. This uncomfortable feeling is a result of nerve damage caused due to less oxygen levels in the cells.

 

 

Pale Complexion

Vitamin B12 largely aids in red blood cells production and its deficiency result in less RBC’s which in turn results in pale complexion. The idea of vampires is beautiful but let’s just keep that limited to books and movies.

 

 

Forgetfulness

You know that weird feeling when you are talking to someone the on cell phone and all you are wondering at the back of your mind is, “Where the hell did I keep my cell phone?” This is perfectly fine but keeping your car keys in refrigerator or forgetting names of your close friends is something you need to be worried about.

If you have started having these episodes recently, the, don’t mistake them as signs of early dementia. These symptoms might be an indication of Vitamin B12 deficiency.

 

 

Constant Feeling Of Being Tired Or Sleepy

Do you struggle to stay awake during afternoons even after 8 hours of sleep? If you are suffering from chronic fatigues, the, there is a possibility of Vitamin B12 deficiency in your body. As due to less RBC’s in blood, your cells are struggling to receive enough oxygen resulting in tiredness.

 

 

Muscle Weakness

Struggling to pick up your grocery bag or even laundry? Often, we, women ignore these symptoms as struggles of busy life. However, if these episodes of weakness are constant, then, it’s time to take a doctor’s opinion.

 

 

Vision Issues

Light sensitivity, spotting, blurred or double vision are some common vision problem experienced by people suffering from Vitamin B12 deficiency. In certain cases, it may even lead to optic nerve damage.

 

 

 

 

 

Top 5 Vitamin B12 Rich Foods

NDTV Food  |  Updated: May 20, 2016 14:03 IST

^{Seafood is an excellent source of Vitamin B12}
Alternatively known as cobalamin, Vitamin B12 is extremely vital for our body’s functioning. Though not many take Vitamin B12 deficiency seriously, it is the most commonly and easily occurring deficiencies in humans. This water soluble vitamin cannot be produced in and by plants or animals independently, therefore, human body often falls prey to its deficiency as all Vitamin B12 sources include animal derived items.
Why is Vitamin B12 Important?

Our brain and nervous functions depend heavily on Vitamin B12. It also plays a pivotal role in the formation of red blood cells, regulating cell metabolism, DNA formation and its synthesis.

 

The Deficiency

“Vegetarians, especially the vegans, are generally at the risk of being deficient of B12. The vitamin is found chiefly in non-vegetarian diet as well as in milk and dairy products. Those who follow vegetarianism or are vegan should make sure that they consult their medical expert and take multivitamins and B12 supplements on a regular basis. Vitamin fortified foods can also be added in their daily diet,” noted Dr Ritika Sammadar from Max Healthcare Saket in New Delhi.
 

Vitamin deficiency can cause loss of appetite, constipation and digestive problems, fatigue, muscle weakness, nerve troubles, shortness of breath poor memory and anemia. Apart from improper diet or lack of supplementation, the deficiency can also be triggered by the prolonged use of certain drugs, lack of binding proteins in the body, improper absorption of nutrients by the body, intestinal disorders or surgery.

 

The Diet

The daily recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of Vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms for people ageing 14 years and above. Pregnant women require 2.6 micrograms and breastfeeding mothers would need 2.8 micrograms daily. As discussed earlier, non-vegetarian food items are the best sources of the Vitamin. Let’s take a look at some of the food sources of Vitamin B12 so as to make up the daily RDA.

 

Dairy Products – 250ml of milk would include roughly 1.2-1.4 micrograms of Vitamin B12. Skimmed milk would give you 1 microgram. Swiss, Emmental and cottage cheeseare the top sources of Vitamin B12 among all cheeses giving you close to 1.7 micrograms per 50 grams. Yogurt, buttermilk and fortified soy milk are also good options for the vegetarian population.

 

 

Liver and Kidney– Liver and kidneys are highly enriched with Vitamin B12. 75 grams of cooked liver (lamb, goat) has close to 55 micrograms of Vitamin B12. Cooked kidney is also excellent source of the Vitamin.

 

Animal Meat– 75 gms of cooked turkey, chicken or duck would meet 0.3 micrograms of Vitamin B12. Pork is also a good option.

 

 

Seafood– If you survive on seafood, you are best fed with Vitamin B12. All fish and shellfish are excellent sources of Vitamin B12. 75 grams of cooked clams have a whopping 74 micrograms of Vitamin B12. Other good options would include mussels, mackerel, tuna, sardines, herring and other fish. 75 grams of any of these can easily meet your daily Vitamin B12 RDA.

 

 

Eggs– Two large cooked eggs would equal close to 1.5 micrograms of Vitamin B12. Beside these items, vegetarians can consider consuming fortified drinks, milks, cereals, granola, energy bars, etc.

 

^{*Nutritional information via Dietitians of Canada}