Vitamin B12 Deficiency Causes & Symptoms

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Vitamin B12 can not be produce it itself, Vitamin B12 can mostly be deficient in vegans and vegetarians. Vitamin B12 another name Cobalmin is needed in the body to perform various functions like Nervous System and for the production of red blood cells to carry oxygen round via the protein known as haemoglobin.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to abnormal large red blood cells production, which can not carry blood around the body effectively. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to

1-Temporary Infertility

2-Poor Nervous System

3-Anemia

4-Extreme tiredness

5-Lack of energy

6-Mouth ulcers

7-Muscle weakness

8-Disturbed vision

9-Sore tongue.

10-Osteoporosis because of Mineral bone density

Thats the reason you need to go for Vitamin B12 deficiency test to be properly diagnosed and treated.

Food Sources of Vitamin B12

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You can get vitamin B12 in animal foods, which have it naturally, or from items that have been fortified with it.

Animal sources include dairy products, eggs, fish, meat, and poultry. If you’re looking for a food fortified with B12, check the product’s Nutrition Facts label.

Good dietary sources of vitamin B-12 include:

beef
pork
ham
poultry
lamb
fish, especially haddock and tuna
dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
some nutritional yeast products
eggs
Some types of soya milk and breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin B-12.

It is always better to maintain a balanced diet and receive healthful amounts of nutrients before active treatment is required. The symptoms of deficiency are easily avoided with a healthful diet.

Benefits
Vitamin B-12 is crucial to the normal function of the brain and the nervous system. It is also involved in the formation of red blood cells and helps to create and regulate DNA.

The metabolism of every cell in the body depends on vitamin B-12, as it plays a part in the synthesis of fatty acids and energy production. Vitamin B-12 enables the release of energy by helping the human body absorb folic acid.

The human body produces millions of red blood cells every minute. These cells cannot multiply properly without vitamin B-12. The production of red blood cells reduces if vitamin B-12 levels are too low. Anemia can occur if the red blood cell count drops.

Excessive intake of vitamin B-12 has not demonstrated toxic or harmful qualities. However, people are always advised to speak with their physician before starting to take supplements.

Infants who lack vitamin B-12 may demonstrate unusual movements, such as face tremors, as well as reflex problems, feeding difficulties, irritation, and eventual growth problems if the deficiency is left untreated.

Vitamin B-12 deficiency carries a serious risk of permanent nerve and brain damage. Some people with insufficient vitamin B-12 have a higher risk of developing psychosis, mania, and dementia.

Insufficient vitamin B-12 can also lead to anemia. The most common symptoms of anemia are fatigue, shortness of breath, and an irregular heartbeat. People with anemia might also experience:

a sore mouth or tongue
weight loss
pale or yellowing skin
diarrhea
menstrual problems
Vitamin B-12 deficiency also leaves people more susceptible to the effects of infections.

People who follow a vegan diet are at risk of vitamin B-12 deficiency. However, such a diet also boasts a range of health benefits.

Who is at risk?
Vegans face a risk of vitamin B-12 deficiency, as their diet excludes animal-sourced food products. Pregnancy and lactation can worsen deficiency in vegans. Plant-sourced foods do not have enough cobalamin to guarantee long-term health.

People with pernicious anemia may lack vitamin B-12. Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disease that affects the blood. Patients with this disorder do not have enough intrinsic factor (IF), a protein in the stomach that allows the body to absorb vitamin B-12.

Other at-risk groups include people with small intestine problems, for example, an individual whose small intestine has been surgically shortened. They may not be able to absorb cobalamin properly. People with Crohn’s disease are said to be at risk, but researchers maintain that there is a lack of evidence to confirm this.

Gastritis, celiac disease, and inflammatory bowel disease may lead to a deficiency because these conditions cause the absorption of nutrients to be reduced.

eople with chronic alcoholism may lack vitamin B-12, as their bodies are also not aPble to absorb nutrients efficiently.

Individuals treating diabetes with metformin are advised to monitor their levels of vitamin B-12. Metformin might reduce the absorption of vitamin B-12.

Treatment includes vitamin B-12 injections. A vitamin B-12 injection must be administered to people that have problems with nutrient absorption.

Supplements
Some people have difficulties absorbing vitamin B-12 from food sources and may need to take supplements.

This includes older adults, patients with pernicious anemia, and those with achlorhydria or intestinal disorders may have problems absorbing vitamin B-12 from food.

Supplements can be taken orally or in a nasal spray. However, oral supplements do not help in many cases of deficiency. In these circumstances, vitamin B-12 may be injected.

Vegans can take supplements to avoid deficiency, as the vegan diet remove the meat products that provide B-12 naturally. This is particularly important during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Various B-12 supplements are available to purchase in health food stores and online.

Side effects
The side effects of taking vitamin B-12 are very limited. It is not considered to be toxic in high quantities, and even 1000-mcg doses are not thought to be harmful.

There have been no reports of an adverse reaction to B-12 since 2001 when a person in Germany reported rosacea as a result of a B-12 supplement.