Symptoms of Vitamin B 12 Deficiency

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency? There are a number of signs and symptoms that may appear when you are deficient in this important vitamin.

Vitamin B12 is an important part of your body’s nutritional picture. It is a water soluble vitamin that is one of eight B-complex vitamins. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in a number of body processes.

• Vitamin B12 is essential for normal brain and nervous system functioning.
• It is also necessary for the formation of blood.
• It is essential for cell metabolism.
• It is essential in DNA regulation and synthesis.
• Vitamin B12 plays an important role in energy production.
• It is necessary for fatty acid synthesis.
• It is used to regenerate folate in the body.

There are a number of symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. Many of the symptoms are the same as or similar to symptoms of folate deficiency, because vitamin B 12 is used in your body’s folate manufacturing process. Signs and symptoms of vitamin B 12 deficiency include:

• Anemia, which is characterized by reduced red cells in the blood
• Pernicious anemia, which is a form of anemia characterized specifically by the lack of vitamin B 12 in the blood
• Neurological symptoms such as numbness or tingling to the extremities
• Loss of appetite
• Mouth sores and pale lips
• Brittleness of hair and nails
• Jaundice
• Swollen tongue
• Weakness
• Lack of energy or fatigue
• Nausea
• Unexplained weight loss
• Dizziness and light headedness
• Shortness of breath, especially after exercise
• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• Irregular or rapid heart beat
• Cognitive impairment and reduced memory
• Depression or anxiety
• Psychosis
• Diarrhea
• Pallor
• Pain in the mouth or tongue
• Weakness

There are a number of things other than poor nutrition that can lead to vitamin B 12 deficiency. Some leading causes include:

• Malabsorption resulting from abdominal or intestinal surgery
• Chronic alcoholism
• Crohn’s disease
• Celiac disease
• Other intestinal disorders cause malabsorption
• Autoimmune pernicious anemia

If you eat a balanced diet, chances are that you are not deficient in vitamin B 12 unless you have one of the contributing factors listed above. If you believe yourself to be deficient in vitamin B12, it is best to consult with your personal health care provider. There are tests that can be done to rule out vitamin B12 deficiency.

There are a number of excellent food sources for vitamin B12. The best source of vitamin B 12 are animal products. Dietary sources of vitamin B12 include:

• Meat
• Liver
• Shellfish
• Milk
• Eggs

Because vitamin B 12 comes predominantly from animal sources, it is not unusual for vegans and vegetarians to not get enough of this important vitamin in their diets. In that case, supplementation is recommended to insure adequate intake of vitamin B 12.

Vitamin B 12 is included in most multivitamin supplements. It is also available in B-complex vitamins, and as a single vitamin B 12 tablet. The body most quickly absorbs vitamin B 12 that has been administered sublingually – or under the tongue.

Vitamin B12 is also abundant in most energy drinks, and it is available as a transdermal patch or lotion, as well as an injectable. The injections and transdermal patches are the best form of supplementation for those who have malapsorption issues.

In most cases, the water solubility of vitamin B12 means that if you take too much vitamin B 12, it will most likely be excreted in your urine. It is virtually impossible to overdose on vitamin B12; however, side effects are possible. Most of the side effects of B 12 supplementation are related to any preservatives in the tablets or injections.

For more information about vitamin B12 deficiency and supplementation, talk with your health care provider.

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