Having a vitamin B12 deficiency prevents the body from making red blood cells. What this ultimately means is that someone with a vitamin B12 deficiency is anemic. Good sources of vitamin B12 include eggs, cheese, milk, and meat. Here are some of the vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms and risk factors that everyone should be aware of.
Symptoms of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency
It is important to keep in mind that there are many people with a vitamin B12 deficiency who do not even recognize symptoms. Symptoms are often unrecognizable for those who suffer from only a mild case. Others may relate their vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms to other causes.
People with a vitamin B12 deficiency generally feel fatigued, weak, and lightheaded. They may feel sick to their stomach, have diarrhea or constipation, and may lose weight. A vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause pale skin, a sore and red tongue, and bleeding gums. Over time, people who have this deficiency may experience depression, dementia, problems maintaining balance, or a numb, tingling sensation in their toes and fingers.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency Risk Factors
Certain people may be more likely to experience vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms than others. The reason is because certain types of diets and medical conditions put a person at a higher risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency than others. Some of the risk factors include:
- Digestive problems – People with digestive problems may be more likely to experience this deficiency because vitamin B12 is absorbed by the stomach. Having celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, a parasite, or small intestine bacterial growth can prevent proper absorption.
- Vegan diet – People who do not eat meat or animal by-products are much more likely to experience vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms. Since their diets do not consist of the primary sources of vitamin B12, it is ideal for them to take a daily supplement.
- Bariatric surgery – Weight loss surgery to remove the stomach or part of the small intestine can prevent vitamin B12 from being properly absorbed.
- Pernicious anemia – This type of anemia causes the body to destroy cells in the stomach which help the body absorb the vitamin.
Anyone who suffers from vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms should take them very seriously. While many people are able to cope with the initial symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency, they are not comfortable and worsen over time. A vitamin B12 deficiency can generally be managed by adding sources of vitamin B12 to the diet, taking a multivitamin or, in more severe cases, having regular vitamin B12 injections.
Source:
WebMD, "Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia" (accessed June 1, 2010).
Jody Morse - Jody Morse is a freelance writer from the Poconos. She earned her B.A. in English from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania in ...
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