How To Know If You Are Suffering From B12 Deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms can vary widely depending on the degree of the deficiency and other underlying factors. The deficiency may begin with mild symptoms such as fatigue and heart palpitations. A shortage of B12 in the body leads to problems in the gastrointestinal tract, the nervous system, and the cardiovascular system.
Gastrointestinal vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include constipation, diarrhea, poor appetite and weight loss. Many people develop a B12 deficiency due to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract due to disease or taking certain medications. Vitamin B12 regulates red blood cell flow and due to this boosts metabolism. Users of vitamin B12 supplements often notice that they have a more regular appetite. Vitamin B12 injections are promoted on the Internet as a weight loss aid.
A deficiency in vitamin B12 can lead to many neurological problems. At a mild level vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include dizziness, mood swings, depression, and poor memory. If untreated a vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to much more severe neurological conditions including dementia, trouble maintaining balance, depression, and developmental delays in children.
Vegan and vegetarian women who are pregnant should supplement vitamin B12 because they may not be able to get enough of the nutrient from their food and a lack of B12 in babies and a fetus can cause problems in nervous system and brain development.
Other signs of vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause skin problems such as pale skin and jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes. There is a topical vitamin B12 cream that is used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis and patchy skin. Additional B12 deficiency symptoms include shortness of breath, numbness and tingling of the feet and hands, sore mouth and tongue, and chest pain.
Vitamin B12 regulates red blood cell production, which carries oxygen throughout the body. Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include red blood cells becoming irregular in size due to a shortage of the nutrient. This can lead to a variety of problems due to a shortage of oxygen in the bloodstream. An early sign of B12 deficiency is anemia, a thinning of the blood, which can lead to slow blood clotting following a wound. A vitamin B12 deficiency may also be misdiagnosed as Lou Gehrig’s disease, dementia, postpartum depression or schizophrenia.
Vitamin B side effects are mild and usually only occur in people who have taken mega doses of a B12 injection. There is no upper limit to vitamin B12 supplementation, meaning the nutrient is considered safe. If a person takes an oral B12 vitamin supplement, then any excess of the nutrient would likely not be absorbed and pass through in the urine. People who are allergic to the synthetic form of vitamin B12 should not supplement. A blood test can be performed to check levels of vitamin B12 in the body. Any supplement that is taken, whether as part of an oral multivitamin, a B complex vitamin, or a B12 vitamin should be discussed with a doctor.