Every little thing makes you cry or worried. "A lack of B12 wreaks havoc on your mood, possibly leading to depression or anxiety," says Grassi.
Deficiency of Vitamin B12 can result in hematological changes, neurological and psychiatric problems, which can manifest as irritability, changes in personality, depression, and memory loss [9]. It is also known to worsen depression by excitotoxic reactions caused by the accumulation of homocysteine [10].
Psychiatric manifesta- tions of vitamin B12 deficiency can include depression, apathy, irritability, dementia, catatonia, delirium, and hallucinations. 4,5 Higher vitamin B12 levels are thought to be associated with a more favorable outcome in depression.
Research suggests that some nutrient deficiencies, such as vitamins D and B12, are linked to a higher risk of depression. Depression is a mental health condition that causes symptoms such as low mood, sadness, and irritability. These symptoms occur nearly every day consecutively over a course of 1 week.
Key points about vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
Without enough red blood cells, your tissues and organs don't get enough oxygen. Without enough oxygen, your body can't work as well. Symptoms include weak muscles, numbness, trouble walking, nausea, weight loss, irritability, fatigue, and increased heart rate.
Stage 1 is decreased levels of vitamin B12 in the blood. Stage 2 is low concentration of vitamin B12 in the cell and metabolic abnormalities. Stage 3 is increased levels of homocysteine and MMA and decreased DNA synthesis resulting in neuropsychiatric symptoms. Stage 4 is macrocytic anemia.
Crying more often, or without knowing why, may be a sign of a mental health condition like depression, postnatal depression or bipolar disorder. 'If you're worried your crying is due to a mental health condition, speak to a doctor or therapist,' says Dr Oyefeso.
Biologically, there may be a reason women cry more than men: Testosterone may inhibit crying, while the hormone prolactin (seen in higher levels in women) may promote it.
Once you begin treating your vitamin B12 deficiency, it can take up to six to 12 months to fully recover. It is also common to not experience any improvement during the first few months of treatment. If you can, it's a good idea to address what's causing the deficiency.
Stress is known to deplete our levels of B vitamins, especially vitamin B12. Vegetarians, vegans and those on restricted diets can struggle to get enough vitamin B12 to meet their body's needs.
B12 is a key nutrient for nervous system health. It is important for producing serotonin and dopamine, which are mood-enhancing neurotransmitters. As a result, vitamin B12 can help to prevent and treat depression and anxiety. It can improve focus and memory as well.
As we get older, the cognitive area of the brain takes over and dictates behavior via reasoning, and we recognize that physical pain is self-limiting, finite, and predictable. We also learn to differentiate corporeal pain from psychological and emotional distress, or what scientists call social pain.
Whether you have an anxiety disorder or struggle with anxiety in general, anxiety can cause you to cry. Symptoms of anxiety can include having a sense of impending danger, feeling nervous, or having difficulty controlling worry. The act of crying can be a release of the build-up of previously explained symptoms.
"Many individuals who are high in neuroticism become hypersensitive to situations that trigger strong emotions, such as sadness," he adds. In other words, those who have high neuroticism feel emotions very deeply, resulting in them crying more often.
Severe grief or disruption can cause anyone to cry, and that's normal. Prolonged crying that persists without reason is not normal and may indicate a serious condition requiring treatment.
You might cry even if you don't feel sadness at that moment. Other emotions that are common in depression, such as hopelessness, guilt, loneliness, worthlessness, or despair could be playing a role as well. Anxiety can also lead to crying for no reason.
Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia is usually treated with injections of vitamin B12, called hydroxocobalamin. At first, you'll have these injections every other day for 2 weeks or until your symptoms have started improving. Your GP or nurse will give the injections.
Disturbed or blurred vision can also occur as a result of a Vitamin B12 deficiency. This happens when the deficiency causes damage to the optic nerve that leads to your eyes. The nervous signal that travels from the eye to the brain is disturbed due to this damage, leading to impaired vision.
There are certain foods that also need a cut-down in case of vitamin B12 deficiency. “Some foods and drinks can interfere with vitamin B complex intake like alcohol, caffeine and processed foods, etc should be avoided completely,” Shah added.
But does B12 help with anxiety? Several studies have shown that people experiencing anxiety have lower vitamin B12 levels. One 2000 study found that men with vitamin B12 deficiency who recently lost a loved one reported higher levels of anxiety and depression (2).
Vitamin B-12 and other B vitamins play a role in producing brain chemicals that affect mood and other brain functions. Low levels of B-12 and other B vitamins such as vitamin B-6 and folate may be linked to depression.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can have distressing neuropsychiatric symptoms. It can have an etiological role in clinical presentations like depression, anxiety, psychosis, dementia, and delirium, requiring screening of at-risk populations.