B12 deficiency can cause a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, depression, pale or yellow skin, mental impairment, and pain and inflammation in the mouth and tongue. Many of the symptoms caused by low B12 levels are not specific to B12 deficiency, which can cause the condition to go undetected.
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
a pale yellow tinge to your skin. a sore and red tongue (glossitis) mouth ulcers. pins and needles (paraesthesia)
Key points about vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
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.
How to raise your B12 levels fast. The most common way to treat B12 deficiencies is by adjusting your diet. If this is unsuccessful, vitamin supplements may be recommended. If you're looking to boost the amount of vitamin B12 in your diet, you should eat more animal products, like meat, seafood, dairy and eggs.
Vitamin B12 testing requires a blood sample, which is usually taken from your arm in a medical office, health clinic, hospital, or lab.
A lack of B12 may lead to depression, confusion, memory problems, and dementia. It also can affect your balance. B12 supplements are usually safe.
Diet. Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.
Cow milk is a good source of this vitamin, with one cup providing about a solid amount of riboflavin. A cup also contains B12, along with some B1 and B5. The human body absorbs B2 from milk particularly well, and most people get all the riboflavin they need from dairy products, meat, and vegetables.
Bananas also contain fibre and potassium. It helps manage blood pressure, reduce stress, and relieve constipation and ulcer problems. The fruit also helps regulate body temperature. Another fruit that is rich in vitamin B12 is blueberries.
Vitamin B12 binds to the protein in the foods we eat. In the stomach, hydrochloric acid and enzymes unbind vitamin B12 into its free form. From there, vitamin B12 combines with a protein called intrinsic factor so that it can be absorbed further down in the small intestine.
That said, the current evidence is too weak to suggest that a vitamin B12 deficiency has any strong or specific impact on weight — be it weight gain or loss. There's little evidence to support the notion that vitamin B12 deficiency causes weight gain.
It depends on the brand, but generally a home B12 blood test will work a little like this: You order a test online or pick up a test kit from a store / clinic. It will likely contain a finger prick and corresponding vial to collect blood from your finger so that it can be tested for vitamin B12.
For quick yet accurate vitamin B12 testing, consider this kit from LetsGetChecked. Like other at-home vitamin deficiency tests, the LetsGetChecked Vitamin B12 Test requires a finger-prick blood sample. The company offers a video to show you how to conduct your test.
Normal values are 160 to 950 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL), or 118 to 701 picomoles per liter (pmol/L). Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or may test different samples. Talk to your provider about what your specific test results mean.
Recovery from vitamin B12 deficiency takes time. You may not have any improvement during the first few months of treatment. Improvement may be gradual and may continue for up to six to 12 months.
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.
It may take a few weeks before your vitamin B12 levels and symptoms (such as extreme tiredness or lack of energy) start to improve. If you have hydroxocobalamin injections to boost your vitamin B12 levels at the start of treatment, the cyanocobalamin tablets may start to work within a few days.
Most healthy people who have a well-balanced diet do not need to worry much about vitamin B12 deficiency. However, for those at risk (such as those with celiac disease), measures of blood vitamin B12 levels and, in some cases, preventive therapy with vitamin B12 may be recommended.
Pilot Study Results
The patients in Group A with a B12 deficiency showed improvement in their tinnitus severity index scores following treatment. Unfortunately, there was no improvement in the treatment group participants who did not have a vitamin deficiency.