Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause a wide range of physical, neurological, and psychological symptoms that typically develop gradually and worsen over time if untreated. Serious problems can include permanent nerve damage and heart failure.
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.
The worst symptoms of B12 deficiency involve severe neurological damage, including severe memory loss, confusion, dementia, psychosis, hallucinations, balance problems, trouble walking, and irreversible nerve damage (neuropathy), alongside serious mental health issues like severe depression or irritability, with physical signs including extreme fatigue, pale skin, and a sore, smooth tongue. These severe cognitive and neurological issues are the most concerning because they can become permanent if left untreated.
Vitamin B12 is an important nutrient that helps your body make red blood cells and DNA, the genetic material in all of your cells. It's essential to how your body functions. Without treatment, vitamin B12 deficiency can cause physical, neurological and psychological problems.
Neurological changes
memory loss. pins and needles. loss of physical co-ordination (ataxia), which can affect your whole body and cause difficulty speaking or walking. damage to parts of the nervous system (peripheral neuropathy), particularly in the legs.
B12 deficiency can trigger specific food cravings, most notably for meat, fish, or eggs, as the body seeks animal-based sources to replenish the vitamin, especially in those on vegetarian/vegan diets or older adults. While cravings for sugary or salty foods can also signal general B-vitamin issues, the distinct urge for protein-rich animal products is a key indicator, but professional testing is crucial for confirmation.
Two common types of GERD medicines have been linked to vitamin B-12 deficiency:
Vitamin B12 plays a crucial role in neurological health, and its deficiency can lead to various symptoms, including headaches and facial pain. Surprisingly, many individuals with deficiency may have normal serum B12 levels, which complicates diagnosis and treatment.
The foods highest in Vitamin B12 are animal products, with clams and liver (beef, lamb) being exceptionally rich sources, often providing several hundred percent of the daily value in a single serving, alongside seafood like mussels, sardines, and salmon, dairy, eggs, and fortified cereals and nutritional yeast for vegans.
Cutaneous manifestations associated with vitamin B12 deficiency are skin hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair changes. A diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency is often overlooked in its early stages because these signs are not specific to vitamin B12 deficiency alone.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms that affect your brain and nervous system (neurological symptoms), including: numbness. muscle weakness. psychological problems, which can range from mild depression or anxiety, to confusion and dementia.
Causes of Vitamin B12 deficiency
Particularly, individuals with lung, stomach, colon, oesophageal, and pancreatic cancers are more prone to experiencing a deficiency in vitamin B12. This article will discuss different types of cancers causing vitamin B12 deficiency, associated symptoms, and available treatment options.
For the patients with a very low serum B12 level (<100ng/l) and anaemia, macrocytosis or neurological symptoms, the treatment is simple: load the patient with vitamin B12 parenterally (by IM injection) and continue with maintenance vitamin B12 by IM injection every 3 months indefinitely (see below for more details).
People need vitamin B-12 for the brain to work well. If not treated, vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to issues with the nerves, brain or spinal cord. These might include lasting tingling in the hands and feet or trouble with balance.
People experience severe numbness and tingling in their limbs. They may also experience impaired coordination and balance problems. People may experience memory lapses and confused thinking. Neurological symptoms of deficiency include irritability and anxiety.
Disturbed or blurred vision can also occur as a result of a Vitamin B12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12 level
The clinically normal level for cobalamin is unclear, although it is thought that serum cobalamin of less than 200 nanograms/L (148 picomol/L) is sensitive enough to diagnose 97% of people with vitamin B12 deficiency.
Possible interactions include:
In fact, some studies have even suggested the opposite. For instance, one study noted that individuals who regularly took vitamin B12 supplements gained between 2.5 to 17 fewer pounds (1.2 to 7.7 kg) over a decade than those who didn't supplement.
Vitamin B12 itself is vital for energy production, red blood cell formation, and nerve function. Typically, B12 cocktails include a mix of B12 injections or supplements, coconut water, citrus fruits, and other natural ingredients known to aid in weight management.
Organ meats and shellfish are the richest dietary sources, with a 3-ounce (85 g) serving of cooked clams providing approximately 84.1 µg, while beef liver contains about 70.7 µg. Fatty fish, such as trout and salmon, supply 5.4 µg and 4.8 µg per 3-ounce serving, respectively.
If you feel worse after your B12 injection, you're not alone, and it doesn't mean something is wrong with the treatment. In many cases, it's a temporary response as your body starts healing and adjusting to better nutrition. But it's important to listen to your body.