What is the permanent damage from B12 deficiency?

Long-term vitamin B12 deficiency can cause nerve damage. This may be permanent if you do not start treatment within 6 months of when your symptoms begin. Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia most often responds well to treatment. It will likely get better when the underlying cause of the deficiency is treated.

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What happens if your B12 stays low?

If left untreated, the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency tend to worsen and irreversible problems involving the nerves and brain may develop. The risk of experiencing a number of serious complications, including heart failure, may also increase.

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Is B12 deficiency brain damage reversible?

Majority of the patients were observed to have severe cognitive decline which could be also due to the Vitamin B12 deficiency which is potentially reversible.

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Can B12 deficiency cause serious problems?

If vitamin B12 deficiency is left untreated, it can cause lasting serious side effects that affect the nervous system and brain. More severe side effects of vitamin B12 deficiency include: Peripheral neuropathy. Degeneration of the spinal cord.

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What is considered severe B12 deficiency?

Values of less than 160 pg/mL (118 pmol/L) are a possible sign of a vitamin B12 deficiency. People with this deficiency are likely to have or develop symptoms. Older adults with a vitamin B12 level less than 100 pg/mL (74 pmol/L) may also have symptoms.

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Dangers of vitamin B12 deficiency

38 related questions found

What are the neurological symptoms of B12 deficiency?

Other neurological findings include altered sensation, paresthesia in the extremities, gait ataxia, poor vision, dizziness, loss of taste or smell, urinary or fecal incontinence, loss of cutaneous sensation, impaired sense of vibration, proprioception, psychiatric manifestation, memory impairment, personality changes, ...

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Can B12 deficiency cause joint pain?

Not getting enough vitamin B12 to the point of a deficiency can cause a variety of serious symptoms including depression, joint pain, and fatigue.

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How long does it take to recover from vitamin B12 deficiency?

How long does it take to recover from B12 deficiency? 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.

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Does B12 affect memory?

Vitamin B12 deficiency is linked to impaired cognition and memory along with a sensation of tingling and numbness, an outcome of poor myelination. Elevated methylmalonic acid and serum homocysteine levels are markers of Vitamin B12 deficiency.

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Does low B12 cause dementia?

Cobalamin deficiency may cause cognitive deficits and even dementia. In Alzheimer's disease, the most frequent cause of dementia in elderly persons, low serum levels of vitamin B12, may be misleading.

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Does B12 affect the mind?

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.

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What destroys B12 in the body?

Certain health conditions can make it difficult for your body to absorb enough vitamin B12. They include: Alcohol use. Crohn disease, celiac disease, infection with the fish tapeworm, or other problems that make it difficult for your body to digest foods.

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Why do I keep on forgetting words?

It is not necessarily a sign of something serious*, but more of an occasional brain glitch. Scientists have found that some things make TOTs more common – such as caffeine, fatigue, and strong emotions – and that words learned later in life are more likely to be forgotten.

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Can low B12 cause mental confusion?

Untreated, vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to neurological problems, such as persistent tingling in the hands and feet or problems with balance. It can lead to mental confusion and forgetfulness because vitamin B-12 is necessary for healthy brain function.

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Does B12 help with hair growth?

One of those vital nutrients is B12, also known as cobalamin. B12 promotes healthy hair growth by assisting in the production of oxygen-rich red blood cells, which feed hair follicles.

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How often should you have a B12 injection?

If your vitamin B12 deficiency is not caused by a lack of vitamin B12 in your diet, you'll usually need to have an injection of hydroxocobalamin every 2 to 3 months for the rest of your life.

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How long does it take for B12 injections to work?

B12 injections work quickly; they are the most effective way for your body to absorb Vitamin B12. Within 48 to 72 hours, your body will begin to make new red blood cells. For mild deficiencies, you may need two to three injections over several weeks to notice peak impact.

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How long does a B12 shot last?

Simply put, how long the B12 shot will last is different for everyone. Though it differs a bit from one person to another, the effects of B12 vitamins usually last around 48 hours to 72 hours after the initial injection.

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Can low B12 cause pain in legs?

Vitamin B12deficiency symptoms may include: strange sensations, numbness, or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet. difficulty walking (staggering, balance problems)

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Does low B12 cause nerve damage?

Long-term vitamin B12 deficiency can cause nerve damage. This may be permanent if you do not start treatment within 6 months of when your symptoms begin. Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia most often responds well to treatment. It will likely get better when the underlying cause of the deficiency is treated.

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Does B12 affect arthritis?

Vitamin B complex is a type of non-antioxidant vitamin. We don't fully understand how this type of vitamin may treat arthritis-related conditions, but evidence from trials suggests that vitamins B3, B9 and B12 might be of some benefit for treating osteoarthritis, particularly in improving joint mobility and hand grip.

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What is the root cause of B12 deficiency?

Causes of low vitamin B12 levels. The commonest cause nowadays is food-bound cobalamin malabsorption (FBCM). In FBCM, there is impaired release of vitamin B12 from ingested food. One factor common to many of the conditions which can lead to FBCM is the inability to release vitamin B12 from its transport proteins.

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Why do I forget what I am talking about mid sentence?

The answer is you are likely to have been “dual-tasking” just before speaking. It might have been because you were thinking about the words you wanted to say and something else at the same time. Or maybe you were concentrating on listening while trying to think of what to say.

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Do I have dementia or am I just forgetful?

Age-related memory loss and dementia are very different conditions, though they may share some overlap in symptoms. However, normal forgetfulness is often caused by lack of focus and it never progresses into serious territory. Dementia, on the other hand, will get worse over time.

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Why can't I think of words when I'm talking?

PPA is caused by degeneration in the parts of the brain that are responsible for speech and language. PPA begins very gradually and initially is experienced as difficulty thinking of common words while speaking or writing. PPA progressively worsens to the point where verbal communication by any means is very difficult.

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