5 Signs of Vitamin B12 Deficiency, Doctors Say – Best Life

Maintaining a balanced diet is crucial for your health, and not just for keeping cardiovascular disease and weight gain at bay. It also ensures that you get all the essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly. One of these essential vitamins is vitamin B, especially B12, which we often get by eating meat, fish, seafood, eggs and dairy products. However, you may be missing the mark with your recommended intake.

“Vitamin B12 deficiency is relatively common, especially among older adults, vegetarians and vegans,” says Samantha Turner, MPH, RDN, a registered dietitian and owner of Forks and Grace. “(Vitamin B12) plays an important role in supporting nerve and brain health and energy metabolism, and is crucial for nerve development, DNA synthesis and red blood cell formation.”

While a visit to the doctor may reveal a deficiency, there are other warning signs to look out for. Read on for the signs that you’re not getting enough vitamin B12, according to doctors and nutritionists.

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If you feel sleepy, sluggish, or generally sluggish, it could be a sign of a number of health problems. It may also indicate a deficiency of the essential nutrient in your body.

“Vitamin B12 is essential to produce healthy red blood cells,” says Lean Poston, MD, a licensed physician and health consultant for Invigor Medical. “Low B12 levels can reduce the production of red blood cells and make it difficult for them to deliver oxygen to the body’s cells, which can cause fatigue.”

One nutritionist says a vitamin B12 deficiency could become a problem if you’re planning to become pregnant.

“Vitamin B12 deficiency has been linked to infertility, as vitamin B12 improves healthy egg count and embryo quality,” Qianzhi JiangPhD, RDN, family dietitian and owner of The Nutrition Changer, explains Best life.

She adds that low levels of vitamin B12 are also linked to increased levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that when taken in excess can increase the risk of many diseases. “Elevated homocysteine ​​levels can damage the uterine lining and cause infertility,” says Jiang.

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If you notice tingling in your extremities, your body may be deficient in vitamin B12.

“Vitamin B12 deficiencies can cause changes in the way your nerves send messages throughout your body,” says Poston. “As the rate at which nerve impulses decrease, your body interprets this with numbness and tingling.”

And those aren’t the only effects you can feel. “People with a vitamin B12 deficiency may experience irritability, abnormal gait, reduced sense of smell and lack of neurological reflexes such as the knee-jerk reaction,” says Jiang.

She adds that when there is a severe deficiency, psychiatric symptoms similar to those of dementia can also occur.

Do you notice any tenderness in your mouth that is not related to a burn or toothache? According to Poston, this could be a sign that you are deficient in essential nutrients.

“Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause glossitis,” she explains. “This looks like a slippery appearance of the tongue that can be painful.”

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According to Poston, a vitamin B12 deficiency can cause misshapen red blood cells. “These cells become trapped in the spleen, reducing the number of red blood cells circulating. This condition, called anemia, can cause a pale skin color,” she explains.

However, it is also possible to notice signs of this condition that go beyond just the skin.

“Some people may experience no or very mild symptoms caused by pernicious anemia for years, while others may experience fatigue, muscle weakness, or palpitations (which is a feeling that your heart is pounding or skipping a beat),” Jiang says. “However, pernicious anemia may not occur in cases of mild vitamin B12 deficiency.”

Best Life provides the most up-to-date information from top experts, new research and health authorities, but our content is not intended as a substitute for professional guidance. When it comes to the medications you are taking or if you have any other health questions, always consult your healthcare provider directly.