As you may already know, vitamin B12 belongs to the vitamins of the vitamin B Complex. This valuable vitamin is very important for the proper brain functioning and also of the nervous system. Additionally, it helps in the recovery of affected body cells and in the DNA molecules synthesis. And finally, another great benefit of vitamin B12 is the power to help in body detoxification.
What are the Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency?
The bad thing about vitamin B12 deficiency is that, in adults, the symptoms can be noticed after several months. This happens because the vitamin B12 is stored in the body for later use. However, the symptoms appear much faster in children.
Let’s see what are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency:
• Short breath
• Irregular heartbeats and weak pulse
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Weight loss and loss of appetite
• Bowel problems
• Depression symptoms
• Dementia
What Causes Vitamin B12 Deficiency
The causes of vitamin B12 can be various, but in most cases getting older and inadequate intake of vitamin B12 rich foods are the main ones. However, there are some health conditions that can cause this type of deficiency. For example:
Pernicious Anemia is a type of chronic anemia and actually occurs when the absorption of vitamin B12 is very poor because of a faulty intrinsic factor production by the gastric mucosa.
Blind Loop Syndrome is a very rare intestinal problem caused by overgrowth of bacteria and inadequate absorption of necessary nutrients. This disease occurs as a tiny loop in the bowels and it doesn’t allow the digestive material to exit, but it lets it in.
Crohn's Disease is a well-known inflammatory disease which affects the entire digestive tract from the beginning to the end, and causes great pains, loss of weight, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting and so on.
Atrophic Gastritis can be described as an stomach mucosa inflammation. It is responsible for the gastric glandular cells loss, which are then replaced by intestinal and fibrous tissues. This leads to poor absorption and at the end vitamin B12 deficit and megaloblastic anemia.
Another disease connected with the intestines is Diphyllobothriosis. It is a type of an infection of the intestines and affects people who frequently eat raw or pickled fish. The signs and symptoms associated with this disease are: diarrhea or constipation, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, overall weakness, etc.
However, not all the causes of vitamin B12 deficiency are connected with intestinal diseases. For example, being vegetarian can lead to vitamin B12 deficit, because people having such eating habits avoid eating foods rich in vitamin B12. On the other hand, the use of certain medications can affect the absorption of this vitamin.
Now, when you have read ll this about the causes of vitamin B12 deficiency, you have to understand that the prevention and the treatment of it is not that difficult. All you have to do is to enrich your diet with vitamin B12 rich foods (eggs, milk, cheese, meat…) and in case you can make these changes (if you are vegan for example) you can always use vitamin B12 supplements.
More information from TheVitaminMag.com :
Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms in Women | TheVitaminMag.com
Vitamin B12 Foods – Foods Rich in Vitamin B12 - TheVitaminMag.com