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Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms occur when a person lacks a vitamin in his diet. Vegans and vegetarians may be at risk because the best sources of vitamin B12 come from foods of animal origin. Some medical conditions may also affect the absorption of vitamin B12 by foods, such as pernicious anemia. Vitamin B12 is essential for the production of red blood cells and the health of the nerves.
If a person lacks vitamin B12, the number of his red blood cells will be low and his nerves could be damaged.
An untreated vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to serious complications, including temporary infertility and loss of physical coordination.
But these complications can be avoided if you spot symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency early enough.
One of the symptoms that is not recognized as one of the main symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, but which has been shown by studies to be a sign, is the difficulty in sleeping.
A small-scale study found that two patients with disturbed sleep-wake disorders experienced improved sleep after daily doses of vitamin B12.
Patients received 1.5 mg of vitamin B12 a day.
A good therapeutic effect lasted more than six months, while one of the patients – a 55-year-old man with delayed sleep phase syndrome since the age of 18 – was taking the drug.
Other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
The more general symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are listed by the NHS:
- Extreme fatigue (tiredness)
- Lack of energy (lethargy)
- breathlessness
- Feelings of weakness
- Headache
- Pale skin
- Noticeable heartbeats (palpitations)
- Hear sounds from the inside of the body rather than from an outside source (tinnitus)
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
Bupa adds, "If you suffer from Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, you may also look pale or yellowish (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
"In addition to the symptoms of anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause nerve related symptoms. This is what is called vitamin B12 neuropathy. It can affect your movements and your feelings, especially in the legs, cause numbness, tingling and needles and decrease your sensitivity to touch, vibration or pain. It can also cause confusion, depression, lack of concentration and forgetfulness.
"These symptoms are not always due to iron deficiency anemia vitamin B12, but if you have them, consult your doctor."
Treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency
If a person does not consume enough vitamin B12, they may be advised by a general practitioner to eat more vitamin B12 fortified foods or to take supplements at regular doses.
Vitamin B12 injections may also be recommended, and for people suffering from pernicious anemia, injections may be needed for the rest of their lives.
Experts say that adults aged 19 to 64 need about 1.5 micrograms (mg) of vitamin B12 a day and that, except in case of pernicious anemia, you should be able to get some in your diet.
If vitamin B12 deficiency is caused by not including enough B12 foods in the diet, Harvard Health Publishing, part of Harvard Medical School, offers the "B12 Food List" on its website .
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