Four annoying symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency appear in the hands and feet

Vitamin B12 deficiency is more common than many realize, with symptoms attributed to a number of strange sensations you may have experienced.

In particular, the hands, legs or feet may experience any of these four symptoms that warn that the levels of the important vitamin are too low, according to the British newspaper Express.

Information indicates that around 20 percent of people suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency.

People at risk of deficiency include vegetarians, because plant foods do not naturally contain vitamin B12; The same is true for adults over 50, because gastric acidity, an essential element in the absorption of vitamin B12, decreases with age; In addition to those with digestive disorders, such as celiac disease (gluten intolerance) and Crohn’s disease (chronic inflammatory bowel disease).

Certain antacid and diabetes medications can also put you at risk. When the levels are low, a number of strange and even uncomfortable sensations can occur, especially in the hands, legs or feet.

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency usually develop gradually and may be widespread.

These can include general symptoms, including fatigue and lethargy, as well as symptoms specific to a deficiency, such as yellowing of the skin and sore tongue.

If the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are left untreated, they tend to get worse and irreversible problems involving the nerves and the brain can develop.

The risk of a number of serious complications, including heart failure, may also be increased.

If you experience tingling, numbness, or other strange sensations in your hands, legs, or feet, it may be a sign that your levels are dangerously low.

According to Medical News Today, a vitamin B12 deficiency can cause a tingling sensation in the hands or feet.

And the health website continued, “This symptom occurs because the vitamin plays a vital role in the nervous system, and its absence can cause people to develop nerve conduction problems or nerve damage.”

“In the nervous system, vitamin B12 helps produce a substance called myelin which is a protective layer that protects the nerves and helps them transmit sensation. People with vitamin B12 deficiency may not make enough myelin. to cover their nerves. Without this covering, nerves can be damaged, “according to the site.

“Vitamin B12 is essential in helping nerve cells to function … when levels are too low, neurons cannot function effectively, resulting in symptoms such as numbness or tingling in the hands and feet which can become serious, ”says Dr. Sarah Baker, MD Still if left untreated.

Nerve damage caused by a vitamin deficiency can also affect a person’s balance and ability to walk.

>> Want more details? Also read: Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency