Now a days our daily life is so busy that we don’t have time to look after our health. However, we have to follow some rules to keep the body fit. Knowing the details makes life easier. Do you know what is Vitamin B12 deficiency, and how it occurs.
The human body needs vitamin B12 to make red blood cells, neurons and DNA and to perform other functions. It helps our body maintain the health of nerve cells and blood cells. The normal range for vitamin B12 is considered to be between 190 and 950 picograms per millilitres (pg/mL). Since our body cannot make vitamin B12 on its own, we must get it though food and drink.
However, this creates a problem while some people consume insufficient amounts of vitamin B12 to meet their needs, others are unable to absorb adequate amounts regardless of their intake. As a result, vitamin B12 insufficiency is rather common. Older people are more likely to be deficient because their body’s ability to absorb B12 from food decreases with age.
What is vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency is a condition in which the body produces less than normal amounts of vitamin B12. Vitamins B12 is necessary for the formation of red blood cells (RCB) and its deficiency leads to a lack of healthy red blood cells, which are responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body. Without an adequate number of red blood cells, tissues and organs do not receive enough oxygen. As a result, the body cannot function properly. If left untreated it can lead to serve neurological damage and irreversible neurological impairment.
How much vitamin B12 does one need
The answer will depend on several factors, such a the person’s age, diet, overall health and prescription regimen. Animal products including meat, milk and eggs are sources of vitamin B12. Additionally, it can be found in fortified foods, such as bread, nutritional yeast and various cereals.
But in case you have of vitamin B12 deficiency here are the symptoms
Fatigue
If you’re low or deficient in B12, you’ll likely feel fatigued. Your bod y’s cells need B12 to function properly. As such, having inadequate B12 levels can decrease normal red blood cell production, which can impair oxygen delivery. Specifically, a deficiency in B 12 can cause meg
aloblastic anemia. This condition leads to the formation to large, abnormal and immature red blood cells and impaired DNA synthesis.
Pale or yellow skin
Like the condition called iron deficiency anemia, anemia related to B12 deficiency may make your skin pale due to lack of fully matured, healthy red blood cells in the body. B12 deficiency can also cause a condition called jaundice, which makes your skin and the whites of your eyes take on a yellowish color due to high levels of bilirubin.
Headaches and depressive symptoms
Headaches are among the most commonly reported symptoms related to B12 deficiency in both adults and kids. A 2019 study with 140 people, half of whom experienced migraine, found that blood levels of B12 were significantly lower in the participants with migraine. Those with the highest B12 levels were 80% less likely to have migraine compared with participants with the lowest B12 levels.
Research continues to investigate if treatment with B12 may improve migraine headache symptoms in some people. B12 deficiency is associated with a greater risk of developing depression also. Having low levels of B12 can cause elevated levels of a sulfur – containing amino acid called homocysteine. A 2020 study with 132 children and teens, 89 with 43 without depression, found that the participants with depression had lower B12 levels and higher levels of homocysteine compared with those without depression.
Gastrointestinal issues
A B12 deficiency may also cause diarrhea, nausea, constipation, boating, gas, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. These issues can effect both adult and children.
Difficulty concentrating and mental impairment
Because a deficiency in B12 negatively impacts the central nervous system, people with low or deficient B12 levels may feel foggy-headed and have difficulty concentrating and completing tasks. Many studies have associated low B12 levels with worsened mental function in older adults. Fortunately, studies show that mental impairment related to low B12 levels can improve with B12 treatment.