{"id":5046,"date":"2018-05-14T09:58:35","date_gmt":"2018-05-14T13:58:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.naturalwellness.com\/nwupdate\/?p=5046"},"modified":"2023-09-11T15:59:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-11T19:59:00","slug":"do-you-suffer-from-b12-deficiency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naturalwellness.com\/nwupdate\/do-you-suffer-from-b12-deficiency\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Suffer from B12 Deficiency?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s a funny little vitamin with a funny little name. B12 sounds like the last item on a marketing flow chart, or maybe the worst spy on a secret government task force. In actuality, B12 helps your body perform several essential functions. Without it, you couldn\u2019t make DNA, healthy blood, or nerve cells. And since you need those to live, this funny little vitamin plays a seriously major role in your health.<\/p>\n

Your body can\u2019t make B12 on its own, so it needs to get it from outside sources. Normally, this isn\u2019t difficult. Your average adult only needs 2.4 micrograms (mcg) of B12 per day. If your diet includes eggs, animal protein, and\/or dairy, you\u2019ve probably got all the B12 you need. However, certain medical conditions can reduce our ability to absorb this vitamin, such as Crohn\u2019s disease, celiac disease, and simply aging.<\/p>\n

An otherwise healthy person may also develop B12 deficiency, so learning to recognize its symptoms is invaluable to your future well-being.<\/p>\n

Signs of B12 Deficiency<\/h3>\n

Has the pep drained from your step? According to Lisa Cimperman, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, \u201cFatigue is one of the first signs of B12 deficiency.\u201d B12 helps your body make red blood cells, and these cells carry oxygen to your organs. When you don\u2019t have enough of it, you feel weak and tired.<\/p>\n

Weakness is another symptom of B12 deficiency, as is dizziness and unsteadiness on one\u2019s feet. Feelings of depression and anxiety are also common, as is mental fog. \u201cI\u2019ve seen this deficiency mistaken for Alzheimer\u2019s in elderly patients,\u201d Cimperman says. \u201cBut once they have a blood test and it reveals a B12 deficiency, they start taking a supplement and their symptoms start to fade.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two of the stranger symptoms of B12 deficiency include tingling and tastelessness. Sufferers have reported a \u201cpins and needles\u201d sensation, like when a limb falls asleep. This is due to nerve damage, and can become permanent if action isn\u2019t taken. Your food may taste blander due to a loss of papillae (the bumps on your tongue). Roughly half of patients suffering B12 deficiency lose papillae, most of which contain your taste buds. Weight loss can become a tertiary symptom of the deficiency, because your food no longer tastes good.<\/p>\n

Blurry vision or loss of vision can also occur. Like that \u201cpins and needles\u201d feeling, this is due to nerve damage \u2013 specifically, the optic nerve. In extreme cases, vision loss is possible.<\/p>\n

How to Treat B12 Deficiency<\/h3>\n

Getting more B12 into your system may be as simple as changing your diet. Vegetables, fruits, and grains contain very little of this vitamin, making vegetarians \u2013 and vegans in particular \u2013 more vulnerable. For these individuals, adding B12-fortified items to their menu, or taking natural B12 supplements, is highly recommended.<\/p>\n

For those who eat dairy and meat, the options are much broader:<\/p>\n