Many people suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency but are completely unaware of it.
So how do we know if we’re deficient in this vitamin?
Rachel Aceso, a nutritional therapist and CEO of Nature Provides, lists the most common symptoms of a B12 deficiency below. She advises however that there are many more besides these and suggests it’s well worth considering a B12 deficiency if you experience a number of these.
What Are The Causes Of B12 Deficiency?
According to the NHS, around half a million people in the UK have pernicious anaemia; an autoimmune disease which means the body destroys the necessary protein, Intrinsic Factor (IF). Intrinsic Factor is essential for the absorption of the vitamin B12 from food. It’s for this reason that they require regular injections of B12 from their GP.
With dietary sources of B12 being of animal origin (meat, milk and eggs) a rise in veganism has seen many more people needing to supplement with this vitamin. But a vegan diet is not the only other cause.
The aging process, stress, certain medications and poor gut health, which affects many people, all lead to a decrease in the natural absorption of B12 from food sources.
What Are The Signs To Watch For?
Here are the signs to watch out for.
Tingling, Numbness And Prickling
Often felt in the fingers and feet, tingling, prickling and numbness can in fact be felt in many parts of the body, including the tongue. This is one of the more serious side effects and if left untreated can cause permanent nerve damage.
Pale Skin
People with a B12 deficiency often look pale which happens when there is insufficient B12 to produce enough red blood cells. It’s the circulation of these underneath your skin that gives it its colour.
Inflamed Tongue
You may notice an inflamed tongue with an altered colour and shape. It can be swollen, red and painful. The inflammation can also make your tongue look smooth, as the taste buds are stretched out and could be an early sign of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Mouth ulcers can also become a common occurrence as well as dry cracked, sores at the corners of the mouth, sometimes extending around the edge of the lip.
Weakness And Fatigue
If your body is not getting enough B12 to make red blood cells, which transport oxygen and nutrients throughout your body, we begin to feel fatigued and can get weakness in our muscles.
Breathlessness And Dizziness
Anaemia caused by a B12 deficiency, can cause a feeling of shortness of breath and dizziness, especially when you exert yourself. This is caused by a lack of red blood cells the body needs to get enough oxygen to your cells as well as the low blood pressure also caused by this deficiency. However, these symptoms can have many causes, so if you notice that you are unusually breathless, you should speak with your GP to investigate further.
Altered Vision
Blurred or disturbed vision can occur when an untreated B12 deficiency results in nervous system damage to the optic nerve that leads to your eyes affecting your vision. Whilst it can be alarming, it is often reversible with B12 supplementation.
Five Other Symptoms Which May Surprise You
The above list is undoubtedly the more common symptoms, but there are another five associated with B12 deficiency that you may find surprising.
Anxiety
B12 helps with the health of the nervous system and normal function of the brain. If you are deficient, this can show up as anxiety and irritability.
Hair Loss And Premature Greying
Due to its role in supporting the cells which produce melanin, non-age-related greying of the hair, can be a sign that B12 levels are insufficient.
B12 is crucial in the maturation of red blood cells which carry oxygen and nutrients around our bodies. As hair growth is not essential to the body’s survival, it will favour supporting the vital organs which can mean a reduction in hair growth and hair loss.
Metallic Taste In Mouth
B12 deficiency (as well as zinc and vitamin D deficiencies) can cause a strange metallic taste in the mouth.
Eye Twitches
Whilst this can be caused by stress or a magnesium deficiency, there is a correlation between a B12 deficiency and eye twitches which may occur on the eyelid or just below the eye.
Constipation
B12 also plays a role in metabolism and therefore the slower the metabolism, the slower the gut motility.
How Can You Treat B12 Deficiency?
Here are some ways that you can treat a B12 deficiency.
Balanced Diet With Foods That Are High In B12
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal products, especially meat and dairy products such as meat, salmon, cod, eggs, milk and cheese. For those on vegan diets, fortified foods are an option (fortified nutritional yeast, non-dairy milk and cereals) but it’s worth knowing that these foods will contain the form known as cyanocobalamin, which relies on your body converting the vitamin into a useable, active form. This process can be suboptimal in many, meaning you may not gain the full effects from the B12.
B12 Injections From The GP
If you have pernicious anaemia, the GP will provide regular B12 injections every 12 weeks. A highly effective option but it can feel like a long time between treatments, and for many people the symptoms return long before their next one is due.
B12 Supplement
A great alternative is to take an oral B12 supplement, but ensure that you opt for a bioactive B12. This means it contains both Methylcobalamin and the less commonly used Adenosylcobalamin. The body can use both forms of B12 without the need for conversion, making it easier for the body to absorb.
Tiredness is one of the symptoms most people complain of with a deficiency, and it’s the Adenosylcobalamin form that is key in supporting the body’s energy production.
Importantly for people with absorption issues, and certainly in the case of pernicious anaemia, you should supplement with a liquid form, which when taken under the tongue and held for 20-30 seconds before swallowing is absorbed straight into the bloodstream. It’s all of this combined that is effective in raising B12 levels.
Bio
Rachel Aceso is a nutritional therapist and CEO of Nature Provides with a real passion for guiding people on their journey towards better health. She is always on the lookout for the most effective and purest supplements to support her clients’ lifestyle and dietary improvements.
Before setting up Nature Provides in 2013, Rachel often felt that many supplements fell short; containing unnecessary fillers or preservatives, or not being in the most bio-available form for our bodies to absorb effectively. This is why, along with her team, she started Nature Provides.
