Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Are you getting enough vitamin B12? Many people don’t, and that deficiency can cause problems.

Vitamin B12 does a lot of things for your body. It helps make your DNA and your red blood cells, as well as for the proper functioning of the nervous system.

You can get vitamin B12 from your diet, or from supplements. Exactly how much you need depends on your age.

Why are Vegetarians at risk?

Vitamin B12 is available only in animal foods (meat and dairy products) .Milk and eggs contain vitamin B12 but no plant food naturally contains the vitamin. Strict vegetarians who do not eat any meat, fish, egg or dairy products can develop vitamin B12 deficiency.

Causes of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency can happen if you have certain conditions, such as:

• Atrophic gastritis, in which your stomach lining has thinned
• Pernicious anemia, which makes it hard for your body to absorb vitamin B12
• Surgery that removed part of your stomach or small intestine, including weight loss surgery
• Conditions affecting the small intestine, such as Crohn's disease, celiac disease, bacterial growth, or a parasite
• Heavy drinking
• Immune system disorders, such as Graves' disease or lupus
• Long-term use of acid-reducing drugs

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

A deficiency of vitamin B12 can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. A mild deficiency may cause only mild, if any, symptoms. But if untreated, it may cause symptoms such as:

• Weakness, tiredness, or light-headedness
• Rapid heartbeat and breathing
• Pale skin
• Sore tongue
• Easy bruising or bleeding, including bleeding gums
• Stomach upset and weight loss
• Diarrhea or constipation

Diagnosis is done by CBC(Complete Blood Counts) and Serum B12 levels.

Advanced blood tests include Serum Homocysteine and Methylmalonic acid level (MMA).

Treatment for Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency treatment depends on the cause.

If pernicious anemia or a problem with absorption is the cause, you'll need to replace vitamin B12, usually by injection, or by prescription.

If the issue is that you don't eat animal products, you can change your diet or take supplements.

For most people, treatment resolves the problem. But any nerve damage that happened due to the deficiency could be permanent.

Preventing Deficiency Problems

Most people can prevent vitamin B12 deficiency by eating enough meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, and eggs.

If you don't eat animal products, or you have a medical condition that limits how well your body absorbs nutrients, experts recommend taking a B12-containing multivitamin and eating breakfast cereal fortified with vitamin B12.

If you're using vitamin B12 supplements, let your doctor know, so he or she can make sure they won't affect any medicines you're taking.

If you are a vegetarian who can take milk and dairy products, include them in your daily diet plan.
If you are a strict vegetarian, then it is important to eat breads, cereals, or other grains that have been fortified with vitamin B12.

KEEP SMILING ALWAYS.................