Unfortunately, vitamin b12 deficiency is often mistaken for other conditions in the elderly (such as Alzheimer’s and dementia) because the symptoms can be similar.
What is vitamin B12 deficiency
Having vitamin B12 deficiency means that your body does not have enough of this vitamin.
You need B12 to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen through your body.
Not having enough B12 can lead to anemia, which means your body does not have enough red blood cells to do the job. This can make you feel weak and tired.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause damage to your nerves and can affect memory and thinking.
How to Fix Your Harmful Vitamin B12 Deficiency
“So, How Do I Know If I’m Deficient?”
Luckily, there are some clear warning signs
that you might need more vitamin B12 in your life. Although these particular
symptoms (listed below) could also be due to another health issue and not a B12
deficiency, you should definitely get your nutrient levels checked if you have
any of them, or start taking a daily
supplement.
Clear warning signs that you may be missing
out on crucial vitamin B12:
·
You constantly
feel tired, weak, or unmotivated (even if you get enough sleep at night)
·
You experience
frequent muscle aches and joint pains
·
You have a hard
time concentrating or remembering things
·
You feel
anxious or depressed
·
You have
troubling digestive issues such as nausea, diarrhea or cramping
·
You’re lacking
an appetite, since food doesn’t taste as great anymore
·
You have blurry
vision or you feel dizzy
·
You aren’t
sleeping well
Just by looking at the list of diverse
symptoms that a vitamin B12 deficiency can cause, it’s easy to see how this
nutrient is involved in a plethora of vital functions in our bodies. In fact,
being deficient in this vitamin for a prolonged period is actually dangerous
and may lead to serious health issues.
So, let’s take a look at all of the ways
that our bodies actually use this nutrient each and every day, and why it’s
imperative to consistently be getting enough of this vitamin.
Main health-promoting benefits of vitamin
B12:
·
Powers
up your energy and helps increase metabolism – Your body needs vitamin B12 to convert carbs into glucose, which
is what gives you energy and also increases your metabolism (necessary for
fat-burning and weight loss). Vitamin B12 is also necessary to help your
muscles contract, which also gives you energy throughout your day.
·
Significant
for overall heart health –
Vitamin B12 helps reduce elevated homocysteine levels in the blood –which helps
protect against heart disease (heart attack and stroke). It may also help
control high cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
·
Helps
boost mood and alleviate stress – Vitamin B12 plays an important role in regulating the nervous
system, therefore helping to reduce mood disorders including depression and
anxiety. It’s also an essential factor in helping you cope with stress and
regulating your mood.
·
Assists
with normal concentration and memory – Vitamin B12 is needed for proper concentration and cognitive
processes in the brain, including learning. For this reason, a B12 deficiency
can mean a feeling of “foggy brain”, difficulty focusing and remembering
details. It also puts someone at an increased risk for attention disorders.
·
Aids in
healthy sleep (2) –
Vitamin B12 helps with the production of melatonin, a hormone that is
responsible for regulating sleep patterns. Therefore, getting enough B12 may
improve sleep quality at night as well as energy levels throughout the day.
·
Promotes
healthy skin, nails and hair – Vitamin B12 plays a pertinent role in cell reproduction and is
therefore necessary for healthy skin, nails and hair. It helps to prevent hair
breakage, works to make nails stronger, and can reduce skin redness, dryness,
inflammation and acne.
·
Crucial
for proper digestion – Vitamin
B12 assists with digestive enzyme production, therefore is necessary to support
the normal breakdown of foods in the digestive tract and promote a healthy
metabolism. It also helps foster healthy gut bacteria, helping to prevent
digestive disorders.
·
Needed
for a healthy pregnancy and
baby – Your prenatal vitamin should include a good amount of vitamin
B12. This is because this nutrient is essential in the formation of DNA, the
basic building blocks or genetic material used to create the entire body!
Vitamin B12 is therefore necessary for proper growth and development, and vital
for a healthy pregnancy and developing baby. The nutrient also works together
with folate to help reduce the risk of birth defects.
·
Helps
prevent anemia – Vitamin
B12 is needed by the body in order to produce a healthy amount of red blood
cells, which can help prevent a type of anemia called megaloblastic anemia.
Symptoms of this health issue include chronic fatigue and weakness.
Although anyone can be deficient in vitamin B12, there are certain
groups of people who have an even more pronounced risk of deficiency due to
absorption problems, a weakened digestive system and more.
Those who have a higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency include:
·
Anyone
whose had weight loss surgery (3) – Those who have had surgeries to help reduce their weight,
including gastric bypass surgery, may become deficient in numerous vital
nutrients including vitamin B12 and need to take a high-quality supplement.
This is because bariatric surgery involves gut manipulation which alters the
natural absorption of nutrients.
·
Those
on certain medications –
Taking Metformin (typically prescribed to diabetes patients or those with
polycystic ovary syndrome) can lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency. In
addition, taking certain heartburn medications can also lead to a deficiency of
this nutrient in the body.
·
Elderly
people – As
people grow older, they tend to produce less stomach acid, which is needed to
convert vitamin B12 in the body. These impaired digestive issues make the
elderly one of the most susceptible populations to vitamin B12 deficiencies. In
fact, sometimes a vitamin B12 deficiency is confused for Alzheimer’s diseases
or other illnesses in older people.
·
Those
following a vegetarian or vegan diet – Animal-based food products are the best sources of vitamin B12,
therefore those that don’t eat them are at a heightened risk for deficiency.
·
Smokers
and alcoholics – Nicotine
can block absorption of vitamin B12 in the body, so anyone who smokes will need
more of this nutrient. In addition, the effects of alcoholism include damages
to the lining of the GI tract, which is directly responsible for the absorption
and distribution of B12 in the body.
Those with a digestive disorder such as celiac or Crohn’s disease – These diseases cause inflammation of the digestive system or GI tract, which can greatly affect vitamin B12 absorption in the body and lead to deficiency
“What Should I Do If I’m Lacking in Vitamin
B12?”
If you’re in one of the heightened risk
groups above or you’re experiencing one or a multitude of symptoms that could
mean a vitamin B12 deficiency, you’re without a doubt wondering what to do
next.
Your first step should be to increase your
intake of animal-based food sources that are high in vitamin B12. But, also
keep in mind that everyone has different levels of digestive health and
depending on your ability to fully be able to absorb the nutrient, you
may wish to take a daily supplement with enhanced absorption properties to
ensure you are getting enough.
https://310nutrition.com/blogs/all/how-to-fix-your-harmful-vitamin-b12-deficiency-now
