Vitamin B12 deficiency: symptoms in adults and children

General information about the vitamin

Before we talk about the causes of B12 deficiency and the symptoms indicating its presence, we should talk about the features of the substance in question. This vitamin belongs to water-soluble, easily digestible elements that cannot accumulate in the body.

B12 contains derivatives of the metal cobalt. If the latter is present in the diet, the vitamin can be produced by beneficial microorganisms living in the intestines. But you shouldn’t rely on this - these symbiotic cultures are very easily suppressed and are slowly restored. In addition, it is difficult to find out whether the products you consume contain cobalt without chemical analysis.

For this reason, it is much more advisable to immediately introduce foods rich in vitamin B12 into the diet. This will make it easy to eliminate the deficiency, prevent its formation in the future and, therefore, avoid treatment.

Risk groups for hypovitaminosis B12

The human body is not able to synthesize cobalamin on its own. The only way to get it is through food. Addiction to alcoholic beverages, unbalanced diet, diseases of the digestive tract - all this often becomes the cause of hypovitaminosis. Additionally, b12 deficiency may occur in certain groups of individuals. These include:

teenagers who have not yet developed a normal rate of gastric juice production;
people with autoimmune diseases;
vegetarians or people who partially give up food of animal origin;
patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease;
newborn children whose parents are vegetarians;
patients who have undergone surgery to remove part of the intestine;
aged people;
those who, if necessary, take medications (antacids for heartburn, glucose-lowering medications).

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Vitamin B12 – benefits

To date, all functions of the vitamin have not been fully studied. However, it is known that it is needed for fat, carbohydrate and protein metabolism. The substance, in combination with B9 (folic acid), helps produce red blood cells and ensures normal hemoglobin levels.

It is cyanocobalamin that ensures the synthesis of vitamin A from carotenoids. In the absence of B12 deficiency, a person can be sure that his body is reliably protected from:

cardiovascular diseases;
anemia;
neuralgia;
radiculitis;
atherosclerosis;
neuritis;
various infectious diseases;
inflammatory processes.

Endogenous deficiency

Endogenous deficiency is associated with a disruption in the absorption of substances from the intestine. In this case, vitamin B12 deficiency also occurs, and the symptoms in this case are most active in older people. This process is called malabsorption syndrome, it is associated with a decrease in the acidity of gastric secretions.

For many patients, absorption problems begin due to blind-loop syndrome, where bacterial overgrowth occurs. Pathogenic bacteria feed on vitamin B12 entering the intestines.

The absorption of necessary substances is affected by inflammatory processes in the ileum. The body will not receive the required amount of cyanocobalamin if the ileum is partially removed.

Reasons for the shortage

Lack of B12, the symptoms of which we will discuss below, usually occurs due to poor nutrition. Thus, the most obvious reason is a lack of supply of the required substance or, in fact, cobalt, on the basis of which it is synthesized.

The second most important factor is the presence of bad habits. Smoking and drinking alcohol have a negative effect on the body’s ability to assimilate the vitamin from food, and also inhibits microorganisms capable of producing cyanocobalamin.

The next reason is acute and chronic diseases of the digestive system. We are talking primarily about:

atrophic gastritis;
inflammatory processes in the intestines;
ulcer;
enterocolitis.

The problem may occur in people who regularly take medications that reduce the acidity of gastric secretions. With such treatment, food absorption generally deteriorates significantly.

Finally, doctors are increasingly drawing attention to the fact that B12 deficiency is a very characteristic syndrome for vegetarians. The reason here is a complete rejection of animal products.

Hypervitaminosis B12

The human body requires support from organic compounds and other beneficial substances to function properly. A sufficient quantity of them is the key to good health, well-being, development and beauty of people.

Not only a deficiency of vitamin B12 negatively affects human health, but also its excess. Therefore, doctors strongly recommend that in serious cases not start treatment with the drug without consulting them and passing the necessary tests.

Hypervitaminosis of vitamin B12 causes the following health problems:

thrombosis;
anaphylactic shock;
a person's lungs and heart swell;
there is a lack of coordination of movements;
urticaria and fever appear;
Shortness of breath bothers me.

It is impossible to exclude such a serious consequence that an excess of vitamin B12 can cause, such as death, which is rare, but it does happen. Therefore, doctors urge all citizens to pay special attention to their health, and sometimes not to take medications without consulting their doctor.

Where does the vitamin come from?

To avoid unpleasant symptoms associated with B12 deficiency, you must first adjust your diet.

It is not difficult to increase the content of the substance in question. You need to enter the following products into the menu:

liver (beef is best, but pork or chicken is also acceptable);
red meat;
a rabbit;
fatty sea fish (herring or mackerel);
hard cheeses (Gouda, Russian, Parmesan, Cheddar);
eggs;
sour cream;
butter;
milk;
kefir;
fermented baked milk;
cottage cheese.

Some dubious resources claim that cabbage vegetables contain B12, but this is not true. The vitamin can appear there only if sour cream or butter is added to the dish.

To ensure that no deficiency symptoms appear, an adult must take at least 3 micrograms of B12 per day. A woman during pregnancy and lactation is recommended to increase the dose to 5-6 mcg.

In principle, it is enough to consume one of the above products at least once a week, and there will be no shortage.

A woman over 40 needs vitamin B12 like air! 14 warning signs of vitamin deficiency

Fact: 4% of women aged 40 to 60 suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency, and an even larger percentage of the fair sex ignore the warning symptoms of its deficiency. Do you want to have beautiful hair, healthy skin and a stable nervous system? Then read this article.

Vitamin b12 deficiency

Often in the daily bustle we do not listen to our body’s signals, ignoring them or attributing fatigue and headaches to stress. But “So Simple!” knows for sure that the reason for the poor health of a woman over 40 lies much deeper. We will tell you about 14 symptoms that indicate vitamin B12 deficiency in a fragile female body. It is very dangerous!

Pernicious anemia

Dizziness and loss of coordination In those women who most often turn to neurologists with complaints of dizziness, the level of vitamin B12 is an order of magnitude lower. And since cyanocobalamin affects the myelin sheath of nerves, its lack in the body is fraught with irreversible damage to the nerves, followed by not only frequent dizziness, but also a complete loss of coordination. vitamin b12 deficiency in the body

Problems with nails and unhealthy hair Has your hair lost its former shine, become brittle, thin, sparse? Are your nails thinning, breaking, or peeling? All this indicates a lack of valuable vitamin B12. vitamin b12 deficiency consequences

Muscle weakness Affecting the nervous system, a lack of cyanocobalamin causes not just general fatigue, but real muscle weakness!

Shortness of breath This unpleasant symptom is one of the consequences of anemia caused by a lack of vitamin B12. An insufficient amount of hemoglobin makes it difficult to deliver oxygen to the tissues, thereby forcing the lungs to work hard in order to satisfy the body's need for oxygen. So much for shortness of breath.

Vision problems In severe cases of vitamin B12 deficiency, the optic nerve and retinal vessels are affected, causing the effect of double vision, blurriness, flashing “floaters” before the eyes and even temporary blindness.

Constant fatigue. Not enough hemoglobin - not enough oxygen. There is not enough oxygen - so you have a constant desire to sleep. Due to the lack of cyanocobalamin, the female body constantly requires rest, even if you have had a fair amount of sleep.

Pale skin No patches under the eyes can save you! To get rid of those annoying bruises and pale skin, we recommend checking to see if your vitamin B12 levels are normal. Its lack leads to disruption of hematopoiesis and destruction of some blood cells, as a result of which the bile pigment bilirubin is released, which gives the skin such a dark shade.

Tingling and numbness One of the most unpleasant neurological symptoms of B12 deficiency anemia. Damage to the nerve sheaths and lack of oxygen are manifested by numbness of the limbs, tingling in them, as well as the appearance of convulsions. To avoid painful symptoms, we recommend keeping your vitamin B12 levels normal.

Memory problems Can't remember the name of an old friend or do you automatically put your keys in the refrigerator instead of your purse? Congratulations, now is the time to check your vitamin B12 levels and start replenishing them immediately!

Change in the appearance of the tongue A red lacquered tongue is a sure sign of vitamin B12 deficiency. Due to vitamin deficiency, the structure of the tongue undergoes changes; it becomes bright red, as if varnished. As if this were not enough, an unpleasant burning sensation appears in the tongue and distortion of taste impressions.

Mood swings A lack of vitamin B12 in the female body can exacerbate depression, increase anxiety and nervousness, and also cause tearfulness. And all because this vitamin takes part in the production of happiness hormones - serotonin and dopamine.

Addiction to odors Anemia leads to distortion of odors. So, the smell of your favorite perfume no longer seems so charming, but the aroma of paint or kerosene, for example, seems very pleasant.

Heart problems As a result of impaired hematopoietic function, frequent tachycardia, decreased blood pressure and many other symptoms occur that lead to diseases of the cardiovascular system. It would seem that there is simply not enough vitamin B12...

Increased body temperature In rare cases, a lack of cyanocobalamin may be accompanied by a temporary increase in body temperature to subfebrile levels. And even though this symptom is characteristic of the presence of an infectious process in the body, a dose of vitamin B12 will definitely not hurt.

If you notice at least some of these unpleasant symptoms, we recommend that you immediately seek help from a specialist. And to naturally replenish vitamin B12 reserves in the body, eat beef liver, cod, halibut, salmon, shrimp, seaweed and tofu cheese. These products are rich in useful microelements, minerals, but most importantly - cyanocobalamin.

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Deficiency Symptoms

Vitamin deficiency is signaled by certain symptoms.
The problem is that they do not appear immediately. In adults, signs of B12 deficiency may not appear until several years later. At first, depression appears. A person has been in a bad mood since the morning. Further, a depressive state may develop. If there are no special reasons for the blues, then first of all you should attribute this symptom to problems with nutrition or digestion. As noted above, these are the two main reasons for the shortage.

As the condition worsens, the following occurs:

mental problems;
impaired coordination of movements;
deterioration of cognitive abilities.

The vitamin helps maintain elasticity and healthy appearance of the skin. With its deficiency, the process of accelerated aging of the dermis starts. Here a characteristic symptom such as peeling may occur.

In addition, B12 deficiency in adult women is manifested by increased pain during menstruation. Also, representatives of both sexes may complain of:

inflammation in the oral cavity;
weakness;
nervousness;
unpleasant body odor.

If there is no treatment, then a more sad result of deficiency is quite possible - megaloblastic anemia. With this disease, defective red blood cells begin to be produced. They are larger than usual and have an elliptical shape. The life span of such red cells is very short. At the same time, the bone marrow produces them in a smaller volume.

Effective method

It is worth remembering that excessive intake of the substances in question can also lead to negative results. It is generally accepted that vitamins are absolutely harmless components that can provide exceptional benefits to each organism. But experts insist that everything must be approached wisely. And if you have symptoms of a lack of vitamin B12 in the body, both in women and men, then you need to consult a competent doctor about this problem. He will analyze your condition and decide on further actions.