Key points about vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
Without enough oxygen, your body can't work as well. Symptoms include weak muscles, numbness, trouble walking, nausea, weight loss, irritability, fatigue, and increased heart rate.
Diet. Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.
B12 deficiency can cause a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, depression, pale or yellow skin, mental impairment, and pain and inflammation in the mouth and tongue. Many of the symptoms caused by low B12 levels are not specific to B12 deficiency, which can cause the condition to go undetected.
A lack of B12 may lead to depression, confusion, memory problems, and dementia. It also can affect your balance. B12 supplements are usually safe.
How to raise your B12 levels fast. The most common way to treat B12 deficiencies is by adjusting your diet. If this is unsuccessful, vitamin supplements may be recommended. If you're looking to boost the amount of vitamin B12 in your diet, you should eat more animal products, like meat, seafood, dairy and eggs.
Most healthy people who have a well-balanced diet do not need to worry much about vitamin B12 deficiency. However, for those at risk (such as those with celiac disease), measures of blood vitamin B12 levels and, in some cases, preventive therapy with vitamin B12 may be recommended.
Bananas also contain fibre and potassium. It helps manage blood pressure, reduce stress, and relieve constipation and ulcer problems. The fruit also helps regulate body temperature. Another fruit that is rich in vitamin B12 is blueberries.
Vegetables– Usually, most vegetables contain some amount of Vitamin B12, but there are some Vitamin B12 foods for vegetarians that contain a very high amount of Vitamin B12 namely- Spinach, Beetroot, Potatoes, Mushrooms, alfalfa, and others.
Mild vitamin B12 deficiency in otherwise healthy individuals can result from dietary patterns that result in insufficient dietary intake of animal source foods including strict vegetarian and vegan diets, or can be caused by changes in stomach function resulting from aging and/or pharmaceutical use [12].
Recovery from vitamin B12 deficiency takes time. You may not have any improvement during the first few months of treatment. Improvement may be gradual and may continue for up to six to 12 months.
There are certain foods that also need a cut-down in case of vitamin B12 deficiency. “Some foods and drinks can interfere with vitamin B complex intake like alcohol, caffeine and processed foods, etc should be avoided completely,” Shah added.
Vitamin B12 binds to the protein in the foods we eat. In the stomach, hydrochloric acid and enzymes unbind vitamin B12 into its free form. From there, vitamin B12 combines with a protein called intrinsic factor so that it can be absorbed further down in the small intestine.
If your vitamin B12 deficiency is not caused by a lack of vitamin B12 in your diet, you'll usually need to have an injection of hydroxocobalamin every 2 to 3 months for the rest of your life.
Generally, the results of vitamin B12 injections can last about one week, but it is vital to have this administered by a healthcare provider. Also, the healthcare provider will determine the appropriate B12 dosage, depending on the current medical condition and diet.
For patients who are naturally B12 deficient, more frequent injections about once a month may be ideal. For other patients, an injection every three to four months may suffice. We will help you determine the best frequency to get the results you want.
Not getting enough vitamin B12 to the point of a deficiency can cause a variety of serious symptoms including depression, joint pain, and fatigue.
Cow milk is a good source of this vitamin, with one cup providing about a solid amount of riboflavin. A cup also contains B12, along with some B1 and B5. The human body absorbs B2 from milk particularly well, and most people get all the riboflavin they need from dairy products, meat, and vegetables.
One hard-boiled egg has about 0.6 micrograms of B12. That's 25% of your daily value. But you'll need to eat the whole egg. Most of the B12 comes from the yolk.
While the recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms, higher doses have been found to be safe. Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine. High doses of vitamin B-12, such as those used to treat a deficiency, might cause: Headache.
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that must be ingested daily because our bodies don't naturally produce it. B12 is important for many enzymatic processes, such as helping turn the food you eat into usable energy. The recommended daily amount for B12 is 2.4 mcg for adults.
A serum vitamin B12 level between 200 pg/mL and 900 pg/mL is considered normal, but a threshold of 300 to 350 pg/mL is recognized as a marker for a desirable status in the elderly.
Fruits like apples, bananas, blueberries and oranges are some fruits that are high in vitamin B12.