Skin lesions associated with vitamin B12 deficiency are skin hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair changes. Cutaneous lesions that do not respond to conventional therapy can be an indication of vitamin B12 deficiency.
The deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause specific skin manifestations, such as hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair and nail changes [1].
strange sensations, numbness, or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet. difficulty walking (staggering, balance problems) anemia. a swollen, inflamed tongue.
Key points about vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
Symptoms include weak muscles, numbness, trouble walking, nausea, weight loss, irritability, fatigue, and increased heart rate. Treatment may include vitamin B12 supplements. It is also important to eat a well-balanced diet.
Disturbed or blurred vision can also occur as a result of a Vitamin B12 deficiency. This happens when the deficiency causes damage to the optic nerve that leads to your eyes. The nervous signal that travels from the eye to the brain is disturbed due to this damage, leading to impaired vision.
If your anemia goes untreated for a long time, it can lead to heart failure. That's because your heart has to work harder. B12-related anemia may also raise the chances you'll have a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular problem.
Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia is usually treated with injections of vitamin B12, called hydroxocobalamin. At first, you'll have these injections every other day for 2 weeks or until your symptoms have started improving. Your GP or nurse will give the injections.
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 B-12 deficiency can affect the digestive tract. A lack of red blood cells means that not enough oxygen reaches the gut. Insufficient oxygen here may lead to a person both feeling and being sick. It may also cause diarrhea.
What happens when your B12 is deficient? Diarrhea, appetite loss, constipation, or gas. Muscle weakness, issues with walking, and nerve issues, including numbness or tingling. Loss of vision such as memory loss, depression, or behavioral abnormalities.
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.
Apples Aside from being an important inclusion in a list of vitamin B12 fruits, apples are also rich in fibre, antioxidants, and flavonoids. Apples also comprise polyphenols that are found in both the peel and the pulp of the nutrient-dense fruit.
[1] People who regularly take medications that suppress stomach acid for conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or peptic ulcer disease—such as proton-pump inhibitors, H2 blockers, or other antacids—may have difficulty absorbing vitamin B12 from food.
As summarized in the table provided, vitamin B12 (cobalamin) absorption and utilization by the body can be compromised with the chronic use of certain medications which include: colchicine, chloramphenicol, ethanol, histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RA), metformin, and proton pump inhibitors (PPI).
It may take a few weeks before your vitamin B12 levels and symptoms (such as extreme tiredness or lack of energy) start to improve. If you have hydroxocobalamin injections to boost your vitamin B12 levels at the start of treatment, the cyanocobalamin tablets may start to work within a few days.
Once you begin treating your vitamin B12 deficiency, it can take up to six to 12 months to fully recover. It is also common to not experience any improvement during the first few months of treatment. If you can, it's a good idea to address what's causing the deficiency.
Pernicious anaemia causes your immune system to attack the cells in your stomach that produce the intrinsic factor, which means your body is unable to absorb vitamin B12.
Although it's uncommon, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency (with or without anaemia) can lead to complications, particularly if you have been deficient in vitamin B12 or folate for some time. Potential complications can include: problems with the nervous system. temporary infertility.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can indeed lead to weight gain. But the weight gain is not a direct result of the deficiency. Instead, vitamin B12 deficiency causes lethargy or lack of energy, and in turn, inactivity causes weight gain. When you lack the energy to move, you don't burn fat.
If vitamin B12 deficiency is left untreated, it can cause lasting serious side effects that affect the nervous system and brain. More severe side effects of vitamin B12 deficiency include: Peripheral neuropathy. Degeneration of the spinal cord.
Pernicious anemia is a relatively rare autoimmune disorder that causes diminishment in dietary vitamin B12 (cobalamin) absorption, resulting in B12 deficiency and subsequent megaloblastic anemia. It affects people of all ages worldwide, particularly those over 60.
Vegans who consume no animal products and vegetarians who consume some animal products (e.g., dairy products, eggs, or both) but not meat have a higher risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency because natural food sources of vitamin B12 are limited to animal foods [3,55].