extreme tiredness (fatigue) lack of energy (lethargy) breathlessness. feeling faint.
A lack of vitamin B12 can cause neurological problems, which affect your nervous system, such as: vision problems. memory loss. pins and needles (paraesthesia)
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.
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.
Anemia. This is when your body can't make enough healthy red blood cells. A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia. Megaloblasts are immature red blood cells that are larger than normal.
A lack of B12 may lead to depression, confusion, memory problems, and dementia. It also can affect your balance. B12 supplements are usually safe.
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.
How Long Does It Take to Recover From Vitamin B12 Deficiency? 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.
Not getting enough vitamin B12 to the point of a deficiency can cause a variety of serious symptoms including depression, joint pain, and fatigue. Sometimes these effects can be debilitating to the point where you might think you're dying or seriously ill.
B12 injections work quickly; they are the most effective way for your body to absorb Vitamin B12. Within 48 to 72 hours, your body will begin to make new red blood cells. For mild deficiencies, you may need two to three injections over several weeks to notice peak impact.
Values of less than 160 pg/mL (118 pmol/L) are a possible sign of a vitamin B12 deficiency. People with this deficiency are likely to have or develop symptoms. Older adults with a vitamin B12 level less than 100 pg/mL (74 pmol/L) may also have symptoms.
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.
Medications that cause vitamin B12 deficiency
Proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, pantoprazole, esomeprazole) and histamine blockers like cimetidine that are used for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and heartburn symptoms may lead to B12 deficiency.
Fruits like apples, bananas, blueberries and oranges are some fruits that are high in vitamin B12.
B12 Deficiencies Can Heighten Stress and Anxiety
Furthermore, the Finnish based study published in BioMed Central (BMC) revealed a correlation between B12 levels and a patient's ability to halt depression symptoms. Namely, those with higher levels tended to have a higher success of coping with depression.
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.
Muscle weakness due to vitamin D deficiency is predominantly of the proximal muscle groups and is manifested by a feeling of heaviness in the legs, tiring easily, and difficulty in mounting stairs and rising from a chair; the deficiency is reversible with supplementation (15–18).
Health care providers commonly prescribe vitamin B-12 shots to help prevent or treat pernicious anemia and B-12 deficiency.
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.
Vitamin B12
The recommended daily intake of B12 is about 2µg, with a serving of two eggs satisfying 15% of your everyday requirements.