Vitamin B12 Deficiency Signs

Involved in complex cell metabolism, cyanocobalamin, popularly known as vitamin B12, has a bit of a rough time being absorbed by the body. A chemical located in the stomach called "intrinsic factor" processes B12, and anything affecting your ability to produce intrinsic factor can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency. In this article, we’ll look at the symptoms of this condition, what causes it, and the reason why it may actually be beneficial if you get it. Sort of.

Through a complicated exchange of molecules, vitamin B12 processes energy in your body’s cells. It’s absolutely necessary for life. Unfortunately, some people may become deficient in it for several reasons. If you have an inflammatory disease that affects the stomach, for instance, you may be lacking in the vital intrinsic factor necessary for vitamin B12 absorption. Also, since B12 comes from animal products, you may be deficient if you are a vegetarian who doesn’t eat dairy products. In one study, the diabetes medication metformin negatively affects B12 levels.

So you may be lacking in B12. What happens next? Do you feel it?

The main symptoms are weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and possibly a pale skin color. These are the symptoms of anemia, and B12 deficiency causes a condition called "pernicious anemia." Plain old anemia is caused by a lack of iron in the blood, and is treated with iron supplementation. But pernicious anemia does not respond to iron, as it’s directly caused by a lack of B12. So, as you can guess, B12 is the cure for pernicious anemia. But the appearance of this disease may actually be considered a fortunate event.

Having low levels of B12 for a long duration eventually leads to neurological damage. This usually manifests itself in the form of tingling in your hands and feet, and possibly clumsiness while walking. This is permanent nerve damage. Which is why pernicious anemia can actually be seen as a good thing. It acts as a "warning sign" that permanent nerve damage is coming if you don’t do something to correct the situation.

But there’s a caveat.

The B class of vitamins has eight members, and they all work in harmony in the body and is the reason you may often see reference to a supplement as "vitamin B complex." Among these separate but similar vitamins is one called folic acid, or just folate. Folate is actually vitamin B9, and supplementation with it may have a rather serious side effect in certain circumstances. The problem is that it staves off pernicious anemia. So let’s say you were taking a B9 supplement, or you just happen to have naturally high levels of folate, perhaps from the food you eat. Let’s further suppose you are, unbeknownst to you, deficient in vitamin B12.

Now we have a dangerous problem. You will never get the usual deficiency symptoms, but you will eventually get permanent neurological damage. The folate cancels out your "convenient" anemia symptoms and allows the condition to advance well beyond where it would have.

What should you do, then? If you suspect you may be deficient in vitamin B12, please see a doctor. Oral supplements are not efficient enough at being absorbed to bring your B12 levels back to normal. Only injections, and in some cases a large amount of sub-lingual B12 supplements, can cure B12 deficiency. And if you are taking folate (vitamin B9) alone, consider switching to a B complex to make sure you are getting enough B12 as well.