Over the course of time have you ever felt fatigue, shortness of breath, numbness, trouble in daily routine activities, experienced severe joint pain, skin turning pale, it could have been worse. It might be because of vitamin B12 deficiency.
WHAT IS VITAMIN B12?
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble essential vitamin involved in metabolism of every cell of our body, it is a responsible Vitamin in DNA synthesis & in both fatty acid and amino acid metabolism.
BUT WHY VITAMIN B12 IS IMPORTANT?
Vitamin B12 helps in generating red blood cells which transmit oxygen throughout our body. If you are Vitamin B12 deficient, you won’t be able to efficiently transmit oxygen to body cells, making you feel tired or weak.
The human body needs vitamin B12 to generate red blood cells, nerves, DNA, and carry out other functions, fertility, needed for healthy pregnancy, it aids digestion, it’s must for healthy hair, nail and skin, to maintain energy levels.
Some people don’t consume enough vitamin B12 to meet their needs, while others can’t absorb enough, no matter how much they take in. As a result, vitamin B12 deficiency is relatively common, especially among adults and older people
THE DOSAGE?
The average adult should get atleast 1000-1500 micrograms a day. Like most vitamins, B12 can’t be generated by the body naturally. Instead, we must get that either from food or supplements.
THE CAUSES?
Surprisingly, vegetarian or vegan diet people are usually the ones who face the problem. Other precipitating factors are Pregnancy, excessive alcohol consumption, digestive disturbances, malabsorption, health conditions like celiac disease, crohns disease, colitis, poorly functioning enzymes,infertility etc.
THE RISKS?
Plants don’t generate vitamin B12. The only foods that deliver it are meat, eggs, poultry, dairy products like cheese, curd, and other foods from animals. Strict vegetarians and vegans are at high risk for developing a B12 deficiency if they don’t take a vitamin supplement.
Commonly prescribed heartburn drugs, which reduce acid production in the stomach, as acid is needed to absorb vitamin B12. It is more likely to occur in older people due to the cutback in stomach acid production that often occurs with aging.
THE SYMPTOMS?
- Weakness, Dizziness, irregular heartbeats -palpitations
- Numbness, or tingling in the hands, legs or feet
- Difficulty walking,
- Anaemia
- A swollen tongue,
- Difficulty thinking and reasoning or memory loss, unfocused
- Fatigue
- Pale skin
- Depression & anxiety
- Shortness of breath
- Blotting, joint pain in few cases.
HOW TO KNOW YOU ARE VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENT?
If you have the above symptoms, go ahead with blood test to confirm the condition.
Ask your doctor about having your B12 level checked if you are a strict vegetarian OR vegan.
Early detection and treatment are important. If left untreated, the deficiency can cause severe neurologic problems and blood diseases.
THE BOOSTING TECHNIQUE?
B12 deficiency can be corrected two ways:
- Weekly vitamin B12 injections
- Daily dose of supplement.
In many people, a vitamin B12 deficiency can be prevented. If you are a strict vegetarian or vegan, it’s important to eat breads, cereals, or other grains that are fortified with vitamin B12, or take a daily supplement like Perful.
If you are over age 40s it is recommended that you get extra B12 from a supplement, since you may not be able to absorb enough of the vitamin through foods. A standard multivitamin which usually is designed as per RDA should be preferred.
For now, it’s best to get enough vitamin b12 to prevent a deficiency, and not look to it as a remedy for what ails you.