These are the Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency That Should Be Recognized

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These are the Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency That Should Be Recognized
These are the Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency That Should Be Recognized
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Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are important to recognize. This is because this vitamin has a very big role for he alth, starting from producing red blood cells, improving nerve function, to helping the process of making genetic material in every cell of the body

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency can be felt if a person does not meet the daily need for this vitamin for a long time. Adults need this vitamin intake as much as 2.4 mg per day.

These are the Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency That Should Be Recognized
These are the Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency That Should Be Recognized

Vitamin B12 is widely found in animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and milk. People who limit their diet, such as a vegetarian, or people with intestinal disorders, such as celiac disease, are more susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiency anemia and the symptoms of a deficiency of this vitamin.

Various Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

There are various symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. Here are some of them:

1. Easily tired and feel weak

One of the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency is fatigue and weakness. This condition can occur because a lack of vitamin B12 can reduce the production of red blood cells that play a role in circulating oxygen throughout the body.

When red blood cell production decreases, oxygen cannot be circulated throughout the body optimally. As a result, the body's cells are deprived of the oxygen needed to produce energy and eventually you will feel tired and weak, even though the activity you are doing is not so strenuous.

2. Pale skin

Pale skin can also be a sign of a lack of vitamin B12 intake. When red blood cell production decreases due to vitamin B12 deficiency, the body will prioritize blood flow to vital organs such as the brain and lungs rather than to the skin. Finally, the skin will look paler.

In addition, the red blood cells that are produced when the body is deficient in vitamin B12 will also be larger in size, making it difficult to enter the small blood vessels of the skin.

3. Shortness of breath

The next symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency is shortness of breath. It has been known previously that a lack of vitamin B12 will deprived the body's tissues of oxygen.

Well, when there is a lack of oxygen, the body will increase the respiratory rate with the intention of increasing the intake of oxygen from the lungs. As a result, the breath becomes faster and shorter.

4. tingling

In the long term, vitamin B12 deficiency can trigger nerve damage. This is because vitamin B12 plays a role in the metabolism of myelin formation, which is the fat that coats and protects the peripheral nerves (peripheral neuropathy).

If the body lacks vitamin B12, myelin cannot be produced properly and the function of the nervous system cannot function properly. Disorders of this nerve function can be in the form of tingling or paresthesias in the feet and hands.

5. Blurred vision

Nerve damage due to lack of vitamin B12 intake can also make your vision blurry or impaired. If damage occurs to the nerve that connects the eye and brain, the nerve signals that travel from the eye to the brain are also disrupted. As a result, the eye's ability to see is reduced.

6. Decreased balance

Nerve damage due to severe vitamin B12 deficiency can cause your motor system to be impaired. In fact, this condition can affect balance and coordination of the limbs, so you can fall more easily. This symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency generally occurs in the elderly.

In addition to this, other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency that may appear are dizziness, diarrhea, weight loss, inflammation of the tongue and canker sores, mood swings, high body temperature, and forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating.

The symptoms above can certainly disturb or even harm a person, either while working or doing daily activities. Fortunately, the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency can be corrected simply by meeting the daily requirements of this vitamin.

So, consult a doctor if you feel these symptoms, especially if you fall into the group of people who are at high risk for vitamin B12 deficiency. Your doctor may prescribe a vitamin B12 supplement to treat symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency.

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