Give Me 10 Minutes, I’Ll Give You The Truth About Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Once you learn the first signs of vitamin B12 deficiency,
you’ll also read why is it so important to your overall health and which
foods contain it in highest amounts.

7 Warning Signs of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

1. Dizziness

One of the first warning signs of vitamin B12 deficiency is
frequent bouts of vertigo and lightheadedness (dizziness). You might get
dizzy when walking upstairs or downstairs, or wobble when standing up
too fast from a chair. These situations can sometimes be dangerous. If
you experience symptoms of chronic vertigo, it’s best to consult your
doctor to receive the proper treatment for the vitamin deficiency.

2. Forgetfulness

Do you often have a hard time remembering ordinary things like
where have you put your keys, or what’s the name of your friend? Well,
this type of uncharacteristic forgetfulness doesn’t necessarily indicate
early dementia, but it can mean lack of vitamin B12, especially if it’s
chronic. Many older people think they have Alzheimer’s or dementia when
they actually have vitamin B12 deficiency. You can check this by doing a
simple blood test, and improve your memory with a supplemental regimen.

3. Muscle Weakness

If your muscles are weak so your grocery bags feel like
thousand pounds, they are probably deprived of the proper amount of
oxygen from erythrocytes. Improper oxygenation to muscle cells and
vitamin B12 deficiency can cause uncharacteristic muscle weakness and
sluggishness. This might be the reason why you’re no longer able to
carry your gym bag or heavy purse.

4. Pale Skin

You used to have those rosy cheeks that revealed your perfect
health, but now you’re pale with a yellow cast. This might be caused by
lack of vitamin B12 which means lack of erythrocytes. As a result, your
body produces more bilirubin which replaces that rosy complexion with a
pale visage.

5. Pins and Needles

Insufficient amounts of this vitamin can cause paraesthesia –
more known as pins and needles. You experience tingling, prickling, or
numbing sensation throughout the body, especially in the hands and feet,
and a feeling of electric shock waves because of the nerve damage
caused by lack of vitamin B12. Being deficient in this vitamin means
reduced production of erythrocytes which in turn results in low oxygen
levels in the nerve tissues.

6. Unexplained Fatigue

You’re regularly getting a good night’s sleep, but you still
have that constant fatigue. Well, this can be another sign of vitamin
B12 deficiency. Once again, this unexplained fatigue can occur because
of reduced production of erythrocytes in your body which results in
insufficient amounts of oxygen been transported to your organs.

7. Eye Problems

Long-term vitamin B12 deficiency can damage your vision and
cause vision changes. Although rarely, the lack of this vitamin can
cause an optic neuropathy by damaging the optic nerve resulting in
reduced central vision, blurred or doubled vision, light sensitivity,
shadows or tracers. Still, supplements can help restore your vision.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF VITAMIN B12

To better understand the importance of this vitamin, here are its most significant health benefits:

1. Prevents Heart Disease and Stroke

Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.,
taking some extra measures to protect your heart is something everyone
should consider. New research has discovered that increased levels of
homocysteine is a higher risk factor for heart disease than cholesterol.
This non-protein α-amino acid can create inflammation if there’s a lack
of vitamin B12. In other words, this vitamin reduced the levels of
homocysteine, and with that the risk of heart disease and stroke.

2. Prevents Nerve Damage

Nerves have a natural covering called myelin sheath whose
primary purpose is to protect them from toxins and free radical damage.
Without this protective covering, nerves can be easily damaged and
killed which can result in nerve-related disorders. This is because dead
nerves are interrupting the transmission of signals to and from the
brain.

3. Supports Energy

Vitamin B12 stimulates the production of energy by keeping your
cells happy, healthy, and well-fed. Insufficient amounts of this
vitamin starve your cells, making you tired and weak. The metabolism
requires vitamin B12 to convert carbs into usable glucose – an essential
participant in the production of energy. Therefore, if you’re deficient
in this vitamin, you are more likely to suffer from fatigue.

4. Helps Digestion

This vitamin aids in the production of digestive enzymes, thus
helping the breakdown of foods in the stomach and supporting a healthy
metabolism. It helps foster healthy gut bacteria and removes the harmful
bacteria in the digestive tract. This, in turn, prevents inflammatory
bowel disease, candida, and other digestive disorders.

5. Helps Produce Erythrocytes and Prevent Anemia

Since this vitamin helps the production of erythrocytes, it can
prevent megaloblastic anemia which is manifested by weakness and
chronic fatigue.

6. Good for Bones

This vitamin is recommended for osteoporosis patients and
anyone who suffers from bone conditions as they have higher levels of
homocysteine than those with healthy bones. As we already mentioned,
vitamin b12 can reduce the levels of homocysteine, which makes it an
ideal supplement for these patients.

NATURAL SOURCES OF VITAMIN B12

Here are the foods which contain the highest levels of this vitamin:

• Beef and chicken liver — 81 milligrams in 3 ounces
• Salmon — 19.5 milligrams in 108 grams (1 filet)
• Herring —18.7 milligrams in 143 grams (1 filet)
• Mackerel — 15.3 milligrams in 3 ounces
• Sardines — 13.3 milligrams in 1 cup
• Tuna — 9.3 milligrams in 3 ounces
• Trout — 9.1 milligrams in 1 filet
• Organic yogurt — 1.3 mg in 1 container of plain Greek yogurt
• Turkey — 1.1 milligrams in 3 ounces
• Raw milk — 1 milligram in 1 cup
• Beef tenderloin — 0.9 milligrams in 3 ounces
• Lamb — 0.8 milligrams in 3 ounces

Other non-vegan sources of this vitamin include cereals,
cheese, nutritional yeasts, plant-based milk (soymilk, almond milk, and
coconut milk).

As you can see, vitamin B12 plays an important role in our
overall health and can protect us from various health problems and
diseases. That’s why recognizing the early symptoms of vitamin B12
deficiency is crucial to treat it as soon as possible and prevent
further health complications.