What Is Vitamin B12 Deficiency?
Lack of vitamin B12 happens when the body does not have sufficient healthy red blood cells because of insufficient B12 vitamins. Red blood cells transmit oxygen to the body's tissue and remove carbon dioxide from them. If one has insufficient red blood cells, one may feel tired and have breathing problems. Treating vitamin B12 deficiency immediately helps to avoid critical complexities such as confusion/depression.
Reasons for Vitamin B12 Deficiency
An unbalanced diet, some health conditions, and heartburn medicine can contribute to vitamin deficiency which includes vitamin B12.
Foods that are big in vitamin B12 include meat, poultry, shellfish, eggs, and dairy products. Observing a rigid vegetarian or vegan diet without consuming any animal products, eating an unhealthy diet while pregnant, or consuming a poor diet as a child can all lead to vitamin B12 deficiency.
The following conditions can prevent the body from absorbing sufficient B12 vitamins:
alcoholism, Crohn's disease, Celiac disease, Pernicious anemia, digestive disorders, fish tapeworm infection, among others.
Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Some people do not display any signs of vitamin B12 deficiency, while other people's symptoms may include: diarrhea, constipation, tiredness, loss of appetite, pale skin, swollen and/or red tongue, bleeding gums, among others.
Studies show that 60 - 100% of people having severe tongue changes are unable to produce enough hydrochloric acid in the stomach which leads to the use of antacids - which is the worst thing you can do because the problem is actually caused by very little acid. If your digestion is so faulty that you have intestinal gas after you add foods rich in the B vitamins to your diet, you can be sure you have been deficient in these vitamins. The best thing to do is continue and take enzymes till the deficiency has been corrected. The worst thing to do is stop because then the problem of the weaknesses is still there.
Treatment includes increasing vitamin B12 levels and varies based on the cause of the shortage. Click here to learn more about healthy diets and maintaining a balanced diet.
