Unfortunately, even though it is extremely important for the body, Vitamin B12 is often overlooked.
Yet, it is crucial for the metabolism body cells, and its lack leads to long-term diseases and neurological conditions. Hence, it is of high importance to learn the early symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency in order to successfully prevent various health issues.
We will also reveal its importance for your overall health and which foods are the richest sources of this vitamin. These are some of the most important health benefits of this vitamin:
1. 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.
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. HPrevents Heart Disease and Stroke
Heart diseases are one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. and a recent study has shown that the raised levels of homocysteine increase the risk of heart disease even more than cholesterol. The non-protein α-amino acid leads to inflammation in the case of reduced levels of vitamin B12. Therefore, this vitamin lowers the homocysteine levels, and thus raises the risk of heart disease and stroke.
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. Protects the Bones
As we mentioned before, vitamin B12 is able to reduce the levels of homocysteine. People who suffer from bone conditions have higher levels of homocysteine than people with healthy bones. That is the main reason why vitamin B12 is recommended to those people who suffer from osteoporosis or another bone related disorder.
7 Warning Signs of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Frequent bouts of vertigo and light headedness (dizziness) are some of the first warning signs of vitamin B12 deficiency. You might experience dizziness when walking upstairs or downstairs, or wobble when standing up too fast from a chair.
Even though you may think that this is normal, these situations can sometimes be very dangerous. It is best to consult your doctor in order to receive the proper treatment for vitamin deficiency if you experience symptoms of chronic vertigo.
If you have hard time remembering ordinary things like where you left your keys or what’s the name of your friend we have some bad news for you. This type of uncharacteristic forgetfulness does not indicate early dementia.
On the other hand, this indicates that you experience a vitamin B12 deficiency. When older people have a vitamin B12 deficiency they think that they have Alzheimer’s or dementia. If you want to be sure about the problem do a simple blood test. You will be able to improve your memory with a supplemental regimen.
3. Muscle Weakness
If you feel weak while carrying a bag of groceries, your muscles could be deprived of the vitamin. When our muscles have no vitamin B12, they begin to be less oxygenated, leading to weakness. It would explain why you have a hard time picking up a box or carry a purse.
4. Pale Skin
Having a pale complexion is a symptom of a deficiency in vitamin B12 believe it or not. This means you have no erythrocytes, leading to increased production of bilirubin, which turns your skin pale.
5. Pins and Needles
Lacking vitamin B12 can trigger paraesthesia that comes with a pins and needles feeling. You’ll feel a prickling, tickling, numbing feel in your hands, feet and through your whole body.
It is nerve damage that is the culprit behind the pins and needles symptom. When your deficient in B12, it reduces your level of erythrocytes leading to oxygen deprivation in nerve tissues.
6. Unexplained Fatigue
You will sleep and then wake up feeling sluggish and tired still. It is a symptom of a deficiency in vitamin B12. Again, it is due to reduced erythrocytes in the body, leaving organs depleted of much needed oxygen.
7. Eye Problems
You will experience vision impairment and changes due to a lack of B12. In rare cases, it has caused nerve damage in the optic nerve leading to neuropathy. Damage to the optic nerve can result in blurred/double vision, reduced center vision, shadows, tracers and light sensitivity. To help aid you of vision ailments, take B12 supplements.
Natural Sources of Vitamin B12
The following foods are a rich and natural source of this extremely beneficial 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
Cereals, cheese, nutritional yeasts, plant-based milk (soymilk, almond milk and coconut milk) are some other non-vegan sources of the vitamin B12.
It is important to notice the early signs of vitamin B12 deficiency. If you want to protect your overall health, you will have to treat it as soon as possible. Various health problems and diseases can be prevented if your body has the sufficient amount of vitamin B12.