What happens when your vitamin B12 is low?

Vitamin B12 plays a significant role in developing a healthy human body. However, due to so many reasons, it may decrease with time and affect the natural functions of our bodies.

In this guide, we have discussed a few symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency in our bodies. If you want to know all about what happens when your body’s vitamin B12 level decreases and its reasons, make sure to go till the end.

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency

Fatigue

The number one symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency is fatigue. Since our body cells require vitamin B12 for proper function, the number of red blood cells in our body decreases due to the lack of this vitamin. As a result, our bodies face impure oxygen delivery. Therefore, when your body lacks red blood cells and oxygen, you are likely to feel weak, tired, and fatigued.

Pale skin

Having pale and yellowish skin tone is another inevitable symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency. As mentioned earlier, the deficiency of vitamin B12 restricts the natural growth of red blood cells in our bodies. So when your body lacks healthy, matured, and the right amount of red blood cells, it naturally becomes pale and yellowish. Sometimes, vitamin B12 deficiency can cause jaundice, making your skin white and your eyes yellowish.

Headaches

Like most other deficiencies, vitamin B12 deficiency also causes unbearable headaches. According to this study, headaches are one of the commonly reported symptoms related to the lack of vitamin B12 in the human body no matter whether it’s an adult or a kid. In addition, a study shows that the people who experience migraines found their blood levels of vitamin B12 slightly lower than those of normal people. So if you have been facing unbearable headaches in recent days, make sure to test your vitamin B12 level.

Tingling hands or feet

Vitamin B12 plays a vital role in our entire nervous system. Therefore if you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, it may cause you so many problems related to the nervous system like tingling hands and feet. The right amount of vitamin B12 helps the nervous system to produce a substance named Myelin that works as a protective layer and protects the nerves and helps them convey sensation in the brain. However, if the substance is absent in your body, your feet and hands and other parts of your body can feel no sensation and pins and needle effect.

Fast heart rate

Another common but harmful symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency is faster heart rate. When your body faces fewer red blood cells present inside the blood, it may cause a faster heart rate than normal people. Additionally, if you have anemia, it may cause you this unwanted sickness that is very harmful in the longer run. Anemia-affected blood cells always push a higher volume of blood around the body. As a result, the different cells and parts of the body always try to ensure whether the oxygen is circulating throughout the body and reaching all organs correctly or not, which causes a faster heart rate.

Irritation

If your body has been facing vitamin B12 deficiency for a long time, you may feel symptoms like anxiety, depression, irritation, and others. It is because vitamin B12 directly connects with our brain that helps produce so many important hormones and chemicals. Therefore a sudden deficiency of this vitamin breaks down the natural circle of hormones and causes irritation, anxiety, and other mental issues.

Weight loss and bad appetite

Vitamin B12 deficiency can directly affect your digestive system. Therefore you may lose your appetite and lose weight without any effort fast. If you face this kind of problem these days, always make sure to check your vitamin B12 level.

Reasons and diseases that cause vitamin B12 deficiency

There can be many reasons behind vitamin B12 deficiency in one’s body. Some underlying diseases and a few common factors are mainly responsible for them. Here we have mentioned a few reasons behind a vitamin B12 deficiency.

• If you are dealing with Pernicious anemia
• Atrophic Gastritis
• If your alcohol consumption level is not right or you have a heavy drinking habit
• If you are old
• If you have been taking anti-acid medications for a long while
• If your body has gone through any weight loss surgery or stomach surgery recently
• If you have celiac disease
• If you have immune system disorders such as Graves’ disease or lupus

Conclusion

These were some early symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency in human bodies. So, if you are facing any of these problems mentioned above, check out whether you have normal vitamin B12 levels in your body and consult your physician at your earliest convenience and you can also take vitamin b12 supplement.