What is Vitamin B12? Are you getting enough vitamin B12? If you are not paying attention to your B12 levels, this could be the cause of many of the problems you are currently experiencing! A severe vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to deep depression, paranoia and delusions, memory loss, incontinence, loss of taste and smell and much more. So what is vitamin B12? What are the symptoms of B12 deficiency? Let's examine it all together!
What is Vitamin B12?
The human body needs vitamin B12 to perform many functions. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in the production of your red blood cells and DNA, as well as in the proper functioning of your nervous system. The average adult needs 2.4 micrograms of B12 per day. Like most vitamins, B12 cannot be produced by the body. Therefore, it must be taken through food or supplements.
Some people do not consume enough vitamin B12 to meet their needs, while others, no matter how much B12 they take, it is never enough and the body does not recognize it. For this reason, vitamin B12 deficiency is relatively common and is more common in older people.
What are the symptoms of B12 deficiency?
There are many causes of B12 deficiency. Surprisingly, two of these causes are often in the name of health: Vegetarian or Vegan diets and stomach reduction surgery... Plants cannot produce vitamin B12. The foods that do have vitamin B12 are meat, eggs, poultry, dairy products and other foods derived from animals.
Strict vegetarians and vegans are therefore at risk of B12 deficiency if they do not eat vitamin fortified cereals and take vitamin supplements. People who have had weight loss or stomach reduction surgery are also more likely to have low levels of vitamin B12. This is because the surgery will interfere with the body's ability to get vitamin B12 from food.
Celiac or Crohn's diseases that interfere with nutrient absorption, such as diabetes, can cause B12 deficiency. The use of commonly prescribed gastroprotective drugs that reduce acid production in the stomach can also lead to B12 deficiency. This is because acid is necessary for B12 absorption. Since stomach acid production decreases with aging, B12 deficiency is more common in older people.
B12 deficiency can develop slowly in the human body. This can cause symptoms to appear gradually and intensify over time. However, vitamin B12 deficiency can also occur quickly. Given the range of symptoms that B12 deficiency can cause, the condition can be overlooked or mistaken for another condition. Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are usually as follows:
- Numbness or tingling sensation in the hands, legs or feet
- Difficulty walking (balance problems)
- Anemia (anemia)
- Swelling or inflammation of the tongue
- Difficulty thinking and reasoning (cognitive difficulties), forgetfulness and further memory loss
- Weakness
- Decreased sense of taste
- Diarrhea
- Burnout, depression
- Fatigue, weakness and lack of willpower
While an experienced doctor can recognize symptoms and detect vitamin B12 deficiency with a good interview and physical examination, a blood test is always necessary to confirm the condition.
If you are a strict vegetarian, have undergone weight loss surgery or have a condition that prevents the absorption of food, you should consult a doctor and have a blood test to check your B12 level. Because, as with any problem, early diagnosis and treatment is important in vitamin B12 deficiency. If the deficiency is left untreated, it can cause serious neurological problems and various blood diseases.
How is B12 deficiency treated?
A severe vitamin B12 deficiency can be treated in two ways: The first is weekly vitamin B12 injections or daily high-dose vitamin B12 pills. A mild B12 deficiency can be corrected with a standard multivitamin.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can be prevented in many people. Those who do not eat enough animal foods such as meat and dairy products, or who are strict vegetarians or vegans, should consume bread, cereals and other grain products fortified with vitamin B12 or take a daily supplement. A standard multivitamin contains 6 micrograms of B12, more than enough to meet the average body's daily requirement.
What are the foods containing B12?
Foods containing B12 are given below:
- Lamb, beef, veal, venison, venison, chicken and turkey
- Offal such as liver, kidney, heart and spleen
- Shellfish such as mussels, clams and shrimp
- Trout, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and tuna
- Milk and dairy products, including yogurt and cheese
- Egg
- Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds and chickpeas
Conclusion
As you can see, B12 deficiency is a very important problem and must be treated. B12 deficiency may even underlie psychological disorders such as depression. Therefore, if you observe the symptoms I have listed above in yourself, you should definitely visit a doctor and have a B12 test.
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