Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause many health problems. Look at the warning signs and check which sources you could use to improve your health.
Often known as the energy vitamin, vitamin B12 boosts your energy. No wonder athletes use it as a supplement more often than any other human being.
Furthermore, it is closely linked to weight loss, so anyone experiencing obesity should consume ingredients rich in vitamin B12.
Doctors always recommend this vitamin supplements for those who suffer from megaloblastic anemia. This is because vitamin B12 boosts the red blood cells formation, responsible for carrying oxygen to all of your cells throughout your body.
It has a vital role in numerous bodily functions. These include, as we said, red blood cells formation but also: nerve formation and growth, improvement of the nerve system, adrenal hormone secretion, metabolism boost, proper digestion, circulation and iron absorption.
Vitamin B12 deficiency warning signs
What causes vitamin B12 deficiency? Naturally, the main cause is insufficient consumption of ingredients rich in vitamin B12. People who are likely to suffer from this are vegetarians and vegans mostly, because they don’t eat animal origin food. But also, diabetics and people who suffer from autoimmune disorders.
The symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
One of the first symptoms is related to eye problems. This is due to the nerve damage that vitamin B12 deficiency causes. So, vision problems, blurry vision, being unable to keep eyes open are all directly show vitamin B12 deficiency.
The next bigger symptom is change or complete loss of taste. Even when you’re eating your all-time-favorite food, you cannot feel anything. This is due to the nerve receptors in your tongue; the little bumps you can see with your eyes. They stop recognizing the taste if you have this vitamin deficiency.
Memory loss is not something uncommon. Often people who keep forgetting things and have long or short term memory loss are prescribed with vitamin B12.
Furthermore, mood swings and anxiety are often caused by this, too. Vitamin B12 stimulates serotonin and dopamine hormone production. These hormones are the so known ‘happy’ hormones, so if you have vitamin B12 deficiency, it is likely that you might confront anxiety and mood changes.
Numbness and dizziness are not excluded, as well. This is the general feeling you get when you have insufficient amount of B12 in your organism. This means you lack oxygen in your blood, and who transports oxygen to the brain? Red cells. And who forms these red cells? Vitamin B12. There’s your answer.
Dietary vitamin B12 sources
Unfortunately for those who belong to the vitamin B12 deficiency risk group, the best source of this vitamin is in fortified and animal origin foods and drinks.
Eggs: The egg yolk is especially rich in vitamin B12
Meat: Chicken, pork, goat and turkey are meats which contain vitamin B12 the most
Seafood: Almost any seafood contains loads of with this vitamin: sardines, salmon, cod scallops, tuna etc.
Dairy: Cow’s milk, all forms of cheese, yoghurt
Luckily for vegans, there’s a solution for this problem. As alternative vitamin B12 sources they can consume: fortified coconut milk, nutritional yeast or tempeh. However, this is not sufficient as you don’t eat these on a daily basis, so if you’re a vegan, try looking for vitamin B12 supplements.