Vitamin B12 might not be the most famous vitamin out there, but it’s an essential part of our body’s everyday activities. From maintaining nerves to making blood cells, this powerful vitamin keeps you healthy, strong, and active.

However, your diet, medication, age, or an underlying condition may prevent your body from getting the B12 it needs. Once you understand the signs of vitamin B12 deficiency, you can take action, get tested, and get back to living the healthy life you want.

Signs of vitamin B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency can present itself in different ways for everyone – but here are a few symptoms you should be aware of.

Fatigue and tiredness

Your body uses vitamin B12 to make red blood cells, which help you transport oxygen throughout the body. But if your vitamin B12 levels are too low, your body may be unable to make the red blood cells you need, which can leave you feeling exhausted and sluggish during the day. Low red blood cell counts may also give you a racing heart and shortness of breath.

In certain people, an inability to absorb vitamin B12 can cause a condition called pernicious anemia.

Numbness and tingling of hands and feet

Vitamin B12 is also a critical building block of your nerve cells. They produce a substance called myelin, which forms a protective layer around your nerve cells as they send messages back and forth between your brain.

If you lack vitamin B12, the myelin layer may become damaged and unable to repair itself. Over time, nerves can become damaged, leading to those unpleasant prickly feelings in your hands and feet. If B12 deficiency is not recognized early, nerve damage can become permanent.

Depressed mood and other mental disorders

Vitamin B12 is part of the process that helps make neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers that help transmit messages from the brain to the body. (Your MTHFR gene plays a role in making these, too!) If you don’t have enough vitamin B12, you may not be able to make enough of these neurotransmitters – which could manifest as a mental disorder such as depression or anxiety. One 2005 review published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that both low folate and low vitamin B12 levels were observed in studies of depressive patients. [1]

Other symptoms of low vitamin B12 may include:

• Jaundiced or pale skin
• Changes in mobility
• Mouth sores or ulcers
• Vision changes
• A swollen, inflamed tongue
• Easy bruising

However, these are just a few symptoms of having low vitamin B12. Since there’s such a wide range of ways these symptoms manifest in our body, it can be difficult to identify whether a vitamin deficiency is the cause. That’s why it’s so important to get tested and get to the root of the health issues you’re facing, rather than only managing your symptoms.

How is B12 deficiency treated?

If you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, there are several treatment options that can help you get enough of this essential vitamin. Supplements can be delivered orally, sublingually (under the tongue), intranasal (through the nose), or through injections.

Since there are several types of B12, your doctor may recommend a specific type to help reduce the deficiency. Common types of B12 include:

• Cyanocobalamin
• Methylcobalamin
• Hydroxocobalamin

Don’t settle for a vitamin B12 deficiency – get tested, and get the answers you need. If you’re concerned about your vitamin B12 levels, get tested and work with your doctor to determine a treatment plan that’s right for you.

Sources
[1] Coppen, Alec, and Christina Bolander-Gouaille. “Treatment of Depression: Time to Consider Folic Acid and Vitamin B12.” Journal of Psychopharmacology, vol. 19, no. 1, 2005, pp. 59–65., doi:10.1177/0269881105048899.