Symptoms are not always clear cut when it comes to what could be causing them.
Certain symptoms like a headache, for example, are associated with multiple health problems.
That is why it is important to follow up any unexplained symptoms with your doctor, to get to the root cause.
A vitamin B12 deficiency is a health issue that can easily be mistaken for other issues due to the wide range of symptoms it causes.
The vitamin is vitally important to the body, and therefore a deficiency can have serious consequences.
An expert spoke with Express.co.uk to explain more. Doctor Deborah Lee, from the Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, said: “Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin – meaning it cannot be made in the human body and has to be taken in through the diet. It is found in red meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs.
“Some breakfast cereals are fortified with B12. Once ingested, B12 is absorbed in the intestines with the help of a protein called intrinsic factor.
“B12 is vital for making DNA – hence it is needed for a wide range of body processes and functions, including making red blood cells, and nerve function in peripheral nerves and throughout the brain and the central nervous system.”
She warned that around six percent of adults in the UK are thought to be deficient in B12 – with this statistic rising to 20 percent in people over the age of 60.
“B12 is stored in the liver, and it can take up to three years before the storage is depleted and symptoms gradually set in,” she said
“Because the symptoms come on very slowly, B12 deficiency can go unnoticed for a long time.”
Due to the fact B12 is needed to help the brain function, some of the more severe symptoms of a deficiency could be mistaken for signs of dementia.
These include:
- Disturbed thinking and decision-making processes
- Behavioural changes
- Decline in ability to think and problem-solve
- Depression
- Visual disturbances.
In some cases a lack of vitamin B12 has actually been linked to Alzheimer’s disease – the most common type of dementia.
Dr Lee said: “B12 deficiency has serious consequences for human health.
“B12 deficiency is also associated with depression and psychosis, as well as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.”
She listed other symptoms of a deficiency as:
- Tiredness and fatigue
- Feeling faint
- Headaches
- Palpitations
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- A sore, red tongue
- Mouth ulcers
- Pale yellow skin (jaundice)
- Pins and needles.
What to do if you think you are deficient in B12:
If you experience symptoms of a B12 deficiency you could try upping your intake through diet.
This includes eating more meat, fish, cheese, eggs and foods fortified with vitamin B12.
If your symptoms are more serious and changing your diet is not possible or doesn’t help you should speak to your GP.
They can run tests to see if you are deficient. If they don’t think regular B12 supplements will be enough they can offer injections.