Should You Be Worried about a B12 Deficiency?

B-12 is a nutrient which is soluble in water.  In contrast to the majority of water soluble vitamins, B12 will not be passed in your urine. Rather, your body stores B12 within your bodily organs. Most of the B12 within your body is kept in the liver. For you to develop a b12 deficiency, you have got to either ingest or absorb low levels of B12 for many years. The truth is, nearly all experts say that those that have b12 deficiency have either not eaten adequate b12 or experienced absorption problems for 5 to 6 years prior to any signs and symptoms start to appear.

There are lots of consequences of experiencing low B12 in your body. The most frequently recognized is neurological issues that are so severe that they're typically mistaken for Alzheimer's disease. Irreversible damage to your nerve system can happen if these symptoms are left unattended.

Well before it gets to this point, other possible signs of a B12 insufficiency show up. Earlier symptoms of a B12 deficit include a racing heart, weakness, severe exhaustion, wooziness, paleness, painful tongue, bleeding gums, stomach problems and a decrease of appetite. As things get more serious, neurological concerns start to take place. Signs of neurological damage due to low levels of B12 are confusion, depression, tingling extremities, dexterity issues, absent mindedness, impulse control and dementia.

The challenge is that there are such a multitude of symptoms, frequently a b12 deficiency will either go undiagnosed or be mistaken for something else entirely. It is not uncommon for older people to think that some of the early signs of low b12 levels are simply normal signs of aging.

Detecting a B12 deficiency is more important than most people think. Recent research shows that low levels of B12 are usually linked to the progression of numerous chronic health conditions. One illness that can develop is cardiovascular disease. When B12 levels in your body are low, the homocysteine levels increase. This harmful protein has be clinically linked to the development of chronic illness. Taking methyl-B12 shots has been shown to decrease homocysteine levels in people who currently have high levels.

There a variety of ways to develop a B12 insufficiency and certain groups are at high-risk. B12 is found in fish, dairy and meat. There is no non-synthetic plant source for B12. This places vegetarians and especially vegans at very high risk. Absorption issues can also cause a b12 deficiency. Those who have had bariatric surgery to lose weight or other gastrointestinal surgery are at high risk. An intestinal overgrowth of bacterias or tapeworms can also make it difficult for your body to absorb B12. As you get older, you are more likely to develop a B12 insufficiency.

If you're in a high-risk group, using supplemental b12 could be a wise course of action. You may also want to have your doctor test your B12 levels.