What Is Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

There is a long list of nutrients that are essential for the proper functioning of the human body. Take for example your vitamins. Each vitamin plays a specific role in the human body, making each of them essential for your continued wellness. One nutrient that is often overlooked but important to your bodily functions is vitamin B12. Unfortunately, the deficiency of this nutrient is relatively common in most parts of the globe, and is one very avoidable cause of sickness for people of all ages. This article provides a rundown of everything you need to know about Vitamin B12 deficiency.

What is Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in cellular metabolism. It plays a critical role in DNA synthesis as a co-factor, and it also plays a role in the metabolism of both amino acids and fatty acids. It also plays a crucial role in neurologic health because of its role in the synthesis of myelin. Last but not least, vitamin B12 also plays a role in the maturation process of red blood cells in the bone marrow.

One curious fact about vitamin B12 is the fact that it can only be obtained from animal food sources. The only organisms that are capable of producing this vitamin are bacteria, and animals are able to assimilate it thru consumption, where the bacteria reproduce (and create more vitamin B12) inside the gut of the animals they colonize. For vitamin B12 to be absorbed by the body, gastric intrinsic factor should also be present. Produced at the stomach, intrinsic factor enables the absorption of vitamin B12 for it to be used by the body.

What causes Vitamin B12 deficiency?

There are multiple factors that cause vitamin B12 deficiency. All of these factors are largely preventable. Regardless of what caused it, a lack of vitamin B12 can have multiple deleterious effects to your body’s functioning (more on these later). Here is a list of some of the most common causes of vitamin B12 deficiency worldwide.

1. Vegan diet
Following a purely vegan diet is considered to be the most important cause of vitamin B12 deficiency worldwide, most especially in developed countries. As mentioned earlier, vitamin B12 can only be acquired thru animal-based food sources. With more people following a vegan diet (and more people getting enticed to try it for medical, ethical, or weight reasons), the number of people silently or symptomatically suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency will only grow.

2. Gastrointestinal disorders
Some gastrointestinal disorders are linked to the development of vitamin B12 deficiency. The presence of atrophic gastritis causes the deterioration of gastric tissue, which makes the production of intrinsic factor deficient or even non-existent. Pernicious anemia can also make it more difficult for your body to absorb vitamin B12. Lastly, any kind of disease that distort the anatomy and/or physiology of the stomach and small intestine (ex.: celiac disease, Crohn’s disease) will cause vitamin B12 deficiency.

3. Chronic use of anti-acid drugs
Intrinsic factor is produced by the same cells that produce your stomach acid. This is why people who are having problems with gastric acidity and are chronic users of drugs such as antacids, proton pump inhibitors, and other similar drugs are more prone to having Vitamin B12 deficiency. The use of these drugs cause a reduction of intrinsic factor production as a side effect, and this leads to reduced absorption of vitamin B12, leading to deficiency and its related symptoms.

4. Surgery
Surgery that alter the structure and/or function of the stomach can be another cause of Vitamin B12 deficiency. People who undergo surgery to repair damage caused by diseases such as atrophic gastritis and Crohn’s disease are significantly more prone to vitamin B12 deficiency, due to lack of producing ability of intrinsic factor. The same also goes for those who undergo bariatric surgery, procedures that shrink the size of the stomach to reduce feeding.

What are the symptoms associated with Vitamin B12 deficiency?

There are multiple symptoms associated with Vitamin B12 deficiency. The first disorder associated with this deficiency is anemia. Because vitamin B12 is involved in the maturation process of red blood cells, deficiency leads to its non-maturity, leading to a condition known as megaloblastic anemia. Mild deficiency may exist without any symptoms. However, present symptoms become plenty and more severe as the severity of vitamin deficiency increases. Increased fatigue, paleness, shortness of breath., and loss of appetite are just some symptoms associated with vitamin B12 deficiency anemia.

There are other symptoms associated with prolonged deficiency of vitamin B12. Headaches and even seizures may ensure due to lack of vitamin B12 due to its crucial role in maintaining the functionality of the nervous system. A person may also become more prone to memory loss, depression, and behavioral changes with prolonged and severe deficiency of this nutrient. Some even end up getting blind because of the severe neurologic damage caused by absence of this vitamin.

How to manage Vitamin B12 deficiency?

Now that you know about the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, it is now time to know more about the solutions available for you. Fortunately, there are many ways to resolve vitamin B12 deficiency. The type of solution best applicable for you depends on your lifestyle and health situation. Here is a list of some options.

1. Eat food rich in Vitamin B12
This is by far the simplest and most practical way to resolve vitamin B12 deficiency. As mentioned earlier, vitamin B12 is solely obtained from animal sources. Among the food sources richest in vitamin B12 include dairy products, eggs, and any form of meat. There are also food products fortified with this vitamin.

2. Oral vitamin B12 supplementation
This is a practical option for most people who have vitamin B12 deficiency and cannot acquire their daily nutritional needs due to dietary restrictions. Vitamin B12 is usually included in most multivitamin products, and they are usually in amounts adequate to your daily nutritional needs. This route is the best option for people following vegan diets.

3. Injections
Vitamin B12 injections is considered as the most extreme way to resolve vitamin B12 deficiency. Because of its invasive nature, it is most commonly reserved for people with significant gastrointestinal diseases or have gastrointestinal tracts that are severely compromised by either disease or surgery.