Nowadays, more and more people are discussing why symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency occur and what the risks are. Medicine is linking an increasing number of chronic health problems to the so-called folate deficiency. Patients even report numbness and difficulty walking, making it important to become more educated about this health condition. Below you will find some useful information and nutritional tips that can help you recognize the symptoms and minimize the health risks by eating suitable foods.
What causes anemia and why vitamin B12 deficiency causes symptoms
Vitamin B12 is involved in so many body systems that its deficiency can lead to a number of health problems. For most people, such a vitamin deficiency mainly affects both the mental and the physicalHealth through fatigueout of. Additionally, the health condition may develop slowly over time. The symptoms appear gradually and can then worsen at some point. However, with an unhealthy lifestyle, folate deficiency in the blood flow can quickly increase. Due to the variety of symptoms, a vitamin B12 deficiency can often be overlooked. It can also be easily confused with another diagnosis, such as multiple sclerosis. Here are the possible effects of the lack of vitamin on the body:
- A mild vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include anemia, fatigue, indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, nausea, insomnia, loss of appetite, premenstrual syndrome and prematureGraying of hairlead.
- Medium-term deficiency of vitamin B12 can lead to a weakened immune system, muscle weakness, tingling in the fingers, memory and balance problems, dizziness, disorientation, nervousness, tremors, eye problems, liver disease and irregular menstruation.
- Long-term vitamin B12 deficiency causes brain damage and affects the central nervous system. This can cause dementia, hallucinations, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, neuronal defects, obsessive-compulsive disorder, mania, depression, impotence, infertility, miscarriages, pernicious anemia and cancer.
Possible causes of vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin deficiencies have recently become a major problem, which also affects a large part of the population. There are many reasons why the body cannot properly break down and absorb vitamin B12. The main ones are unhealthy lifestyle, digestive problems and genetics. It is also a myth that only vegans or vegetarians can be affected. Even eating foods like meat, fish and dairy products does not always mean that the vitamin levels are normal. Research shows that almost everyone tested over the age of 50 has some form of the deficiency. In people aged 30 to 50 who eat a diverse diet, the deficiency is around 60%, in vegetarians it is 70% and in vegans it is 90%. The possible causes for this are listed below:
- Wrong choice of food, hyperacidity of the stomach, various heavy metals and pollutants, disturbed intestinal mucosa, dysbacteriosis, genetically modified foods, lack of pancreatic enzymes such as lipase and protease are some of the factors and prerequisites for damage to the digestive tract. These are closely linked to a vitamin B12 deficiency.
- In addition, some people's immune systems can directly attack various cells in their digestive tract as well as the inherent factor itself. This can be due to consumption of excessive acid-forming foods such as meat, fish, dairy products, seafood, sometimes gluten, various chemicals, incorrect food combinations and other foods.
- Antibiotics also destroy the body's own vitamin B12. This is especially true when eating animals raised specifically for meat. Such animal meat also contains antibiotics, which greatly reduce the vitamin content. This leads to the conclusion that eating store-bought meat is no guarantee that you are getting enough vitamin B12.
- Various medications further worsen the condition of the gastrointestinal tract, which in turn can lead to poor absorption and absorption of B12.
- Systemic alcohol consumption is also associated with lower vitamin B12 levels.
Why are symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency difficult to alleviate?
The body cannot produce B12 itself. The vitamin can only be synthesized by certain bacteria and archaea. These feed on decaying organic material and release nutrients, including vitamin B12, into the soil or water. From there, plants or algae absorb the vitamin, from where it can also reach animals. Unwashed organic vegetables are known to contain small amounts of B12. Unfortunately, vitamin B12 can no longer be found in fruits and vegetables today because the soil has too many chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and artificial fertilizers.
Previously, under normal circumstances, the vitamin was produced and synthesized by bacteria in the intestinal tract of humans, as in animals. This is now partially or completely discontinued because too many factors damage the intestinal microbiome. The journey of the vitamin from food to use by the body is extremely long and complicated. Its optimal absorption depends on many different factors, which is why symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are so common and difficult to treat. Here is the route of the vitamin into the body:
- When vitamin B12 is consumed through food, it goes through a long digestive process that begins in the mouth.
- After chewing food, the vitamin binds to certain proteins in saliva.
- Special cells in the stomach secrete the so-called intrinsic factor, which is important for the absorption and transport of vitamin B12. Passing from the stomach into the duodenum, this vitamin then binds to the inherent factor.
- After reaching the end of the small intestine, B12 binds to the intrinsic factor receptor, where it is released and binds to other transport proteins called transcobalamines. This causes the vitamin to enter the blood.
- Therefore, if a person does not have a sufficiently developed intrinsic factor, they are much more likely to develop such a vitamin deficiency and ultimately have severe symptoms.
Which plants and foods contain vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is found in abundance in some animal foods such as meat, liver, milk and eggs. However, it is extremely sensitive to heat and is destroyed above 80 degrees, so consumption of animal products that have undergone heat treatment does not guarantee its presence. In addition, vitamin B12 is increasingly being added to foods such as cereal, waffles, cookies, nutritional yeast, plant-based milk, etc. Plant foods generally do not contain B12, with the exception of freshwater algae (chlorella) and duckweed. It is therefore difficult to say which diet could alleviate anemic conditions.
The so-called B12 analogues can be found in some plant species. These are molecules that are similar to real B12. However, they hinder the absorption of its active form. Some algae, mushrooms and other plants contain the analogue of vitamin B12, which can block the metabolism of the vitamin. In vegetarian children who consumed vitamin B12 from algae, no improvement in hematological status was observed, but at the same time vitamin B12 concentrations in the blood increased. The only exception is chlorella. All of this logically leads to the question: How should you eat with such a vitamin deficiency?
What alternative options are there for taking vitamin B12?
There are four forms of vitamin B12 – methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin, hydroxocobalamin and cyanocobalamin. The first two are said to be the best forms of the vitamin. In fact, some people can tolerate B12 in the form of methylcobalamin very well, while for others hydroxocobalamin is better. This is because methylcobalamin is a more unstable molecule and is eliminated from the body more quickly. In addition, some people generally do not tolerate methylated forms of vitamins well. To find out which form is best for you, you should have the COMT, VDR taq, FUT2, TCN2, MTHFR, MTR and MTRR genes examined. These are responsible for the formation and breakdown of active vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin).
Additionally, some suckable sublingual forms of B12 may provide very good results, although injections are not necessary for most forms of vitamin deficiency. Oral supplements are not recommended because they must go through the entire process of binding intrinsic factor in the digestive tract, which can result in incomplete absorption. Nutritionists highlight hydroxocobalamin and adenosylcobalamin as well as methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin as good combinations of B12.
It can therefore be said that a plant-based diet does not optimally supply the body with vitamin B12, but it can protect against the most common modern diseases. To ensure that you get enough vitamin B12, it is recommended, in addition to vitamin-rich foods, to consume a sublingual nutritional supplement 1-2 times a week as a preventive measure. Prescribing higher doses is only necessary if significant deficiencies of the vitamin have been identified in the blood. However, for this you should entrust yourself to an experienced specialist. This means you not only protect yourself from deficiency symptoms and health complications, but you can also increase your health, vitality and energy.
Recommended daily intake for vitamin B12 deficiency - relieve symptoms according to age groups and factors
The required daily dose of vitamin B12 for people over 14 years old is 2.4 micrograms. However, depending on your individual case, you may need to take more or less. The proportion of vitamin B12 that the body can absorb from dietary supplements is not very high. This is believed to equate to approximately 10 mcg per 500 taken as supplements. So below, consider vitamin B12 intake in relation to age and a few other circumstances.
- Intake for people under 50 years of age – As mentioned, the recommended intake for people aged 14 to 50 years is 2.4 micrograms per day. Most healthy people can get them through their diet, such as:
- 2 eggs contain 1.2 µg vitamin B12
- 100g tuna – 2.5 mcg
- 1 serving of beef contains 1.5 mcg
So if you eat enough of the right products, you can even double your daily vitamin B12 requirement. Therefore, developing a deficiency is unlikely if there are no accompanying health problems and you need supplements less often.
- Use for people over 50 years old – Older people are more susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiency. While more and more people over 50 are vitamin B12 deficient, up to 62% of adults over 65 have much lower than optimal levels of vitamin B12 in their blood. This is because as we age, the body begins to produce less stomach acid. It is necessary for access to vitamin B12, which occurs naturally in food, as well as for its easier absorption.
- For this reason, dietary supplements and B12-fortified foods are recommended for people over 50 years old. The dose is usually 500 mcg per day, but in certain cases it can reach up to 1000 mcg.
Vitamin B12 intake for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers
Pregnant women usually also have a slightly higher need for vitamin B12. If this is not covered, there is a risk of birth defects in the fetus. At the same time, B12 deficiency during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of premature birth and low birth weight in newborns. Therefore, expectant mothers are recommended to take 2.6 mcg of vitamin B12 per day. This level can be easily achieved through a balanced diet and appropriate prenatal vitamins. In addition, vitamin B12 deficiency in infants is associated with developmental delays. This can lead to irritability and decreased appetite. For these reasons, the recommended intake for breastfeeding women is even higher than for pregnant women, namely 2.8 mcg per day.
Recommended intake of vitamin B12 for vegans and vegetarians
People on a plant-based diet find it much more difficult to achieve the desired level of 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12, increasing the risk of deficiency. A large number of vegetarians have been found to have low levels of vitamin B12. It is therefore recommended for vegetarians and especially vegans to also take nutritional supplements, albeit in smaller doses.
A serious vitamin B12 deficiency can be treated in two ways: with weekly vitamin B12 booster shots or daily high-dose vitamin B12 pills. Milder conditions can also be treated with standard supplementation. Unfortunately, vitamin B12 deficiency cannot be prevented for many people. Therefore, if you are a strict vegetarian or vegan, it is important to eat foods fortified with vitamin B12 or take a daily supplement. Additionally, it is important to pay attention to some of the most common symptoms of vitamin deficiency and address the problem promptly.
