Vitamin B12 deficiency and the consequences – signs from fatigue to muscle weakness

If you under Vitamin B12 deficiency If you suffer, it certainly can harmful to health be. Vitamins are essential substances that… vital functions control in our body. Therefore, it is clear that a vitamin deficiency has negative effects on our health. A Vitamin B12 deficiency develops slowly and therefore often goes unnoticed for a long time. Important:

• Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
• Why vitamin B12 is important for the body
• Foods high in vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 deficiency: You should pay attention to these symptoms

Vitamin B12 is not a single vitamin, but rather a group of compounds that all have the same effect. They are also known as “cobalamins”. These substances are vital for the body. Both at the Formation of bloodas well as new genetic material (DNA) Cobalamins play a central role. They also have a positive effect on cell division and the breakdown of certain fatty acids, explains the German Society for Nutrition (DGE).

The main store of vitamin B12 is in the liver. Since there are vitamin B12 reserves for three to four years are stored, develops Vitamin B12 deficiency only gradually. The deficiency can remain asymptomatic for a long time and is usually only noticed when nerves have already been damaged. However, there are symptoms you should watch out for.

The following symptoms indicate a vitamin B12 deficiency:

• burning tongue
• permanent fatigue
• Lack of concentration
• Memory loss
• Headache
• dizziness
• paleness
• confusion
• Mood swings

Blood formation and nerves: You need vitamin B12 for this

The symptoms are mainly due to one thing Anemia due to the vitamin B12 deficiency. Because they can only do so with sufficient vitamin B12 red blood cells be formed. The vitamin activates certain enzymes that are later… hemoglobin being transformed. Hemoglobin, in turn, is the protein responsible for the Oxygen transport in the blood is responsible. So if the body doesn’t get enough B12, a whole chain reaction starts: We have too little hemoglobin and therefore too few red blood cells. This is how one can anemia – also Anemia called – develop. As a result, the symptoms are persistent Tiredness and weakness, paleness, dizziness or even a higher heart rate. Anemia can also arise from other deficiency symptoms, such as iron deficiency. So how do you differentiate?

This is where another function of B12 comes into play: In addition to its important role in blood formation, vitamin B12 also ensures blood circulation Protection of our nerve cells. Vitamin B12 is involved in the formation of the nerve covering, the so-called myelin sheath. This forms a kind of insulating layer around the nerve fibers and thus guarantees rapid transmission Sensory perceptions and stimuli.

The body suffers from one vitamin B12 deficiency, This myelin layer can no longer be sufficiently preserved and is gradually destroyed. As a result, the transmission function of the nerves is impaired and slowed down. But the protective layer around the nerve fibers is also missing, which causes further damage.

Nerve damage caused by vitamin B12 deficiency can be seen as follows:

• Tingling in hands and feet
• Numbness or pain in the limbs or even paralysis
• Muscle weakness
• Coordination problems and unsteady walking
• Sensory disorders
• Reflex disorders
• Vision problems

Here the deficiency can have led to chronic damage to the nervous system. Some people with vitamin B12 deficiency also complain of depression and other psychological problems.

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Proper nutrition: These foods contain vitamin B12

On the one hand, the cause can be one Vitamin B12 deficiency attributed to reduced intake. Vitamins are essential substances. They cannot be produced by the body itself, but must be consumed regularly food be supplied. The main suppliers for this are animal products such as eggs, milk. Seafood, salmon and meat, which is why vegetarians and especially vegans have to take care to absorb this vitamin differently. According to the DGE, it is not possible to cover the need for vitamin B12 through plant-based foods.

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According to the DGE, the daily requirement for vitamin B12 is for young people aged 13 and over and for adults four micrograms. For comparison: There are around 0.81 micrograms of vitamin B12 in 100 grams of mountain cheese. Meat or fish have a particularly high proportion of the vitamin. In salmon, for example between two and three micrograms of vitamin B12 per 100 grams contain. Another cause of vitamin B12 deficiency lies in the stomach. In order for the body to be able to absorb vitamin B12 from food, a special protein is necessary. It is the so-called intrinsic factor, which is produced in the stomach. In chronic ones Stomach and intestinal diseases or after surgical procedures this mechanism may be disturbed. Despite the right diet, a deficiency can arise.

In the pregnancy or with increasing age the vitamin B12 requirement increases. This and also the long-standing one Taking diabetes medications and long-term, pathological alcohol consumption can also be the cause of a vitamin B12 deficiency. Particular caution should be taken when taking medication for a long time increased stomach acid production offered.

Prevent vitamin B12 deficiency – this is how it works

As soon as the first signs of nerve damage appear, a Vitamin B12 deficiency usually still reversible, i.e. fixable. After months or years, the damage can also be irreversible. That’s why you should consult a doctor at the first symptoms that indicate damage to the nerves Vitamin B12 test can carry out.

Ask your doctor for advice on how you can prevent nerve damage with an adequate intake of vitamin B12. He will explain to you whether and which B12 supplements you should take. Dietary supplements should never be consumed simply on suspicion. Instead, the dosage should be clarified beforehand with a doctor and supported therapeutically.