Signs of vitamin B12 deficiency
A lack of vitamin B12 can affect your body’s ability to produce fully functioning red blood cells. This can lead to a variety of symptoms. Vitamin B12 is a crucial nutrient for proper functioning of the nervous system. According to an article published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), neurological symptoms are the main presenting symptoms in many people. Neurological symptoms are those which affect your body’s movement and function. According to the article, neurological symptoms occur in 85 percent of vitamin B12 deficiency cases. Here are some signs to note.
Paresthesia
Paresthesia refers to a burning or prickling sensation in the hands, arms, legs, or feet, or other parts of the body. The sensation is usually painless and is described as tingling, numbness, skin crawling or itching. It is important to consult your doctor if you experience this symptom for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Ataxia
Ataxia means without coordination, explains Johns Hopkins Medicine. Ataxia refers to a group of disorders that affect your coordination, balance and speech. According to the NHS UK, any part of the body can be affected. This can lead to difficulties with balance, walking, speaking, swallowing, writing, eating, and vision.
Myelopathy
Myelopathy is a condition caused by spinal compression. According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms include pain in your neck or back, tingling, numbness or weakness in your arms, hands, legs or feet. It can also lead to difficulty with fine motor skills, such as buttoning a shirt, balance or coordination issues, loss of bladder or bowel control.
Tinnitus
Lack of vitamin B12 in the body can damage the nerves in the cochlea – a fluid-filled structure in the ear that is vital for hearing. Tinnitus refers to hearing noises that don’t come from an outside source. Tinnitus can sound like ringing, buzzing, whooshing, humming, hissing, throbbing and music or singing, according to the NHS UK.
Poor balance
“Body posture depends closely on proprioception, vestibular and visual function and muscle tone, all parameters that are affected by vitamin B12 deficiency,” according to a paper published in ‘J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact’. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to poor balance and falls. If you have a poor balance, it can lead to losing your balance while walking or feeling imbalanced.
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