Vitamin B12 is an important vitamin involved in making DNA, myelin sheath, and red blood cells. It’s important to know how to identify vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms because if you are deficient in vitamin B12, you could experience irreversible damage to your nervous system.
When you’re looking for a vitamin B12 supplement, there are two kinds, a natural version, and a synthetic version. Always take the natural version, which is called methylcobalamin.
But, it’s really best to get vitamin B12 from the diet. The main cause of a vitamin B12 deficiency is not a lack of vitamin B12 in the diet. It has to do with malabsorption—the person can’t absorb vitamin B12.
Contents
Conditions that can block the absorption of B12:
- Atrophy of the stomach
- Hydrochloric acid deficiency
- Gastritis
- Ulcers
- Celiac
- Chrohn’s disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome
Foods rich in vitamin B12:
- Animal liver and kidneys
- Clams (and other seafood)
- Sardines
- Beef
- Chicken
- Fish
- Fermented products (kimchi, sauerkraut, and fermented dairy)
- Insects
- Nutritional yeast (non-fortified)
7 warning signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency:
1. Pale skin
2. Constant fatigue
3. Mouth problems
4. Cognitive issues
5. Nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy)
6. Blurred vision
7. Fast pulse rate
