Vitamin B12 performs a number of important roles in the body, such as making healthy red blood cells and keeping the nervous system working properly.
Most people do not appreciate the contribution B12 makes to the body until they become deficient in it. This can cause the body to malfunction in extensive ways.
As the deficiency becomes more pronounced, anaemia is likely to develop.
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One warning sign of anaemia is the colouring of the skin, which may take on a pale or yellowish hue, confirmed the Mayo Clinic.
This isn’t to say that people with this natural colouring are suffering from a vitamin B12 deficiency and anaemia.
It’s when the person’s skin colour has changed to now become pale or yellow that a vitamin B12 deficiency might be present.
Another physical manifestation of anaemia (and a vitamin B12 deficiency) is apparent weight loss.
This type of weight loss would have been achieved without altering the diet or exercising more.
It’s completely understandable that when a person eats fewer calories and exercises more, they will lose weight.
However, if weight loss is achieved by no dietary or exercise changes, it’s likely that something is up.
Other indications of anaemia include:
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Irregular heartbeats
- Numbness or tingling in your hands and feet
- Muscle weakness
- Personality changes
- Unsteady movements
- Mental confusion or forgetfulness
Vitamin B12 helps to create healthy red blood cells, hence why anaemia can occur if the body isn’t retaining the vitamin.
To explain, the Mayo Clinic stated: “Red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs throughout your body.”
If there’s a lack of vitamin B12, red blood cells begin to form abnormally, and so oxygen isn’t transported around the body as well as it should be.
This is why symptoms of anaemia begin to appear when a vitamin B12 deficiency is present.
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Harvard Medial School pointed out more general signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency, such as:
- A swollen, inflamed tongue
- Difficulty walking
- Balance problems
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