Vitamin B12 is a crucial nutrient that helps the body to make red blood cells, according to the NHS. These red blood cells deliver oxygen around the body, and the vitamin is also needed to produce DNA. The most common vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include feeling tired all of the time, and developing aches in certain parts of the body. You could also be at risk of the condition if you often develop pins and needles in your feet.
Many of the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency arise because it causes a lack of healthy blood cells
Medical News Today
Persistent pins and needles are one of the most common warning signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency, according to medical website Medical News Today.
This tingling pain may be caused by changes in the nervous system, it warned.
Vitamin B12 plays a key role in the nerves system, and without enough of the mineral, it could lead to nerve damage.
“Many of the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency arise because it causes a lack of healthy blood cells.
“The body needs plenty of these cells to get oxygen around the body and keep the organs in good health.
“A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to both physical and psychological problems.
“Vitamin B12 deficiency may cause ‘pins and needles’ in the hands or feet. This symptom occurs because the vitamin plays a crucial role in the nervous system, and its absence can cause people to develop nerve conduction problems or nerve damage.
“Problems are more common in the nerves in the hands and feet, which are called peripheral nerves. Peripheral nerve damage may lead to tingling in these parts of the body.”
You could also be at risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency if you develop pale or yellow skin, it added.
The condition, which is known as jaundice, could be caused by the body not producing enough red blood cells.
Vitamin B12 is needed for the creation of red blood cells, which subsequently lowers the risk of jaundice.
The best food sources of vitamin B12
Eat these foods to maximise your vitamin B12 intake.
The best food sources of vitamin B12
Other, more common warning signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency include tiredness, jaundice, and feeling dizzy.
You should speak to a doctor if you’re worried about vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms.
But you can top up on the vitamin by eating certain foods. The best sources of vitamin B12 include beef, liver, dairy foods, eggs, and salmon.
A vitamin B12 deficiency could be caused by pernicious anaemia – a condition that’s caused by the body’s immune system attacking healthy stomach cells.
Diagnosing the condition early is crucial, as it can lead to heart conditions and temporary infertility on rare occasions.
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