Vitamin B12 deficiency.. Causes and symptoms

The German Health Center explained that vitamin B12 deficiency has several causes, the most prominent of which is following a completely vegetarian diet, since the food sources of vitamin B12 are foods of animal origin such as red meat, eggs and milk.

Digestive system diseases

The center added that vitamin B12 deficiency may also be due to digestive system diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and gastritis.

Vitamin B12 deficiency may also be a side effect of some medications such as proton pump inhibitors, anticoagulants, some antibiotics, some Parkinson's medications and some diabetes medications.

Serious diseases

Vitamin B12 deficiency increases the risk of serious diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, blood diseases (such as anemia), nervous system diseases (such as neuropathies) and dementia.

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include numbness of the skin, tingling in the arms or legs, loss of appetite, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, poor memory, decreased ability to exert effort, sleep disturbances, fatigue and exhaustion.

The center indicated that the daily requirement of vitamin B12 for adults is 4 micrograms. This requirement can be met by eating foods rich in vitamin B12, such as animal foods. As for vegetarians, they should take nutritional supplements containing vitamin B12.