Deficiency in vitamin B12 is fairly uncommon in the United States because the typical American diet is rich in animal products that contain more than sufficient amounts of vitamin B12. However, in developing countries where there is malnutrition, vitamin B12 deficiency is fairly common. Also, vegetarians can develop this deficiency if they lack adequate sources of vitamin B12 in their diet.
Function
Vitamin B12 is a water soluble vitamin that is vital to almost every cell function in your body, such as DNA synthesis, brain and nerve impulse function, protein and red blood cell synthesis, fatty acid breakdown and energy production. Because it is a water soluble vitamin, it cannot be stored in the body and excess amounts of B12 is excreted via urine.
Symptoms
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include anemia (a decrease in red blood cells), fatigue, diarrhea, depression and dementia, nerve and brain damage, impaired sense of touch (especially in pressure) and decreased muscle reflexes, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Causes
The major cause of vitamin B12 deficiency is an inadequate intake of the food sources that contain the vitamin. This occurs mostly in vegans who do not eat animal sources of food and do not take any B12 supplements. Some people also lack intrinsic factor production in the stomach, which is a protein type made by parietal cells in the stomach and is necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12. This condition is common among people who have had bariatric surgery in which the reduction of size in the stomach causes less intrinsic factor to be synthesized.
Also, metaformin, a drug that diabetics often use to treat their condition, can block the absorption of vitamin B12.
Treatment
Vitamin B12 supplementation in pill or liquid form, or by injection, can treat vitamin B12 deficiency, depending the severity of the deficiency. Healthy individuals can take the oral treatment forms, but for those with more severe symptoms, injection treatment provides faster vitamin B12 absorption to the body.
Sources
You can find natural sources of vitamin B12 in animal products, such as poultry, beef, pork, seafood, eggs, and dairy products. Fortified cereals, milk, and soy products are other sources of vitamin B12.
According to the dietary guidelines by the United States Department of Agriculture, teens age 14 and up and adults should take about 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily. Pregnant and lactating women should take 2.8 micrograms daily.
References
- "Persepctives in Nutrition, 5th Edition"; Gordon Wardlaw, Margaret Kessel; 2002
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Vitamin B12 Deficiency
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