Vitamin B12 aids in red blood cell formation and DNA replication in your body. This vitamin is found in animal proteins and added to many vegetarian and vegan foods to prevent deficiency and resulting anemia. Intrinsic factor in your stomach aids in the absorption of B12 from the proteins in your food, according to Sareen Gropper, Jack Smith and James Groff in "Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism." if you have a problem absorbing B12 or don't eat foods rich in this vitamin, deficiencies can lead to many health problems.
Pernicious Anemia
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, a division of the National Institutes of Health, pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disorder that causes failure of the production of intrinsic factor in your stomach and resulting malabsorption of B12, which leads to deficiency. Left untreated, your red blood cells don't mature to the proper size, causing anemia. Your nervous system also becomes affected with symptoms of nervousness, tingling in your hands and feet, as well as problems maintaining proper walking ability, poor memory and even dementia.
Brain Function
Vitamin B12 deficiency in toddlers can hinder brain development, leading to developmental delay in physical and cognitive skills. In toddlers, B12 deficiency can lead to cognitive issues hindering a child to reach certain milestones in physical, mental development and speech. According to Psychology Today, B12 deficiency may cause babies between 4 and 8 months old to exhibit lethargy, and children to have a poor attention span and low motivation for learning. The elderly may have mild confusion, depression, memory loss and hallucinations, states Psychology Today. According to the MayoClinic.com, some Alzheimer's patients have abnormally low B12 levels, while B12 deficiency in the elderly can mimic some of the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Breast Cancer
Women with breast cancer tend to have low levels of B12. According to MayoClinic.com, women with B12 deficiency may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer because B12 deficiency hinders folic acid from properly replicating and repairing your DNA, which may lead to the development of cancer cells.
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