Vitamin B12 is found in a variety of foods, including fish, shellfish, meat and dairy products. This vitamin helps make DNA and maintains healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. The human body can store high levels of B12 in the body for future use, making deficiencies fairly rare, but individuals who cannot absorb this vitamin, vegans and elderly individuals are at risk for deficiencies, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Neurologic Symptoms
Neurological symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency typically develop slowly, but are not always reversible with supplementation, says the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. These symptoms occur because a lack of this vitamin damages the myelin sheath covering cranial, spinal and peripheral nerves, says the Institute. Symptoms can include numbness or tingling in the arms or legs, trouble walking, memory loss, dementia and disorientation. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, in approximately 25 percent of diagnoses of a B12 deficiency, neurological problems are the only clinical symptom of the problem.
Anemia
Vitamin B12 helps red blood cells mature; without it, anemia can develop. Blood tests are done to confirm the symptom, and individuals with vitamin B12-related anemia are known to have abnormally large red blood cells and white blood cells that have abnormal nuclei, according to the Merck Manuals. The Linus Pauling Institute describes this kind of anemia as megalobastic anemia, and is a symptom of the disease pernicious anemia. Due to the fact that the liver can store large amounts of this vitamin, anemia can take three to five years to develop after a deficiency is present. Symptoms of anemia include paleness and fatigue, and severe anemia can cause rapid heart rate, dizziness and shortness of breath, says the Merck Manuals.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Some individuals with a vitamin B12 deficiency only present with gastrointestinal symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, lists some of these symptoms, including anorexia, flatulence, diarrhea and constipation. An individual may also complain of tongue soreness, says the Linus Pauling Institute. These symptoms are thought to occur because of stomach inflammation that typically accompanies deficiencies of vitamin B12. This inflammation leads to gastrointestinal cells being more vulnerable to disease or mutation, causing symptoms.
Vascular Symptoms
Both low folate levels and low levels of vitamin B12 can lead to elevated homocysteine levels, called hyperhomocysteinemia, says the CDC. This condition increases an individual's risk of stroke, vascular blockage and coronary heart disease. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, although increased levels of folate and vitamin B12 lower homocysteine levels, there is no definitive conclusion about whether increasing intake of these vitamins leads to a reduced risk of cardiovascular problems, and more studies are needed.
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