Vitamin B-12 is essential for most functions within your body. B-12 helps with DNA production, red blood cell production, metabolizing food into energy and maintaining the health of the nerves. Your body must get B-12 from foods such as eggs, meats and milk products. Symptoms of a B-12 deficiency can often take months to develop. One of the symptoms of a long-term B-12 deficiency is numbness and tingling, often associated with a more serious condition known as peripheral neuropathy.
B-12 Deficiency
Your body can store up to five years' worth of vitamin B-12 in the liver, making a deficiency rare in healthy people. However, people with poor nutrition, eating disorders or alcoholism are at increased risk of vitamin deficiencies, as are people who have had weight-loss surgery or suffer from malabsorption problems such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A B-12 deficiency can often lead to a condition known as B-12 deficiency anemia, in which the body no longer produces enough healthy red blood cells. This can lead to a lack of oxygen throughout the body, fatigue and damage to the nerves.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy refers to nerve damage that occurs along the peripheral nerves. The peripheral nerves are the nerves that relay information to and from the brain and spinal cord to the skin, organs and tissues. The National Institutes of Health explains that when damage occurs along this nerve path, people begin to exhibit symptoms. Where the symptoms occur and which symptoms are present can often help physicians pinpoint the type of nerves have been damaged. For instance, a lack of coordination and muscle control often indicates damage to the motor fibers, while abdominal bloating, dizziness, heat intolerance and impotence can all indicate that damage to the autonomic nerves are present.
Numbness and Tingling
People who have suffered from a chronic B-12 deficiency may begin to notice pain, numbness or tingling in the extremities. These symptoms often show up in the longest nerves first, such as those in the legs and feet, according to the National Institutes of Health. Numbness and tingling is an indication that sensory nerve damage is present. As the condition worsens, symptoms will often move closer toward the center of the body from the hands and feet.
Treatment
Treatment for numbness and tingling related to a B-12 deficiency often involves pinpointing the underlying cause of the deficiency as well as treating the deficiency itself. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that physicians will often initially treat severe deficiencies with B-12 injections. Physicians commonly give injections daily for the first week or two before tapering off to weekly and then monthly injections. People with poor nutrition may need to see a nutritionist for dietary needs. People who suffer from diseases in which the body cannot properly absorb B-12 may need to have lifelong B-12 injections.
Prognosis
People treated for a B-12 deficiency often respond positively to treatment. Patients who receive treatment within six months of the onset of symptoms have a lesser chance of suffering permanent nerve damage.
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