Vitamin B-12, which is one of the eight B complex vitamins, is important for the growth and maintenance of nerve cells. Animal-derived foods, such as chicken, eggs and milk are great sources of this vitamin, but those who follow vegan diets are at risk for a vitamin B-12 deficiency. One symptom of a vitamin B-12 deficiency is foot numbness.
Signs and Symptoms
Severe deficiencies in vitamin B-12 can have serious consequences, as this vitamin is necessary for the health of multiple types of cells throughout the body. Vitamin B-12 is particularly necessary for the health of nerve cells, and a deficiency can lead to nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy. If the nerves of the feet are damaged, the symptoms may include numbness, weakness, pain and tingling in the feet. These symptoms often also affect the hands as well.
Mechanism
Scientists are not exactly sure how nerve cells use vitamin B-12 or how a vitamin B-12 deficiency causes nerve damage. However, the University of Maryland Medical Center postulates that a vitamin B-12 deficiency may lead to a build up of atypical fatty acids around the nerve cells, ultimately leading to nerve cell damage. This damage leads to numbness in the feet, which is reversible if the vitamin B-12 deficiency is adequately treated. If the deficiency is not treated, the nerve damage and the symptoms may be permanent.
Diagnosis
To diagnose a vitamin B-12 deficiency as the cause of feet numbness, a neurological evaluation and analysis of a blood sample are often performed. For the neurological evaluation, the doctor will ask you questions about your medical history and symptoms, and give you a physical exam. Additionally, he may want to conduct electrodiagnostic tests, which measure how well your nerves conduct electricity, which healthy nerves do well, but damaged nerves do less effectively. For the blood test, a nurse or technician will take a blood sample, normally from the vein located on the inside of the elbow joint. The blood sample is then sent to the lab for the assessment of vitamin B-12 levels.
Treatment
If you have a vitamin B-12 deficiency, your doctor will likely recommend that you increase your dietary intake of vitamin B-12 or take vitamin supplements. These vitamin supplements are available in an oral form often in doses between 1000 and 2000 micrograms. If your deficiency is especially severe, your doctor may prescribe regular 1 mg injections of vitamin B-12 until your blood levels return to normal. If do not absorb vitamin B-12 normally, you may need to get these injections monthly for your lifetime.
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