Both B-12 and folic acid are essential nutrients without which your body could not function properly. They're both B vitamins -- folic acid is also known as B-9 -- and they share certain common features, such as aiding in the formation of red blood cells. A deficiency of either one of these nutrients can result in fatigue, but it's important to determine which of the two is causing the problem in order to ensure you obtain the correct treatment.
Vitamin B-12
Of all the vitamins, B-12 is the most chemically complex. It contains within its structure an ion of cobalt, from which is derives its alternative name, cobalamin. B-12 is involved in the formation of red blood cells, the maintenance of the nervous system and the synthesis of DNA and RNA, which contain your genetic code. B-12 is only found in animal-based foods, thus vegans, who abide by a strictly plant-based diet, must obtain it through vitamin supplements or foods fortified with the vitamin.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate, the form of B-9 that naturally occurs in food. Unlike B-12, folate is available in a number of plant-based foods. Its name is derived from the Latin word for leaf, which is "folium," and it is present in numerous leafy green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and lettuce. Like B-12, folate is involved with the formation of red blood cells and the synthesis of DNA and RNA, but it doesn't have the profound impact on the nervous system that B-12 has. It is this aspect that makes the differentiation between B-12 deficiency and folic acid deficiency so crucial.
Megaloblastic Anemia
A deficiency of either B-12 or folic acid can result in megaloblastic anemia. This condition occurs when red blood cells fail to mature, resulting in a lower red blood cell count and the proliferation of immature, abnormally large, red blood cells. Fatigue is one of the cardinal symptoms of megaloblastic anemia. When your body does not have enough healthy red blood cells, oxygen cannot be efficiently transported to all the areas of your body that need it. Weakness and fatigue are the result.
Diagnosis and Treatment
If you suspect you may have megaloblastic anemia due to a dietary deficiency, it is important to determine which nutrient you are lacking. If you have a B-12 deficiency that is erroneously treated with folic acid supplementation, your megaloblastic anemia may be corrected, but the other repercussions of B-12 deficiency will not. As a result, nerve damage that can occur due to lack of B-12 will continue to progress, and can become permanent. Consult your doctor if you are suffering from fatigue due to vitamin deficiency.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B12
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Folate
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University; Folic Acid; Jane Higdon; April 2002
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University; Vitamin B12; Jane Higdon; March 2003
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Megaloblastic (Pernicious) Anemia; January 2008
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