Your body relies on red blood cells to transport oxygen to your cells and tissues. To create these red blood cells your body uses a variety of nutrients, including vitamin B-12. When you have a B-12 deficiency, you can develop a form of anemia, a blood disorder in which your body is unable to make enough new blood cells. Talk to a doctor if you need medical advice about a vitamin deficiency and its potential impact on your health.
Red Blood Cells
There are three kinds of cells in your blood: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Red blood cells take oxygen from you lungs and carry it throughout your body. To do this, the red blood cells use a protein called hemoglobin, which also bonds with carbon dioxide, returning it to the lungs for them to exhale, according to the Franklin Institute. The average red blood cell lasts about 120 days, after which your body must replace it with a new cell.
B-12 Deficiency
Vitamin B-12 is a water-soluble vitamin found in meats, fish and some dairy products, as well as fortified foods such as cereals. The vitamin plays an important role in your body's ability to create new red blood cells, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, a service of the National Institutes of Health. If you fail to get enough B-12, either because your diet lacks it or your body is unable to absorb it, you can develop a B-12 deficiency. Without enough B-12 your body cannot create enough red blood cells to replace those you lose on a regular basis. This can lead to a medical condition known as megaloblastic anemia.
Megaloblastic Anemia
Megaloblastic anemia can arise as the result of a B-12 deficiency. The disorder causes your blood cells to swell to a larger size than normal. People suffering from the condition do not get enough oxygen to their tissues and organs and can suffer from symptoms that include fatigue, diarrhea, pale skin and problems concentrating, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. If you have the condition long enough you can also develop nerve damage that can lead to confusion, depression, loss of balance and numbness in your hands and feet.
Deficiency Causes
A vitamin B-12 deficiency and related anemia can arise for a number of reasons. Vegetarians may develop megaloblastic anemia because vegetables are typically a poor source of vitamin B-12, according to MedlinePlus. Chronic alcoholism, Crohn's disease and other forms of anemia, such as pernicious anemia caused by an iron deficiency, can also interfere with your body's ability to absorb B-12 and lead to megaloblastic anemia.
