Your body needs vitamin B-12 for a number of important functions, including maintaining a healthy nervous system. If you have low B-12 levels, your nerves -- particularly those in your limbs -- are susceptible to nerve damage, which can result in leg pain. You can prevent leg pain due to low B-12 by getting enough of the vitamin in your diet.
About Vitamin B-12
Your body needs vitamin B-12 for such purposes as helping build healthy nerves, blood cells and DNA. For example, you need vitamin B-12 to make hemoglobin, the component in blood cells that helps transport oxygen. Furthermore, B-12 helps keep your myelin sheath -- the covering of your nerves -- strong and healthy, protecting your nervous system. Insufficient B-12 can lead to damage to the myelin sheath, leading to neurological problems, including leg pain.
Vitamin B-12 Deficiency
Typically, healthy adults do not suffer from a vitamin B-12 deficiency; however, problems with your intestinal tract can prevent the absorption of B-12, leading to a deficiency. In addition, many elderly people suffer from low B-12 due to age-related absorption problems. Normally, low B-12 can lead to anemia, in which your blood cells are unhealthy and cannot properly carry oxygen. However, it can also result in neurological problems, like peripheral neuropathy.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy refers to symptoms like pain and numbness in your hands, feet and limbs caused by damage to your peripheral nerves. Your peripheral nerves include sensory nerves, which feel sensations, and motor nerves, which control how you move. It can be caused by reasons other than low B-12 levels, including diabetes and autoimmune diseases. If you are suffering from leg pain, you should see your doctor and get your B-12 levels tested.
Amounts and Sources
To help prevent leg pain from low B-12 levels, you should get at least 2.4 micrograms of B-12 every day. If you are over the age of 51, you should be getting your B-12 from a supplement or fortified foods to help compensate for age-related absorption problems. Dietary sources of B-12 are primarily animal products, like meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, and some milk products. Fortified foods, like cereal and some bread products, also typically contain added B-12.
