Page 57 - Seniorstoday January 2024 Issue
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vitamin B12 in their blood, but they do not depression by increasing oxidative stress,
have the proteins they need to transport it DNA damage, and cell death in the body
between cells. This means the body cannot • Confusion - Because a deficiency in B12
use it effectively. negatively impacts the central nervous
Symptoms may include: system, people with low or deficient B12
• anaemia- The most common symptoms levels may feel foggy-headed and have
of anaemia are fatigue, shortness of breath, difficulty concentrating and completing
and an irregular heartbeat. tasks
Pale or yellow skin - The hallmark • Memory problems
symptom of B12 deficiency is megaloblastic • Headaches - Headaches are among the
anaemia, in which the red blood cells are most commonly reported symptoms related
immature and larger than usual. This to B12 deficiency in both adults and kids.
affects their ability to deliver oxygen Studies people,half of whom experienced
effectively to the body. migraine, found that blood levels of B12
Like the condition called iron deficiency were significantly lower in the participants
anaemia, anaemia related to B12 deficiency with migraine.
may make your skin pale due to a lack of • Fatigue and weakness - Your body’s cells
fully-matured, healthy red blood cells in need B12 to function properly. As such,
the body having inadequate B12 levels can decrease
B12 deficiency can also cause a condition normal red blood cell production, which
called jaundice, which makes your skin can impair oxygen delivery, leaving you
and the whites of your eyes take on a fatigued.
yellowish color due to high levels of • GIT issues - A B12 deficiency may also
bilirubin (2Trusted Source). cause diarrhea, nausea, constipation,
• Nerve damage - Many adults and bloating, gas, and other gastrointestinal
kids who have B12 deficiency report symptoms
experiencing paresthesia, a burning or • Problems with balance - Ataxia, or
pins-and-needles sensation in certain impaired balance and coordination, is a
areas of the body like the hands and feet, neurological symptom that can be caused
due to damage to nerves; it also negatively by B12 deficiency. As such, a person with
impacts motor and sensory nerve function, B12 deficiency may have difficulty walking
which can cause muscle cramps and and balancing
weakness • A sore mouth or tongue - Glossitis is a
• Damage to the spinal cord medical term that refers to an inflamed, red,
• Neurological problems that affect mental and painful tongue. It can be caused by a
health - Many studies have associated low B12 deficiency.
B12 levels with worsened mental function • Erectile dysfunction: Men with B12
in older adults. deficiency may experience erectile
• Cardiovascular disease dysfunction as a result of increased levels of
• Depression - Having low levels of B12 can homocysteine in the body
cause elevated levels of a sulfur-containing • Vision disturbances: B12 deficiency may
amino acid called homocysteine. In turn, cause vision disturbances, possibly due to
this may contribute to the development of damage to the optic nerve.
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #55 | JANUARY 2024 57
