Kelly Rissman, an Insider contributor, experienced unexplained pins and needles that radiated through her left arm. After waiting for her laboratory results, her internist told her that she had a severe vitamin B12 deficiency.
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What Is Vitamin B12 Deficiency?
According to Dr. Edwin Serrano, a neurology resident physician at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, a B12 level of around 300 picograms per milliliter is regarded as normal; and below 200 pg/ml is regarded as low. In Rossman's case, her B12 level stayed close to 175 pg/ml.
According to Dr. Brad Kamitaki, an assistant professor of neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, symptoms typically appear after vitamin B12 deficiency has gone untreated for years.
Many people initially exhibit no symptoms because the symptoms of a B12 deficiency, such as cognitive slowing, fatigue, tongue swelling, arm or leg tingling, and difficulty walking, can be vague. He continued that the condition can be undiagnosed or underdiagnosed.
Cause and Prevention
There are two reasons for a B12 deficiency - malabsorption or insufficient intake. Vegan and vegetarian diets can result in insufficient intake of B12 because animal products are a major source of the vitamin. Certain conditions, such as atrophic gastritis or celiac disease, can block the absorption of B12.
It is crucial to get enough vitamin B12 because it supports the health of your body's blood and nerve cells. DNA, the genetic component of all of your cells, is also produced by your body with its assistance.
According to Cleveland Clinic, you must eat foods and beverages containing vitamin B12 in order to get it because your body cannot produce it on its own. You can get vitamin B12 from eating and drinking animal products like meat, dairy, and eggs. It can also be found in fortified foods, which are foods that have additional vitamins and nutrients, like bread and nutritional yeast.
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Irreversible Damage of Vitamin B12
Serrano warned that untreated symptoms could result in irreversible damage to the nervous system, impair your ability to walk normally, cause persistent muscle tightness, and cause motor function loss in your legs. He continued by saying that untreated symptoms might affect a person's capacity to produce red blood cells, raising their risk of heart failure and possibly even dementia.
According to Rissman, she had her vitamin B12 injections for a month, with daily supplements. However, the symptoms worsened before they improved. She said that her body took awhile to replenish its B12.
Serrano said, "If there are neurological symptoms, these can linger between three months to one year." In the case of Rissman, leg numbness persisted and brain fog was overwhelming. Her headaches became so excruciating that she could no longer sleep and her vision became blurry. The tumor and multiple sclerosis were ruled out as the symptoms were clearly a B12 deficiency.
If left untreated, pernicious anemia, a lack of vitamin B12 that affects the production of red blood cells, can result in permanent neurological damage and even death.
People with this type of anemia often respond well to treatment, according to Mount Sinai. Long-term vitamin B12 deficiency can damage the nerves. If you do not begin treatment within six months of the onset of your symptoms, this could be permanent.
Treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency anemia is usually effective. It will most likely improve once the underlying cause of the deficiency is addressed.
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