Vitamin B12 deficiency is a condition caused by an improper diet or the inability of the body to absorb a valuable substance in full. People who ignore warning signs are at risk of being hit. Vitamin B12 deficiency, if left uncorrected, can cause neurological, mental, and physical problems.
Everyone needs vitamins. The lack of each substance becomes a threat to human health. Therefore, it is so important to monitor their regular intake in the body.
One of the most valuable vitamins – B12 or cyanocobalamin – is involved in the formation of red blood cells, maintains the health of nerve cells, monitors the production of DNA – the body’s genetic material.
In the initial stage, vitamin B12 deficiency is not a serious disease. But this condition can turn into a serious illness if ignored and left untreated for too long.
During one of the scientific studies, covering a large group of volunteers with signs of anemia, doctors found a common symptom. Patients spoke of him as an enemy who methodically pursues them at night. The night sweats that study participants complained regarding were found to be vitamin B12 deficiency upon further study of the volunteers’ stories.
What patients said
A nocturnal symptom associated with cyanocobalamin deficiency was reported in 2015 by the European Journal of General Medicine. The situations described in the publication told of three patients who were exhausted by profuse night sweats and weakness, which accompanied an unhealthy condition.
The first case involved a 57-year-old man who suffered from a similar symptom for three to four years. According to him, every night he had to change the sheet, wet from sweat, to dry. After taking the supplements, the patient’s condition was assessed by the doctors as satisfactory: nocturnal symptoms disappeared.
In a similar case, a 74-year-old woman reported 10 years of episodic sweating, also requiring frequent changes of clothing and sheets. She was diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency due to elevated homocysteine levels. After the injections, which were carried out in courses, there was a noticeable improvement in the general condition. The debilitating night signs disappeared.
The third case was in a 43-year-old man who had been suffering from night sweats for four years, mainly affecting the head and face. In his situation, the supplements prescribed by the doctor helped.
Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms
Dr. Justin Butler, who led the study, believes B12 deficiency can cause permanent nerve damage and heart failure. Among the symptoms associated with a lack of cyanocobalamin, he called:
- severe fatigue;
- muscle weakness;
- depression
- weight loss;
- yellowish skin tone;
- numbness or tingling in the limbs;
- cognitive problems.
The expert drew attention to another characteristic sign indicating vitamin B12 deficiency: tinnitus. Patients reporting this symptom described it as sounds coming from within the body rather than from an outside source, Express reports.
In recent materials of the online publication Uchitelskaya Gazeta, other symptoms of a lack of cyanocobalamin are also described. And also regarding how to determine the deficiency of B12 in the face and find out the lack of a trace element in the eyes. Information regarding vitamin B12 can be found in a special UG.RU section dedicated to this topic.
A lot of useful information related to vitamins can be found here. We advise everyone who monitors their health to read the materials of special sections: About nutrition, Health.
This information is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this publication is to tell regarding the discoveries of scientists. All actions related to taking medications and dietary supplements must be agreed with the doctors.
