Symptoms of Vitamin B-12 Deficiency Early symptoms of a B-12 deficiency may be overlooked, diagnosed as another illness, or attributed to just getting older because many of them mimic classic signs of aging. Of course, this isnt surprising since low serum levels of vitamin B-12 are fairly common in elderly patients.(1) Some of the symptoms of a vitamin B-12 deficiency may include: Fatigue Weakness Memory loss Cognitive functioning problems Diarrhea or constipation Loss of appetite Shortness of breath Beefy, red, smooth and sore tongue Sore mouth and/or bleeding gums Numbness and tingling of hands and feet Poor sense of balance Depression Confusion Insomnia Vision problems Loss of hearing and tinnitus Pale, possibly yellowish pallor in light-skinned individuals; blotchy pigmentation in dark-skinned individuals. A B-12 deficiency can be difficult to diagnose because serum blood levels of B-12 may test normal. Having circulating B-12 in blood doesnt mean it is being utilized properly by the bodys cells. Some doctors suggest that a test measuring methylmalonyl coenzyme A levels in the urine gives a more accurate reading of B-12s availability in the body.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 02:29:58 +0000
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