What Are the Signs of Low Vitamin B Levels?

According to recent research, four out of 10 Americans are deficient in vitamin B12. Unfortunately, this vitamin is crucial for a number of important bodily processes, like fat metabolism, GI health, and mental health. Today, our experts at Simply Slim Medical in Bethesda, MD are taking a closer look at the signs that you may need vitamin B injections with lipotropic amino acid agents.

What Are the Signs of Low Vitamin B Levels?

Fatigue

Symptoms of low vitamin B levels vary, but fatigue is one of the most common symptoms. The reason so many people suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency report feeling fatigued is that the vitamin, sometimes referred to as cobalamin, is necessary for the production of red blood cells. When your body isn’t making enough red blood cells, the blood vessels’ ability to transport oxygen. When your blood oxygen levels are low, you feel both tired and weak.

Skin Discoloration

Skin discoloration is another sign of low vitamin B levels. Specifically, you may suffer from a cobalamin deficiency if you notice that your skin is yellow or far paler than it usually is. This is an indication of cobalamin deficiency because the vitamin is required for red blood cells to mature fully and become healthy.

If your red blood cells are not matured fully, you may begin to suffer from a medical condition known as jaundice. This condition usually turns your skin yellow. In severe cases, even the whites of your eyes can become tinged with a yellow hue.

Mood Problems

Mood problems are another common side effect of low vitamin B levels. Specifically, people who are deficient in vitamin B12 are at a significant risk for developing major depressive disorder. Even worse, B vitamins aren’t just necessary to feel positive. They are also responsible for helping you regulate other moods, like anxiety.

Poor GI Health

Have you been unusually bloated lately? Have you been flatulating more than usual? Have you had other problems with your GI tract, like nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or cramping? If so, there is a good chance that your vitamin B levels are low.

The more GI problems you’re having, the more likely it is that your B vitamin levels are low. Many of the symptoms of vitamin B 12 deficiency, like diarrhea and nausea, can have many causes. For instance, diarrhea can be caused by constipation, overhydration, or an extreme electrolyte imbalance. Nausea may be caused by anxiety, a migraine, an infectious virus, or salmonella poisoning.

Unintentional Weight Gain

There is also a good chance that your vitamin B12 levels are low if you find yourself gaining weight week after week when you don’t mean to. Gaining weight can be frustrating, especially if you are actively trying to maintain your current weight or lose weight. Sometimes, people gain weight because they overestimate their total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).

Other times, people gain weight because they severely underestimate the number of calories they consume per day. However, in some cases, people gain weight despite doing everything right. They would be eating at a caloric deficit for their height and weight, but their fat metabolism is a lot lower than it should be due to the micronutrient deficiency.

Cognitive Decline

It is normal for cognitive decline to occur in older individuals due to hormone imbalances. However, it is not normal for younger people to experience cognitive decline. If you have noticed lately that it is becoming increasingly difficult to concentrate, there is a good chance that your vitamin B12 levels are low. Remember, when vitamin B levels are insufficient, your blood struggles to circulate oxygen throughout your body.

Also, due to the way vitamin B12 helps your central nervous system function correctly, you may find brain fog nearly impossible to cut. Even worse, people with vitamin B12 deficiency often find that they can’t finish projects they started. This can negatively affect their work.

Headaches

Have you noticed that your head has been hurting more often than normal? Have you noticed that your head hurts worse than it usually does when you get a headache? If so, you may be suffering from one of the many neurological symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, chronic headaches.

Am I a Good Candidate for Vitamin B Injections With Lipotropic Amino Acids?

You will generally be considered a good candidate for vitamin B injections with lipotropic amino acids in the Tysons Corner, VA area if your B12 levels are between 200 and 300 picograms per milliliter. You will generally be considered a very good candidate for lipotropic vitamin B injections in the DMV area if your B12 levels are fewer than 200 pg/mL.

Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today

Have you noticed that you’ve been fatigued lately? Is your skin turning yellow? Are you struggling to lose or maintain weight? If so, you may be a good candidate for vitamin B injections with lipotropic amino acid agents. To find out for sure whether this injectable is right for you, contact us today at Simply Slim Medical in Bethesda, MD to schedule an appointment. With two convenient locations in Falls Church, VA and Bethesda, we have an office near you!