Vitamin B12 is present in many foods, including meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. But if you’re allergic to some of these or you don’t often include them in your diet, you might have Vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to a wide range of unpleasant symptoms. Here at Simply Slim Medical in Bethesda, MD, we offer B12 injections, which can help you recover quickly and get you back on track.
What Are the Symptoms of a Vitamin B12 Deficiency?
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that helps the body to synthesize DNA, produce energy, and keep the central nervous system functional. If you’re not getting enough of it, you might start to suffer from physical symptoms like skin discoloration, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and an infection in your mouth or on your tongue. You could also experience issues such as depression, fatigue, and memory loss.
Skin Discoloration
Many people who aren’t getting enough vitamin B12 might look very pale, or their skin could take on a yellow tinge. This is because the body is unable to produce enough fully matured red blood cells without B12.
A severe deficiency can even lead to a condition called jaundice. This makes the whites of your eyes and your skin look yellow because your body isn’t able to break down bilirubin, a waste product created during the breakdown of red blood cells.
Permanent Fatigue
To function well, your body needs B12, so you’re likely to experience long-lasting fatigue if you aren’t getting enough of this vitamin. In fact, fatigue is one of the earliest signs, and it sometimes occurs even when your levels of B12 are within the healthy range or borderline.
This is because normal red blood cell production is decreased, and your tissues aren’t getting enough oxygen. Sometimes, a B12 deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia, a condition that affects the shape, size, and function of your red blood cells.
Headaches
One of the most commonly reported symptoms of a B12 deficiency is headaches. In fact, the risk of suffering from migraines is significantly lower in people who get enough B12 than those who are often low on this vitamin. If you frequently suffer from headaches and you’re not sure why, try increasing your B12 intake. You might find that B12 injections resolve the problem.
Gastrointestinal Problems
Various gastrointestinal problems can be caused by low levels of B12, including bloating, nausea, constipation, gas, and pain. Because these symptoms can be caused by so many factors, it’s often hard to tell whether a B12 deficiency is the root of the issue or whether the patient is suffering from an infection, an allergy, or the side effects of a medication.
The Symptoms of Depression
More and more people are suffering from depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. While these conditions are often caused by environmental factors or past traumatic events, they can also be related to nutrient deficiencies in the body.
Before you start taking antidepressants and other drugs, check that you’re getting enough of all your essential vitamins and minerals. A B12 deficiency can negatively affect your nervous system, and a lack of this substance may contribute to DNA damage, oxidative stress, and cell death.
Concentration Problems
Because the central nervous system is impaired when you don’t get enough B12, you might have trouble concentrating and retaining new information. While this can be a problem for young patients, it is an even greater issue for older people, who tend to have lower levels of B12 and suffer more frequently from memory impairment. By increasing your B12 intake, you can stop memory loss and concentration issues in their tracks.
Pain in the Mouth
People who don’t get enough B12 in their diet often have a red and inflamed tongues. This condition, called glossitis, is almost always related to a nutrient deficiency. If you have a painful tongue or painful symptoms in your cheeks, come to see us as early as possible because you might be lacking a vital nutrient.
How Can B12 Injections Help?
Many people have a chronic B12 deficiency, especially those who don’t eat meat, eggs, or fish. If you’ve started experiencing any of the above symptoms, consider having a B12 injection, which could deliver this vital nutrient to your system quickly and efficiently. Injections work much better than tablets because a greater portion of the nutrients can be absorbed, and you will feel the results much faster because the vitamin is delivered directly to your bloodstream.
At the clinic, we often combine B12 with other substances that can encourage your metabolism to function better and mobilize fat. That way, you’ll not only receive a vital nutrient, but you’ll also be able to lose excess weight much faster than if you focus solely on exercise and nutrition.
Get Rid of Painful and Disruptive Symptoms with a B12 Injection
Not getting enough B12 in your diet can lead to a wide range of health concerns, such as concentration problems, depression, an infection in the mouth, headaches, and skin discoloration. If you’re worried about your B12 intake, you can come to the clinic and get treatment. Call us at Simply Slim Medical in Bethesda, MD to find out more about vitamin B12 injections or to speak to an expert about your nutrient intake.