Vitamin B12 fulfills a number of crucial roles in the body and these roles are responsible for both physical and mental processes. Take its role in supporting the nervous system. The nervous system sends signals between the brain and the rest of the body, including internal organs.
Constant fatigue is one of the main symptoms of a B12 deficiency because when this vitamin is low, the body has fewer red blood cells.
The primary job of those red blood cells is to carry oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body.
A lack of red blood cells translates into fatigue.
Therefore, no matter how much sleep you get, if not enough of these cells are flowing through your body, you will still spend the day exhausted.
READ MORE: Symptoms of High Blood Pressure – Six ‘Emergencies’ of Hypertension
Feeling unusually tired or weak is one of the most common warning signs of the condition, says medical website Healthline.
If you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, your body may have a hard time making new red blood cells.
Red blood cells are key to the body’s delivery of oxygen.
Without enough oxygen in your cells, you can generally feel tired or exhausted.
DO NOT MISS
A deficiency in B12 can also cause fewer red blood cells to be produced and lead to nerve damage.
If left untreated for a long time, the condition can put you at risk for heart problems.
To avoid complications, it is important to recognize all symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, and one symptom to watch out for is a change in breathing.
Experts say that shortness of breath, even after a little exertion, can be a sign of the condition.
According to a case report from Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital published in The New England Journal of Medicine, a 62-year-old man deficient in vitamin B12 gradually became short of breath.
Shortness of breath can occur when the body does not have red blood cells, as it needs them to get enough oxygen to the body cells.
Thyroid Patient Advocacy explains that shortness of breath can occur without chest pain and adds that it can happen when you walk just a few feet.
A blood test is usually ordered to screen for a vitamin B12 deficiency, which can also measure the size of the red blood cells in the body.
This factor is important because vitamin B12 helps create healthy red blood cells.
Insufficient amounts of the vitamin in the body can lead to abnormally large red blood cells.
However, a blood test has its limitations: It can measure the amount of vitamin B12 in the body, but it cannot determine whether the body can use it.