The vitamin B 12 is a nutrient key in human health due to its involvement in the formation of red blood cells and the DNA present in every cell. However, it is also an essential vitamin for the neurological functioning of the body.
In this sense, the lack of vitamin B 12 can lead to megaloblastic anemia, which is reflected in symptoms of pallor , weakness and fatigue. If it is severe, it can also cause dizziness, respiratory distress.
Likewise, although it is not affected as much, the deficiency of this nutrient can also cause neurological damage. As a consequence, tingling may appear, loss of sensation in the hands and feet, and muscle weakness, loss of reflexes, difficulty walking, confusion and dementia.
Symptoms related to megaloblastic anemia may remit when taking high doses of vitamin B supplements 12. However, symptoms caused by neurological damage dementia may persist in the case of older people and.
Characteristics of vitamin B 12
Vitamin B 12 is also known as cobalamin and is a fundamental trient in the formation and maturation of red blood cells. It is also key in the synthesis of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), which is the genetic material of cells.
Equally , this vitamin of group B is necessary for the proper functioning of the nerves, hence its excessive deficiency can cause neurological damage.
As, vitamin B 12 has a special peculiarity, and that is that it is only found naturally in foods from Animal origin, such as meat, eggs, milk, clams, oysters, salmon or tuna. Although some studies claim that some plants such as aloe vera contain small doses of this vitamin.
On the other hand, from the pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) they explain that the vitamin B 20 is stored in large quantities in the liver until is required by the body.
Reasons for having optimal levels
Vitamin B 12 is absorbed in the last segment of the small intestine, which communicates directly with the large intestine . However, for absorption by the body to be carried out correctly, it must be combined with a protein called intrinsic factor.
In this sense, people who are deficient in this nutrient are because they have difficulty producing the intrinsic factor. When this occurs, vitamin B 12 travels through the intestine and is expelled through the feces.
With all this, it is essential to present optimal levels of this nutrient in the body, since its deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia. This type of anemia is mainly characterized by the presence of abnormally large red blood cells and abnormal white blood cells.
But in addition, the lack of vitamin D can cause neurological damage, even when no anemia appears. When there is neurological damage, it usually affects the legs first, then the arms and.
The most common symptoms are tingling in the feet and hands, loss of sensitivity with. This can result in the posture of the legs and arms not being felt or vibrations being felt. In this sense, you can develop mild muscle weakness and even lose reflexes.
According to the pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), the lack of vitamin B 12 can cause delirium and paranoia, as well as affect mental function leading to dementia .