Find out in this article information about vitamin B12 deficiency's psychological symptoms that is of interest to you.
Continue reading this article to learn the most crucial details about the psychological signs and symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Psychological symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
The following information explains how vitamin B12 deficiency causes psychological symptoms:
1. Depression
One of the most prevalent psychological signs of vitamin B12 deficiency is depressive symptoms. This vitamin is important for the health of the central nervous system and its ability to perform its functions, and a deficiency in it negatively affects mental health.
It is interesting to note that a lack of vitamin B12 raises the risk of depression because it causes levels of the sulfur-containing amino acid homocysteine to rise. The rise of this amino acid causes a number of other factors to rise, the most significant of which are the following:
- Oxidative stress.
- Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage.
- death of body cells.
2. Other psychological symptoms
There are other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency besides just depression, such as the ones listed below:
- Psychosis .
- Poor memory.
- behavioral changes
- mood swings
- mental confusion
Physical symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
There are physical symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency in addition to the psychological ones, most notably the ones listed below:
- I'm worn out and exhausted.
A lack of vitamin B12 causes the body to produce fewer red blood cells, which results in inadequate oxygen delivery to the body's cells, which makes you feel tired and exhausted.
- yellow or pale skin
This occurs as a result of not having enough healthy and mature white blood cells in the body due to a deficiency of vitamin B12. Additionally, a lack of this vitamin may result in jaundice, which causes the skin and eye whites to turn yellow.
- Headache
One of the most prevalent signs of vitamin B12 deficiency in adults and even children is headache, and it has been discovered that people who experience particular types of headaches frequently also have vitamin B12 deficiencies.
- symptoms relating to the digestive system
The digestive system is impacted by vitamin B12 deficiency by the following symptoms:
- diarrhea.
- constipation.
- Nausea.
- Flatulence and accumulation of gases.
- Anorexia.
- Difficulty concentrating
Lack of vitamin B12, especially in the elderly, can cause other cognitive problems (Cognitive deficiencies), including problems focusing and finishing tasks.
- Glossitis
A soft tongue and a sense of pain are signs of this inflammation. For those who suffer from a vitamin B12 deficiency, this inflammation may be associated with the occurrence of stomatitis, which is characterized by the formation of ulcers in the mouth, in addition to the occurrence of other inflammatory symptoms.
- Sensory confusion (Paresthesia)
That is, the tingling and numbness that people with vitamin B12 deficiencies may experience in their hands and feet.
According to reports, both adults and children can experience this symptom.
- Other symptoms
Following are additional physical signs of vitamin B12 deficiency:
- Muscle weakness and muscle spasms.
- Ataxia , i.e. poor balance and motor coordination.
- Erectile dysfunction.
- Visual problems.
- Palpitations.
- hard breathing.
- Anemia.
Diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency
The next step after experiencing any of the psychological or physical signs of vitamin B12 deficiency is to get a diagnosis of the underlying condition in order to choose and start the right course of treatment.
In addition to a clinical examination and a complete blood count (CBC), blood tests are typically performed to determine the levels of the following substances:
- Vitamin B12.
- Folate.
- homocysteine;
- Methylmalonic acid - MMA.