
The vitamins and minerals present in our body play an important role in improving health and proper development of the body. Vitamin B-12 is one of these, which performs many important functions in the body. Therefore, it is very important to have this vitamin in the body to stay healthy.
Causes of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
- Vegetarian diet- Vitamin B12 is mainly found in animal based foods. This is the reason why it is usually found lacking in vegans and vegetarians. This is because vitamin B12 is not present in plant based foods, so vegans and vegetarians have to resort to fortified foods or supplements to overcome this deficiency.
- Nutritional deficiency - Malnutrition is one of the main causes of vitamin B12 deficiency. Conditions such as pernicious anemia, Crohn's disease and celiac disease can interfere with the absorption of B12 in the stomach and intestines, leading to a deficiency in the body.
- Increasing age- With increasing age, there may be a deficiency of vitamin B12 in the body . In fact, with increasing age, the acid in the stomach often decreases, which is necessary to extract vitamin B12 from food.
- Use of certain medications - Long-term use of certain medications, such as metformin (for diabetes) and proton pump inhibitors ( for acid reflux ), can further reduce the absorption of this vitamin. In addition, drinking too much alcohol can damage the stomach lining, making it harder to absorb essential nutrients like vitamin B12.
Harmful effects of vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency can be harmful for the body. This can cause many problems (Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms). Its low level in the body can cause nerve damage, which affects different parts of the nervous system.
How to overcome its deficiency
- Improve your diet: Add vitamin-B12 rich foods to your diet, such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and fortified cereals.
- Supplements: If you are a vegan, vegetarian or one of those who have trouble absorbing vitamin B12 from food, you can take supplements to overcome its deficiency (Vitamin B12 Deficiency Prevention Tips).
- Vitamin B12 injections: People who have severe deficiency or absorption problems can take vitamin B12 injections.
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