The Signs & Symptoms of B12 Deficiency Vitamin B12 deficiency presents with a wide range of signs and symptoms45, the most common ones being those related to anaemia and neuropathy (damage to or alteration of the normal functioning of nerves).

Low levels of vitamin B12 affect all the systems of the body, as shows below:

The Gastrointestinal Tract: Bloating, indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea, Abdominal discomfort or pain, oral ulcers, gingival bleeding (bleeding from the gums), loss of appetite, weight loss, thickening of the tongue and malabsorption.

The Cardiovascular System: Chest pain, heart attacks, stroke, increased heart rate, deep venous thrombosis (a condition in which clots form in the veins of the legs, causing pain and putting the patient at risk of dying suddenly due to breakage of these clots and transfer to the blood vessels of the lung, blocking them in turn and causing respiratory failure) and enlargement of the heart.

The Nervous System: Altered sensations, depression, psychosis, mania, confusion, fatigue, suicidal thought, anger, phobias, apathy, irritability, delusions, hallucinations, loss of memory, exaggerated reflexes, tremors, cramps, numbness, pins and needles sensations and paralysis.

The Immune System: Impairment of the immune system in a way that lowers its ability to fight infections and heal wounds efficiently.

Ear, Nose and Throat: Dizziness, vertigo (when the patient feels that his/her surroundings are spinning around him), imbalance, hearing problems and difficulty in swallowing.

Eyes: Blindness, double vision, tunnel vision, nystagmus (abnormal movements of the eye which do not correspond with the movements of the head) and pain in or at the back of the eye.

The Respiratory System: Asthma, shortness of breath and wheezing.

The Genitourinary System: Incontinence, decreased libido, increased urinary tract infections, infertility, menstrual problems and impotence.

The Endocrine System: Hypothyroidism (which presents with fatigue, weight gain, muscle pain, low blood pressure and depression), infertility and diabetes.

The Haematological System (Blood and blood-cells): Anaemia, increased infections and faulty wound healing, fatigue and breathlessness. 

The Musculoskeletal System: Increased risk of fractures in the elderly population, muscular spasms and cramps, chronic severe muscular pain and fatigue, osteoporosis (weakening of the bones) and bone pain.

Dermatological manifestations: Dry skin, brittle nails, dry and lifeless hair, increased hair fall and early onset of the greying of hair.

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