The Disease

Vitamin B12, commonly known as Cobalamin is one of the most complex in structure. It plays a vital role in many life supporting processes in our body like DNA synthesis, Red Blood Cell development, absorption of folic acid for energy production etc.
A deficiency of Vitamin B12 can result into many diseases like Anemia which can be life threatening if not controlled.

The Cause

One can develop Vitamin B12 Deficiency due to various causes like:

• Thinning of the stomach lining called atrophic gastritis
• Weight loss surgery and other surgeries where part of a stomach or small intestine are removed
• Pernicious anemia, leading to difficulty in absorbing Vitamin B12
• Small intestine related conditions like celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, bacterial or parasitic growth
• Immune system disorders like lupus or Graves’ disease
• Excessive amount of alcohol consumption
• Acid reducing drugs over usage or long periods of usage
• Strictly vegan diet

Symptoms

When you suffer from Vitamin B12 deficiency, you can face some or many of these symptoms:

• Shortness of breath
• Weakness, lightheadedness, tiredness
• Loss of vision
• A smooth tongue
• Pale skin
• Stomach related problems like diarrhea, constipation, gas, or loss of appetite
• Numbness or tingling of nerves, weakness of muscles
• Problems in walking
• Depression, changes in behavior and memory loss

Testing

Apart from the above mentioned symptoms, you can be sure about suffering from Vitamin B12 deficiency by getting a blood test.

At SDC, our ultra-modern testing equipment makes sure you get the most accurate test results to help you in treating your disorder.

A simple blood test can determine the following:

• Levels of hemoglobin
• Size of red blood cells
• Level of vitamin B12
• Level of folate

Remedies  

Choosing the right treatment depends on finding the correct reason causing Vitamin B12 deficiency as per the individual patient.

• Injections of hydroxocobalamin – Useful for treating vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
• Vitamin B12 rich diet – Adding Vitamin B12 rich food sources like meat, salmon, cod, milk, eggs and other dairy products
• Increasing Folate intake – Good sources include broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, peas, chickpeas, and brown rice