Vitamin B12 is essential for various bodily functions, and a deficiency can lead to several symptoms
Our bodies need a range of vitamins to stay healthy and carry out vital functions. These nutrients are required in small amounts, and most people get all they need from their diet.
However, some individuals may suffer from deficiencies in certain vitamins. Vitamin B12 is essential for several bodily functions, including maintaining healthy blood and nerve cells and preventing anaemia, which can lead to tiredness and weakness.
Common signs of vitamin B12 deficiency include fatigue, a sensation of pins and needles, and weight loss. But two symptoms that show up in your mouth could also suggest you’re lacking this nutrient.
NHS advice indicates that a sore and red tongue, medically known as glossitis, could be a sign of deficiency. Glossitis alters the colour and shape of the tongue, making it painful, red, and swollen.
The inflammation also gives the tongue a smooth look, as the tiny bumps containing taste buds stretch out and disappear. Mouth ulcers are another possible symptom, reports Surrey Live.
Symptoms of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anaemia include:
- Rapid breathing or shortness of breath
- Headaches
- Indigestion
- Loss of appetite
- Palpitations
- Problems with your vision
- Feeling weak or tired
- Diarrhoea
- A sore or red tongue, sometimes with mouth ulcers
- Problems with memory, understanding and judgment (cognitive changes)
Those who don’t get enough B12 can develop anaemia, and one additional symptom of this is a diminished sense of taste. Some people develop a vitamin B12 deficiency due to insufficient intake of the vitamin from their diet.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms that affect your brain and nervous system (neurological symptoms), including:
- Numbness
- Muscle weakness
- Psychological problems, which can range from mild depression or anxiety, to confusion and dementia
- Problems with balance and coordination
- Pins and needles
- Incontinence
A diet packed with meat, fish and dairy typically supplies adequate vitamin B12, but people who don’t regularly eat these foods could develop a deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia is usually treated with vitamin B12 jabs.
The NHS states: “See a GP if you’re experiencing symptoms of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia. These conditions can often be diagnosed based on your symptoms and the results of a blood test.
“It’s important for vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Although many of the symptoms improve with treatment, some problems caused by the condition can be irreversible if left untreated. The longer the condition goes untreated, the higher the chance of permanent damage.”