When vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms occur in anorexia or other eating disorders, it’s usually a result of long-time, chronic malnutrition rather than the inability to absorb the vitamin properly. Deficiencies in B12 produce symptoms that can be life-threatening.
People often use the term pernicious anemia interchangeably with B12 deficiencies, but the difference between the two seems to lie in the origin, or cause of the low vitamin b12.
In pernicious anemia, vitamin b12 deficiency symptoms are present due to the loss of a glycoprotein produced by the stomach.
this protein binds with vitamin B12 and aids in its absorption. without it, signs of B12 deficiency will remain prominent.
B12 is important because it’s needed to produce the proper number of red blood cells in the bone marrow.
Although malnutrition can often be the cause of deficiency in anorexics, it is possible to have the proper intake of B12 and still be deficient.
The size of the B12 molecule makes it a difficult vitamin for the body to absorb. Gastric acid is required in the absorption of B12, so any medication or procedure that reduces gastric acid production can cause deficiency.
Because B12 can be stored in the liver for as long as five years, B12 deficiency due to inadequate dietary intake is fairly rare. however, for those who have been suffering from eating disorders for a number of years, malnutrition cannot be ruled out as one of the possible causes of vitamin b12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms are often difficult to diagnose because they begin so slowly and do not often cause any discomfort until the condition gets worse. Deficiency damages the sheath (covering) around the nerves and if it is not treated, it could be life-threatening and/or paralyzing.
Early recognizable signs of vitamin B12 deficiencies may include:
- Sleepiness and fatigue
- Dizziness, light-headedness
- Body odor
- Diarrhea
- Shortness of breath
- Pale or yellowish skin color
- Fast, rapid heart beat – palpitations
- Nausea – poor appetite
- Diminished reflex responses
As the B12 deficiency worsens, you may also notice the following symptoms:
- Pain, tingling, or numbness in the arms, legs, or other parts of the body
- Impaired sense of touch – may not feel pain or temperature changes
- Difficulty walking or talking
- Vision changes or damage to the optic nerve
- Memory loss – dementia
- Personality changes – depression, hallucinations, violent behavior
- Heart attack – heart failure
- increased risk for dysplasias and cancers
Vegans and vegetarians are at particular risk for developing vitamin B12 deficiency, but with proper treatment and early intervention, the condition will usually improve within a few days.
How is B12 deficiency treated? there are a few options, including vitamin B12 injections.