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If your into keeping healthy and fit you may want to learn more about vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms and how they can effect your health and well being. This particular vitamin has many functions in helping to protect and maintain the health of the human body.

Energy

Without this essential b vitamin the body would not be able to produce sufficient amounts of blood cells and in particular red blood cells. These cells play the important role of transporting oxygen around the body and its vital organs. It is this oxygen transference that gives our body the energy it needs to function properly. Many people who are lacking in vitamin B12 often feel tired and low in energy.

Central Nervous System

This vitamin also plays a vital role in maintaining the health of our central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is considered by many people to be the actual control centre of the human body as it controls its physical and emotional functions. The central nervous system is made up of our brain, spinal chord and all those millions of nerves.

B12 plays an important function by ensuring the protective coating around the body’s nerve cells remain strong and intact. These cells are essential for transmitting signals from the brain to the rest of the body. A lack of this B vitamin especially, over the long term, could result in nerve damage.

Other Deficiencies

As well as low energy being a common sign of a deficiency there are a number of others. These can include loss of appetite, bad hair and skin. More severe symptoms can include mood swings, depression and memory loss. These deficiencies can be the result of many factors. For this reason it is recommended to go to your doctor to get tested to determine the true cause of these symptoms.

Determining The True Cause

If the test reveals a true deficiency then the doctor or health care worker can recommend a course of treatment if needed. The first step is to determine the cause of the deficiency. For most people this can be due to the diet they eat. They are not eating enough B12 in their diet. This vitamin is contained within animal products.

Therefore, vegans are prone to be lacking in this vitamin. In these cases it would be a matter of introducing fortified foods and vitamin supplements to their diet. If the deficiency is caused by a health problem with their digestive system then a doctor may recommend vitamin injections in order to boost levels.