You need B12 to make red blood cells , which carry oxygen through your body. Not having enough B12 can lead to anemia, which means your body does not have enough red blood cells to do the job. This can make you feel weak and tired.
What are the symptoms?
If your vitamin B12 deficiency is mild, you may not have symptoms or you may not notice them. Some people may think they are just the result of growing older. As the anemia gets worse, you may:
* Feel weak, tired, and lightheaded.
* Have pale skin.
* Have a sore, red tongue or bleeding gums.
* Feel sick to your stomach and lose weight.
* Have diarrhea or constipation.
If the level of vitamin B12 stays low for a long time, it can damage your nerve cells. If this happens, you may have:
* Numbness or tingling in your fingers and toes.
* A poor sense of balance.
* Depression.
* Dementia, a loss of mental abilities.
Answered by
Tanman
at
Nov 15, 2010 02:17 PM
