Katherine Ryan hosts series of challenges with Bassetts Vitamins

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Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin meaning the body requires vitamin B12 to work properly. Vitamin B12 can be found in foods such as meat, fish, dairy products or in supplementation form. When B12 levels in the blood are too low a deficiency will occur causing changes in these three body parts.

Tongue change

A subtle change to your tongue could be one of the earliest symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency.

You may find that your tongue is particularly swollen, or it changes colour.

The swelling may be quite painful, and it may appear that your taste buds have disappeared.

The tongue suddenly itches from time to time without warning, said the Thyroid Patient Advocacy.

The health site continued: “This occurs on the edge of the tongue, along one side or the other or at the tip.

“There is an irresistible urge to scratch the tongue on the teeth to stop the itching.

“Some individuals experience stinging, pain, or tingling instead of itching which may be a sign of a B12 deficiency.”

Vision change

Blurred vision could be caused by not having enough vitamin B12 in your diet.

It’s linked to nervous system damage in the optic nerve, which leads directly to your eyes.

Vision change happens when the deficiency causes damage to the optic nerve that leads to the eyes.

The nervous signal that travels from the eye to the brain is disturbed due to this damage, leading to impaired vision.

Change in the way you walk

A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause damage to the nervous system.

Damage to the nervous system could cause changes in how you walk and move which could affect a person’s balance and coordination.

This could also make one more prone to falling over.

Changes in the way you walk, and move may not necessarily mean you have vitamin B12 deficiency, but you may want to get it checked out in case.

How much to take to avoid a B12 deficiency?

The typical general supplemental dose of vitamin B12 is one to 25 mcg per day, advised WebMD.

The site added: “The recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) of vitamin B12 are 1.8 mcg for older children and adults, 2.4 mcg; pregnant women, 2.6 mcg; and breast-feeding women, 2.8 mcg.

“Because 10 to 30 percent of older people do not absorb food-bound vitamin B12 efficiently, those over 50 years should meet the RDA by eating foods fortified with B12 or by taking a vitamin B12 supplement.

“Supplementation of 25-100 mcg per day has been used to maintain vitamin B12 levels in older people.”

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