Health

Vitamin B12 deficiency – the warning sign on your legs you should never ignore


Vitamin B12 is used by the body to make red blood cells, according to the NHS. It’s also used to produce DNA, and to keep the nervous system healthy, it said. You could have a vitamin B12 deficiency if you’re constantly having headaches, lose your appetite, or if you’re always feeling tired. You could be at risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency if you develop a tingling on the back of your legs, it’s been revealed.

A tingling on one, or even both, thighs may be a sign that you should eat more B12-rich foods, according to charity Patient Thyroid Advocacy.

The tingling usually starts higher up in the leg – even as high up as the hips – and then shoots downwards.

Left untreated, it could develop into more of a pain than just a tingling, it added.

“If you have any unusual undiagnosed symptoms, perhaps you should consider whether you have a vitamin B12 deficiency,” it said.

“Borderline B12 deficiency can sometimes cause symptoms so dramatic that B12 deficiency may be rejected as a possible cause, because it may be thought that such symptoms wouldn’t be caused by a mere borderline deficiency.

“The symptoms often come on so slowly that a B12-deficient individual may become accustomed to them and not complain until the symptoms become severe.

“Tingling along the back of one or both thighs, starting at the hips and shooting downward [could be a sign of a vitamin B12 deficiency].

“This starts out as more an annoyance than pain, but can develop into pain if not treated.”

You could also be at risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency if you have a tingling or itchy tongue, it added.

The itchiness is more likely to affect the outside edges of the tongue, or at the tip.

The symptom may even develop into a stinging pain if it’s left untreated, it warned.

Other common vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include feeling very run down and tired, and difficulty breathing.

But, you could lower the chances of the condition by eating more vitamin B12-rich foods.

The best sources of the vitamin include beef, liver, dairy foods, eggs, or salmon. Alternatively, you could try taking vitamin B12 supplements.

A vitamin B12 deficiency could be caused by pernicious anaemia – a condition that’s caused by the body’s immune system attacking healthy stomach cells.

Diagnosing the condition early is crucial, as it can lead to heart conditions and temporary infertility on rare occasions.



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