Vitamin B12 deficiency has the potential to cause severe, irreversible damage to the brain and nervous system. Even at levels only slightly below the normal, such symptoms as depression, fatigue and poor memory can occur. As with most medical conditions, symptoms experienced with vitamin B12 deficiency are also experienced in other situations, so such a symptom does not mean that you do necessarily have vitamin B12 deficiency.

Vitamin B12 is also known as cobalamin. It is sometimes known as cyanobalamin, which is actually a form of the vitamin that does not occur in nature but is used in supplements and food additives, due to its stability. Vitamin B12 is normally involved in metabolism of every cell in the human body. Some, but not all, of the effects of it can be replaced with sufficient quantities of folic acid (folate, which is vitamin B9).

The main syndome of vitamin B12 deficiency is Addison's disease and Beirmer's disease (also known as pernicious anemia). Vitamin B12 deficiency may come with many individual symptoms, some of which will be noted later in this article. Any one or more of three main forms of clinical symptoms may be present:

Anemia

Gastrointestinal symptoms

Neurological symptoms



Individual symptoms found in cases of vitamin B12 deficiency include the following (not an exhaustive list):

Change in mental status

Confusion

Depression

Diarrhea

Fatigue

Muscle weakness

Numbness and tingling in hands and feet (paresthesias)

Shortness of breath

Sore mouth and tongue

Vitamin B12 deficiency may be caused by bacteria, Crohn's disease, damage to the liver, pancreas or stomach, diet, or parasites, as well as other situations.

Treatment is typically through injections of vitamin B12. The number of injections needed will depend on the type and severity of the vitamin B12 deficiency. One side effect of these injections is possible bruising and soreness.

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