This foot warning sign may indicate vitamin B12 deficiency: Early symptoms to watch for
- The deficiency of any vitamin, especially vitamin B12, can be a dangerous one. This water-soluble nutrient, also known as cobalamin, is essential for healthy nerve cells, red blood cell formation, and DNA synthesis. However, when your body lacks it, there are many warning signs that appear—and one of these may appear in a person's feet.
Since vitamin B12 plays a crucial role in wound recovery by helping to produce red blood cells, its deficiency causes a lack of oxygen throughout the body. According to experts, a lack of vitamin B affects wound healing in many ways—especially your feet.
If you feel tingling sensations in your feet, you must immediately see your doctor because in such cases, they would recommend or even prescribe high-dose supplements. If your symptoms begin worsening, you will also need weekly vitamin B12 injections, which are crucial to address a vitamin B12 deficiency, as it can result in serious neurological complications and blood disorders.
Apart from a lack of sensations, B12 deficiency in your feet also involves nerve-related issues like numbness and balance issues, which can lead to difficulty walking or staggering due to nerve damage. Reduced oxygen supply from anemia can lead to problems in coordination and sensation.
Other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
Apart from your feet, the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency can also develop slowly and can get worse over time across your body. A few physical symptoms can include:
- Feeling very tired or weak
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Not feeling too hungry
- Weight loss
- Having a sore mouth
- Having pale skin
- Neurological symptoms include:
- Vision issues
- Having a hard time remembering things or getting confused easily
- Having a difficult time walking or speaking like you usually do
- Psychological symptoms include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Feeling irritable
- Experiencing a change in the way you feel or behave
What causes B12 deficiency?
A deficiency of vitamin B12 occurs if you are not eating enough vitamin B12 or your body is not able to absorb the vitamin B12 you consume. Situations or conditions that lead to vitamin B12 deficiency include:
Not getting enough B12 in your diet
Those who do not consume enough foods that have vitamin B12 or don’t eat foods fortified with B12 can develop a deficiency.
Inflammation in your stomach
Gastritis, or the inflammation of the stomach lining, is a common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency due to a lack of hydrochloric acid in your stomach.
Anemia
Those who have pernicious anemia cannot absorb the B12 vitamin.
Digestive diseases
Diseases and conditions that affect your digestive system, like Crohn’s disease and celeriac disease, prevent your body from fully absorbing vitamin B12.
Surgery
Those who have undergone gastrointestinal surgery, such as a gastric bypass, may experience difficulty absorbing vitamin B12.