Vitamin B12 deficiency is common among the elderly. Elderly people are particularly at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency because of the high prevalence of atrophic gastritis-associated food-cobalamin (vitamin B12) malabsorption, and the increasing prevalence of pernicious anaemia with advancing age.

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly?

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms

• Pale or jaundiced skin.
• Inflamed tongue.
• Weakness and fatigue.
• Tingling sensations in the hands or feet.
• Trouble walking.
• Blurred vision.
• Shortness of breath or dizziness.
• Changes in thinking, memory and mood.

What is the most common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency in adults?

However, the most common cause of vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia is a lack of a substance called intrinsic factor, which can be caused when your immune system mistakenly attacks the stomach cells that produce this substance. This type of anemia is called pernicious anemia.

Why am I suddenly B12 deficiency?

Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.

What condition is caused by a lack of vitamin B12 in the body?

Vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia is a condition in which your body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells because of a lack of vitamin B-12. This vitamin is needed to make red blood cells. These cells carry oxygen to all parts of your body.

What are the neurological symptoms of B12 deficiency?

A lack of vitamin B12 can cause neurological problems, which affect your nervous system, such as:

• vision problems.
• memory loss.
• pins and needles (paraesthesia)
• loss of physical co-ordination (ataxia), which can affect your whole body and cause difficulty speaking or walking.

How long does it take to recover from low levels of B12 deficiency?

How Long Does It Take to Recover from B12 Deficiency? Once you begin treating your vitamin B12 deficiency, it can take up to six to 12 months to fully recover. It is also common to not experience any improvement during the first few months of treatment.

Is B12 deficiency serious?

Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to serious complications such as nerve damage, anemia and fatigue, which is why those at risk should add a high-quality B12 supplement to their diet ( 2 ).

What medications should not be taken with B12?

Certain medications can decrease the absorption of vitamin B12, including: colchicine, metformin, extended-release potassium products, antibiotics (such as gentamicin, neomycin, tobramycin), anti-seizure medications (such as phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone), medications to treat heartburn (such as H2 blockers

Can B12 deficiency cause stomach problems?

Other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency involve the digestive tract. These symptoms include nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) and vomiting, heartburn, abdominal bloating and gas, constipation or diarrhea, loss of appetite, and weight loss. An enlarged liver is another symptom.

Can stress cause a B12 deficiency?

The need for vitamin B12 is that high If a healthy diet is followed, an insufficient supply of vitamin B12 is rare in healthy adults, but an insufficient supply can occur with persistent stress due to the fact that the usual diet no longer supplies enough.

Does B12 affect bowel movements?

Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea Vitamin B-12 deficiency can affect the digestive tract. A lack of red blood cells means that not enough oxygen reaches the gut. Insufficient oxygen here may lead to a person both feeling and being sick. It may also cause diarrhea.

What Blocks B12 absorption?

Factors inhibiting B12 absorption

• The antibiotic chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin)
• Acid reflux meds which are proton pump inhibitors (like Prilosec and Prevacid)
• Peptic ulcer disease treatment meds that are histamine H2 receptor antagonists (Tagamet, Pepcid, and Zantac)
• The diabetes drug, Metformin.

Which disease is caused by deficiency of vitamin A?

Night blindness is one of the first signs of vitamin A deficiency. In its more severe forms, vitamin A deficiency contributes to blindness by making the cornea very dry, thus damaging the retina and cornea.