Dr. Eric Berg shares the first sign of vitamin B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 is a vital vitamin responsible for maintaining the health of your blood and nerve cells. Besides this, it supports your spine and brain.

Dr. Eric Berg, a chiropractor who specializes in weight loss through nutritional and natural methods, listed the potential side effects of vitamin B12 deficiency on YouTube with 11.2 million subscribers.

In a video that has been viewed more than 155,000 times, he said the following side effects can occur:

• Tingling, numbness and burning
• Chronic pain due to nerve damage
• depression
• muscle wasting
• blurred vision
• Tinnitus
• Anemia
• Mouth ulcers
• Sore throat
• hair loss

But what is the first sign of this condition?

“If you have a vitamin B12 deficiency early on, the first symptom is no symptoms,” advised Dr. Berg.

He continued: What I mean by that is that it takes a long time for you to feel the effects of B12 deficiency.

But one of the first symptoms you feel is extreme fatigue, Dr. Berg said.

So how does one become deficient in B12?

Dr. Berg said it could be because of your diet, since you don’t eat animal products.

He explained: “B12 is not found in plants, but in animal products or bacteria that can make B12.

So if someone is vegetarian or vegan, they may become deficient in B12 unless they take B12.

But the more likely reason people are deficient, especially if they’re older, is malabsorption, meaning they don’t absorb well in their digestive tract, Dr. Berg said.

What are the other reasons?

Dr. Berg has listed the following:

• Removing part of the stomach, such as a gastric bypass
• If you have inflammation in your gut
• If you take aspirin
• If you drink alcohol
• If you eat unhealthy foods
• If you are taking antibiotics
• If you use birth control pills

“If a woman is pregnant or lactating, the need for B12 increases, so it is extremely important for a woman who is pregnant or lactating to eat an extremely healthy diet,” added Dr. Berg.

He also noted that if someone is low in folate, they may have symptoms similar to B12 deficiency because folate and B12 work together. And vitamin B12 deficiency can also be caused by genetics – polymorphism

How is vitamin B12 deficiency treated?

The NHS says vitamin B12 deficiency is usually treated with an injection of vitamin B12 called hydroxocobalamin.

If your vitamin B12 deficiency is due to a vitamin deficiency in your diet, you may be advised to take vitamin B12 tablets daily between meals, adds Body Health.

If you suspect symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, talk to your GP.