B vitamins are a group of nutrients that play important roles in keeping the body healthy. A deficiency in any of the B vitamins can lead to health problems. Learn about the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of vitamin B deficiency.
B vitamins are essential vitamins for the body’s cells to function properly. They help the body convert food into the energy it needs. They create new blood cells and keep skin cells, brain cells and other body tissues healthy. Not all B vitamins have the same function, and a deficiency in one of the B vitamins can affect different organs in the body.
1 Causes of vitamin B deficiency
Alcoholism can cause your body to lack one or more B vitamins.
When the body lacks one B vitamin, it may lack other vitamins in the group because when taken into the body, they combine to form active coenzymes. Below are common causes of B vitamin deficiency:
Unbalanced Diet
Your body cannot produce vitamin B directly and must obtain it from outside sources, either through food or supplements. Following a balanced diet, providing your body with the right level of nutrients will help your body avoid symptoms of vitamin B deficiency.
However, for many reasons, sometimes we do not eat enough different foods to get the necessary amount of vitamins. For example, if you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, you may not get enough vitamin B12 – because vitamin B12 is almost exclusively found in foods of animal origin and dairy products.
In addition, improper preparation and storage reduces the amount of vitamin B. As a result, the body does not get enough of these nutrients
Alcoholism
Alcohol causes your kidneys to excrete B vitamins from your body much faster than normal. This means your body doesn’t have enough time to use them.
The effects of certain medications
Some medications can increase your risk of vitamin B deficiency, such as:
– Increases the risk of vitamin B6 deficiency: anticonvulsants, isoniazid, hydralazine, corticosteroids, and penicillamine.
– Increases the risk of vitamin B9 deficiency: phenytoin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, methotrexate, and sulfasalazine.
– Increases the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency: metformin, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), antacids, long-term antibiotics, and antidepressants.
Malabsorption
Normally, vitamin B is absorbed in the intestines into the bloodstream and travels throughout the body to do its necessary work. If the intestines cannot absorb vitamin B, it cannot enter the circulation, and your body is deficient in vitamin B. Certain conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, or ulcerative colitis… These conditions prevent vitamin B from entering the bloodstream, significantly reducing the amount of vitamin B in the body and potentially causing health problems due to vitamin B deficiency.
In addition, people with cancer, thyroid disease, people who have just had surgery, people with HIV, people on dialysis, people with prolonged diarrhea, people who have had gastric bypass surgery… are all at high risk of vitamin B deficiency.
The body’s needs increase at special stages
During puberty, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and the elderly, the body’s need for vitamin B may be higher. If you do not pay attention to supplementing your diet or using supplements, the risk of vitamin B deficiency is very high.
2 Symptoms of Vitamin B Deficiency
There are eight vitamins in the B vitamin complex: thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), biotin (vitamin B7), folate (vitamin B9, also known as folic acid), and cobalamin (vitamin B12). Symptoms of vitamin B deficiency vary depending on which B vitamin you are lacking.
These symptoms can range from fatigue and confusion to anemia or a compromised immune system. Skin rashes may also occur.
Here are specific symptoms of deficiency in certain B vitamins:
– Vitamin B12: A deficiency in vitamin B12 can lead to disruptions in the nervous and circulatory systems. Signs of vitamin B12 deficiency include: numbness or tingling in your hands and feet, fatigue, mouth sores, sore mouth or tongue, dizziness, pale skin, irritability…
– Vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 helps the body turn food into energy. It can also help the body fight infections by supporting the immune system. Signs of vitamin B6 deficiency: depression, confusion, susceptibility to infections, nausea, anemia, rashes or dermatitis.
– Vitamins B1 and B2: Vitamin B1 benefits the nerves, and vitamin B2 helps maintain proper vision. Symptoms of a deficiency include confusion and cracks along the sides of the mouth.
– Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, helps convert food into energy. It also supports proper digestion and a healthy appetite, and is important for cell growth. Vitamin B3 deficiency can cause digestive problems, such as nausea and abdominal cramps. Severe deficiency can also cause mental disorders or can lead to a condition called pellagra dermatitis, with symptoms such as: digestive disorders, skin lesions, rough skin that turns red or brown in the sun, red tongue, fatigue, mental disorders can also occur, or more severe developments such as paralysis, hypothermia and depression if the condition becomes severe.
– Vitamin B9, also known as folic acid, promotes the development of red blood cells. It also reduces the risk of birth defects when pregnant women get enough. Vitamin B9 deficiency is quite common. Low levels of vitamin B9 can lead to the following symptoms: anemia, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, mouth ulcers. Pregnant women who are deficient in folate may cause their children to be born with neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. (See more folic acid products that help the body produce and maintain healthy cells, help reduce the risk of iron deficiency anemia, and increase resistance).
– Vitamin B5 is an essential component of coenzyme A, adults may need about 5 mg/day. Vitamin B5 deficiency is rare, if it is lacking it will cause you to experience unpleasant symptoms such as: lack of energy leading to fatigue, restlessness, discomfort, even depression; neurological disorders (paresthesia, cramps, burning or numbness in the limbs); hypoglycemia; weakened immune system, susceptible to respiratory infections such as flu, sore throat, …
– Vitamin B7 or commonly known as Biotin, participates in metabolism and especially the development of skin, hair and nails. When lacking Biotin, symptoms that can be seen on the skin are dryness, lack of vitality, acne may appear more, some more severe cases may have dry lips, chapped lips, red rash with scales in the nose and mouth area; the nervous system is not supported in time leading to fatigue, moodiness, boredom and even depression.
3 Treatment for vitamin B deficiency
Treatment for B vitamin deficiency will depend on the severity and symptoms.
Your doctor may advise you to eat foods rich in B vitamins or may recommend oral supplementation with vitamin B supplements or medications.
If the B vitamin deficiency is severe, such as B12 deficiency leading to severe pernicious anemia, intravenous therapy may be required for several weeks until the hematological abnormalities are corrected.
4 Prevention of vitamin B deficiency
To stay healthy, most people do not need to take supplements to get enough B vitamins. Just get them by eating a variety of foods. There are many foods that contain B vitamins, so try to eat them well:
– Meats, eggs, dairy
– Grains, nuts
– Fruits
– Vegetables
If you do not eat meat, eggs, or dairy, you can still get B vitamins from supplements or nutritional yeast to help prevent deficiencies.
Supplementing with pills is a last resort if you cannot get B vitamins through your daily diet or if you have certain health conditions that require supplements. Over-the-counter supplements can often treat or prevent deficiencies. It is best to check with your doctor before taking vitamin supplements.
Hopefully this article will provide you with useful information about vitamin B deficiency. Try to eat a balanced diet to prevent deficiency of these important vitamins.
