Cobalimin deficiency. Although this condition may not sound familiar to you by its clinical name, you may recognize the common term: vitamin B12 deficiency.  So what is it? And how do you know if you have it?

Vitamin B12 is essential to the human body and controls many important functions including working with the B vitamin folate to create the genetic material of our bodies. This powerhouse also assists in keeping homocysteine, an amino acid that helps decrease the risk of heart disease, in check. The creation of red blood cells depend on vitamin B12 as an essential element of its production, and these cells are the vehicle that carries oxygen to the body’s tissues.

Although not necessarily life threatening in the short term, lack of B12 may cause permanent damage to nervous tissue if it is left untreated indefinitely. There are many causes leading up to an insufficient level of B12 including atrophic gastritis, pernicious anemia, celiac disease, Chron’s disease, surgery, acid-reducing drugs, lupus, Graves’ disease, and even excessive alcohol consumption. Vegetarians may also experience this deficiency since animal products provide the best source of B12. Since heart disease remains the leading killer of adults in theUnited States, correcting low levels of B12 can become a very important step in taking control of your health.

An important study completed by the Tufts University Framingham Offspring Study found that nearly forty percent of adults between the ages of 26 and 83 have B12 levels in the low normal range. Surprisingly, low levels were just as common in younger folks as those that are considered elderly. Those issues we consider normal in adults over sixty years of age, like decreased mobility, memory loss, and cognitive decline, may actually be attributable to low levels of vitamin B12.

So why is it so difficult for many of us to discover a vitamin B12 deficiency? Well, it is very easy to miss the signs of vitamin B12 deficiency since the symptoms may be similar to other seemingly non-related conditions. Developmental disorders, multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, many forms of mental illness, autism, cancer, infertility in both men and women, and autoimmune disease may all mimic vitamin B12 deficiency.

A prolonged period of vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, and may present in many ways as the anemia worsens. A sore tongue, pale thin skin, bleeding gums, easy bruising or bleeding, diarrhea, constipation, rapid heartbeat, light-headedness, weakness, fatigue, stomach upset, and weight loss are all signs that you may be at risk for low levels of B12. Although these are not the only symptoms, they are the most common when diagnosing a deficiency of this essential vitamin.

So what do you do if you believe you may suffer from this condition? Take heart, pun intended, and know that a vitamin B12 deficiency can be corrected with the right treatment regimen, and early detection. Let’s get started!