B12 deficiency is one of the most serious conditions that affects the population nowadays. Although the symptoms may sometimes be unnoticeable, it is important to measure your B12 level every once in a while, because B12 deficiency can have severe and even fatal consequences. Knowing what causes B12 deficiency and how to prevent it is also important. Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin and it is very important for DNA cell growing, red blood cells and energy production. The insufficient level of vitamin B12 in your body leads to B12 deficiency.

There are may possible causes of B12 deficiency, but the first and most important one comes from your eating habits. People who experience a vegan diet are more likely to have B12 deficiency. Be careful not to confuse the vegan diet with the vegetarian one, because a true vegan diet will exclude all kinds of meat, fish, eggs and poultry products from the menu. These products are great vitamin B12 sources, so if the body does not get enough, the B12 deficiency may occur. Then, as the vitamin is absorbed by the digestive system, stomach and intestines problems are also common B12 deficiency causes. Celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, pernicious anemia, all these are conditions that could cause B12 deficiency as well. If you had parts of your stomach or of the small intestine removed, the chances of getting B12 deficiency are higher.

If you want to prevent the B12 deficiency from happening to you, the first thing that you need to take care of is your diet. It is highly necessary to include foods with high B12 levels in your daily menu, and it is also important to eat a variety of foods. B12 deficiency can be both treated and prevented with B12 supplements, including oral pills, sublingual pills, intranasal sprays, and intramuscular or subcutaneous injections. While injections are ensuring a better absorption, oral supplements are more popular, but they are efficient too. However, if you think that you suffer from B12 deficiency, you must visit your doctor immediately. Do not try to treat it on your own, because your doctor will know what course of treatment to give you. Detected in time, B12 deficiency is perfectly curable and it can be treated in a short amount of time.