Vitamin B12 deficiency Anemia is drop in number of red blood cells in body. Lack of Vitamin B12 makes it difficult for the nervous system to produce red blood cells, and so arises the deficiency. Therefore, the number of red blood cells that should be present inside body is lower than normal.

Causes and Symptoms
There are several symptoms which can help identification of vitamin B12 deficiency, these are paleness, numbness or tingling in toes, fatigue, weakness, diarrhea, paleness, loss of appetite, etc. In advance cases of this type of deficiency, the person might find changes in his mental state as well as a feeling of confusion.

Vitamin B12

There are several causes of vitamin B12 deficiency anemia; most of the causes are due to dietary problems, other than chronic ailments. However, main causes can be classified as, diet which is low in vitamin B12, that is low intake of fish, dairy products, meat, eggs, etc. all these foods are a rich source of vitamin B12. Some of the other causes of vitamin b12 deficiency are alcoholism, intestinal mal-absorption disorders, etc. For the body to absorb vitamin b12 better there is a requirement of a protein called intrinsic factor, lack of this protein too can cause deficiency.  Fish tape worm also causes vitamin b12 deficiency.

Another cause of vitamin b12 deficiency is surgery, if a person had to undergo any surgery which affects production of intrinsic factor, it might cause deficiency. Another reason for this deficiency is the Crohn’s disease.

Prevention of Vitamin B12 anemia is possible. For people, where the real cause is their diet can try and include foods which are rich in Vitamin B12. Diet for Vitamin B12 anemia should include dairy products, eggs, meat, fish, etc. If people with vegetarian diet have difficulty in following meat rich diet care should be taken that they compensate meat with dairy products and eggs.

People who have other problems like lack of intrinsic factor, mal-absorption of Vitamin B12, such people can only be treated, most of the times this deficiency is treated by giving Vitamin B12 injections. When conditions like mal-absorption, etc improve these injections are stopped, so that the body can make Vitamin B12 all by itself.

In case this deficiency is left untreated for a long period of time, then it will result into irreversible effects of this deficiency. Care should be taken to start treatment at least within 6 months of identifying the symptoms, in order to avoid irreversible effects.