Vitamin B12 is a water soluble nutrient. In contrast to the majority of water soluble nutrients, B12 is not passed in your urine. Rather, the body stores B12 inside your bodily organs. Most of the B12 in your body is stored in the liver. For you to develop a b12 deficiency, you have got to either ingest or absorb low levels of B12 for quite some time. The fact is, nearly all professionals state that individuals with b12 deficiencies have either not eaten sufficient b12 or experienced assimilation issues for 5 to 6 years prior to any symptoms start to show up.

There are several effects of having low B12 in the human body. One of the most frequently recognized is neurological problems that are so extreme they are usually mistaken for Alzheimer’s disease. Left untreated, this can result in permanent neurological impairment.

Signs and symptoms of low b12 begin to show up long before severe neurological issues. Earlier symptoms of a B12 deficiency include a racing heart, weakness, extreme tiredness, faintness, paleness, sore tongue, bleeding gums, gastrointestinal problems and a decrease of appetite. When things progress a little more the neurological symptoms start to take effect. Signs of neurological damage due to lower levels of B12 are confusion, depression, tingling hands and feet, coordination problems, absent mindedness, impulse control and dementia.

The problem is that there is such a wide variety of symptoms, very often a b12 insufficiency will either go undiagnosed or be wrongly diagnosed for something else entirely. Many people accept some of the earliest signs of B12 deficiency as an acceptable part of aging.

Detecting a B12 deficiency is more important than most people think. Recent research demonstrates that low levels of B12 are usually linked to the progression of numerous serious diseases. Among them is heart disease. When B12 levels in your body are low, your homocysteine levels increase. Homocysteine is a harmful protein which has been linked to the development of serious disease. Luckily, research indicates that people that have elevated homosysteine levels may take b12 shots and recitify the problem.

There are numerous ways to develop a B12 insufficiency and certain groups are at high risk. Because B12 is only found in fish, meat and dairy, vegetarians and vegans are at very high risk of having low levels. There are also certain conditions that lead to malabsorption. Having had stomach surgery, a tapeworm infestation, and a microbial overgrowth in your intestinal tract can all make it impossible for your body to absorb B12. As you get older, you are much more likely to develop a B12 insufficiency.

If you’re in a high-risk group, using additional b12 could be a good idea. It’s also wise to ask your doctor to test your B12 levels.