B vitamins are responsible for most of what’s keeping our bodies in tip-top shape. B vitamins are excellent antioxidants and are essential nutrients that help keep the body’s central nervous system and blood cells healthy. They even contribute to DNA production, which ensures that our cells are free from damage.
This is why when you have low levels of vitamin B, it can result in severe consequences, such as — anemia, dementia, anorexia, and depression. Vitamin B deficiency is characterized by low blood levels of vitamin B. Vitamin B deficiency begins incredibly subtle that you probably won’t even notice it at first. As you grow older, it can become even harder to absorb this vitamin.
Without early treatment, some of the symptoms can even become permanent. Knowing the early warning signs can prevent you from experiencing the serious repercussions of vitamin B deficiency, and how you can keep your body healthy.
1. Fatigue
Feeling fatigued is a lot different from feeling tired. Fatigue is when you are unable to function for more than two hours a day due to extreme exhaustion. This can induce feelings of fogginess and prevent you from staying upright for long periods of time. For most, they experience sudden ‘crashes’ while in the middle of doing work or even while walking.
Fatigue is one of the early warning signs of vitamin B deficiency. That’s because vitamin B is necessary for producing red blood cells. When your body doesn’t have enough red blood cells, it can’t transport oxygen throughout your cells and organs. When your body lacks oxygen, it makes you feel tired and lethargic — even if you had a full night of sleep.
Doctors usually prescribe vitamin B to individuals with low energy levels. In fact, vitamin B is popularly known as a pick-me-upper for people with fatigue.
