When we think “vitamin deficiency”, we imagine fatigue, a bad complexion, a lack of energy… But nothing serious. And yet, it can turn into a nightmare. As for this 33-year-old Englishwoman, who had difficulty getting around for several years because of a simple vitamin B12 deficiency, tells the Daily Mail.
Beware of vegan diets
Carly Minsky pays particular attention to her health, which makes her decide to adopt a vegan diet. Nothing extraordinary then: she stops eating fish and meat. At the end of a year, she suffers from a very great fatigue which progresses so much and so much, that six years later, she has downright trouble walking. It is only then that the doctors understand what is weakening it, a vitamin B12 deficiency.
According to the MSD manual, the latter may occur “in vegans who do not take supplements” or “due to an absorption disorder”. B12 is found in foods of animal origin, meat, seafood, fish, cheese, eggs or even milk.
Significant consequences of vitamin B12 deficiency
The results ? Anemia, which causes fatigue, pallor, weakness, up to shortness of breath, dizziness. Deficiency can go a long way and “lead to nerve damage, tingling, or loss of sensation in the hands and feetmuscle weakness, loss of reflexes, motor difficulties, confusion and dementia,” the science manual notes.
To detect it, a blood test is enough. It is important when following a vegan diet to monitor your vitamin B12 level. This can be corrected with food supplements. In this case, the Briton, who nevertheless consumed cheese, eggs and milk, received vitamin injections to compensate for the extremely low level which had been detected in his blood.
