Vitamin Deficiency May Cause Strange and Serious Symptoms

Who has never heard "eat this vegetable here that has vitamin"? And grandmothers and mothers, those who usually have that phrase on the tip of their tongues, have plenty of reasons to worry about. The lack of any vitamin in the body can cause various symptoms and the most severe deficiencies can lead to irreversible conditions, as reported in a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. In it, a teenager was basically fed on potatoes, white bread and processed pork. The result was blindness due to lack of B vitamins.

There are many symptoms that warn of a lack of vitamin in the body and it is not necessary to reach such extreme levels to feel these "signals" that the body gives. Some of these symptoms are quite strange and can certainly be noted as an anomaly.

Thiamine

Thiamine deficiency is common enough, especially in underdeveloped countries, to be the cause of a disease, beriberi. There are two types of the disease, wet beriberi attacks the cardiovascular system and dry affects the nervous system. In addition, there is even a child form that is even more acute. Symptoms of wet beriberi include shortness of breath and swelling in the legs. Dried beriberi, on the other hand, resembles vitamin B deficiency - which is nonetheless, as thiamine is also known as vitamin B1 - and has symptoms such as numbness in the extremities, mental changes and difficulty moving the legs.

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Pantothenic acid

Lack of pantothenic acid is not very common because in virtually all foods there is at least a small fraction of the vitamin. The specific symptoms of this deficiency were detected in WWII prisoners. The hands and feet become numb and there is a burning sensation. The gastrointestinal system also suffers from disorders, which may be cramps, vomiting or any other alteration. Pantothenic acid is also known as vitamin B5 and like all of this complex, it is involved in the chemical process of energy production. Thus, disability can affect all body functioning.

Vitamin B6

The human tongue is not rough like cats, but neither is it smooth and completely regular. Or at least it should not be. If it is smooth and shiny, the chances of vitamin B6 deficiency are very high. This condition is called atrophic glossitis and is one of the symptoms of the lack of this vitamin. In addition, there is still conjunctivitis, rashes in areas with skin folds, mouth ulcers, severe drowsiness, confusion and generalized nerve pain. Alcoholism and diabetes can lead to vitamin B6 deficiency.

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B12 vitamin

If you know any vegan, you've probably heard of B12 deficiency. Although the severe lack of this vitamin is rare nowadays, this particular group is more at risk as it is mainly associated with animal products. Mild deficiencies may not even produce symptoms, but severe conditions can lead to neurological problems, depression, memory loss, mood swings, difficulty walking, gastrointestinal problems, and stomach pain. As B12 deficiency decreases the number of red blood cells to dangerous levels, it can also cause seizures, loss of bladder control and intestinal bleeding. Drop in blood iron levels can cause anemia.

Therefore, a balanced diet with good doses of green on the plate may be a good choice.