Vitmain B12 deficiency and fatigue

Vitamin B12 (B12) is a water-soluble vitamin which means that it does not store in the body for long and is flushed away if there is excessive B12 in the body. Also the body does not make vitamin B12, it has to be obtained from food with B12, or from supplements. B12 is absorbed in distal small intestine called ileum after it is bound to a protein and a gastric intrinsic factor produced in the stomach. The richest natural sources of B12 are liver and kidney. Also B12 is presented in other animal products such as dairy products, eggs, fish, meat, and poultry. B12 plays a key role in the function of brain and nervous system apart from formation of red blood cells. Deficiency of B12 can damage the brain and nervous system. The symptoms include fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness, depression, poor memory, breathlessness, heart palpitations, headache, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness and problems walking, pale skin the smooth tongue etc. In some circumstances, one can have B12 deficiency. For example, with age, it can be harder to absorb B12; after stomach surgery (remove a part of the stomach), it disturbed B12 absorption; other conditions such as atrophic gastritis, small intestine problems can affect B12 absorption.

Vitamin D deficiency and fatigue

The main source of Vitamin D is produced by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight. Vit D is also present naturally in some foods such as some fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks, dairy and grain products. It is essential for strong bones by helping the body absorb calcium from the diet. Low vitamin D leads to bone abnormalities and worsens muscle strength. Fatigue is a common complaint and it is also described as tiredness or low energy. Most patients with fatigue have no obvious cause. The cause can only be found in 5% people with fatigue such as cancer, stroke, heart problems, respiratory conditions, liver problems, anemia, autoimmune diseases, infections etc. Low vitamin D can be the cause of fatigue. If you feel tired all the time, get vitamin D level checked out.

Folic acid deficiency and fatigue

Folic acid or folate is vitamin B9 one of the B vitamins. It is essential for the body to make DNA, RNA and amino acids; and it is essential to make red blood cells. The human body cannot make folic acid, it has to come from the food. It is important to eat food containing folic acid to get enough for the body need. Folic acid mainly contain in dark leafy vegetables, fruits, beans, peas, sprouts, dairy products, poultry, meat and liver. If you don’t take enough folic acid or you have digestive system problem which disturb folic acid absorption, you can have folic acid deficiency. The symptoms of deficiency include feeling tired, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, gray hair, mouth sores, poor growth, and swollen tongue, anemia etc.

Iron deficiency and fatigue

Iron in the human body forms complex compound with oxygen in hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin is the iron- and oxygen-binding protein in the red blood cells and myoglobin is the iron and oxygen binding protein in the muscle cells. Iron is important in making red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body. Most people should be able to get all the iron they need by eating a varied and balanced diet. The food in rich of iron includes red meat, liver, beans, peas, leafy vegetables etc. Signs and symptoms of iron deficiency may include brittle nails, swelling or soreness of the tongue, cracks in the sides of the mouth, an enlarged spleen, and frequent infections. Iron deficiency can cause anemia. The signs and symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia depend on its severity. The most common symptom of all types of anemia is fatigue (tiredness). Fatigue occurs because your body doesn't have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to its many parts. Anemia also can cause shortness of breath, dizziness, headache, coldness in your hands and feet, pale skin, chest pain, weakness etc.