Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 02 Sep 2024
Do You Often Feel Confused, Depressed? Could Be Due To Deficiency Of THIS Nutrient
Lack of vitamin B can make you feel constant depression, mood swings, and fatigue
Vitamins are extremely important minerals that boost your immune system, support normal growth and development, and help cells and organs do their jobs. However, their deficiency can cause you a lot of trouble as well.
Doctors say your body does not create vitamins on its own, and so you need to get these from your diet. Most are present in both plant and animal-based diets like meats, eggs, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. Symptoms of vitamin deficiency vary depending on which B vitamin you’re deficient in. However, you may experience mood swings and mental health issues.
Why does Vitamin B deficiency cause mood swings?
According to experts, B vitamins are a group of eight nutrients that are important for maintaining cell health and keeping you energized. Some foods are high in several B vitamins, and certain are particularly high in specific B vitamins. Eating a well-balanced is key to getting all the nutrients your body needs.
However, if you have a deficiency in these, there may be several things that are not going well in your body. Among others are constant depression, mood swings, and fatigue.
If you lack vitamin B12, you may have many problems with thinking, which doctors call cognitive impairment. These issues include reasoning and memory loss as well. Studies also suggest a link between low vitamin B12 levels and a higher risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The reduced amount of oxygen reaching the brain might be to blame for the thinking and reasoning problems.
Being deficient in vitamin B12 may massively affect your mood and lead to mental health issues as well. According to studies, there is a link between vitamin B12 deficiency and depression.
Why does vitamin deficiency cause depression?
Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause depression for several reasons, including:
Buildup of homocysteine
Doctors say low levels of vitamin B12 increase the levels of homocysteine - an amino acid that damages brain tissue and disrupts signals to and from the brain, contributing to depression.
Low red blood cell production
Vitamin B12 deficiency decreases the production of red blood cells – causing fatigue and confusion.
Hippocampus damage
Deficiency of vitamin B damages the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is important for memory development. This can lead to mental fogginess and memory problems.
Increased serotonin production
Vitamin deficiency increases the production of serotonin - which potentially down-regulates serotonin receptors and leads to depression.
Other symptoms of vitamin deficiency
A few other signs and symptoms of a lack of vitamins in your body include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Decreased appetite
- Weight loss
- Mouth pain
- Breathlessness
- Fast heart rate
- Pale skin
- Trouble walking
- Tingling in hands and feet
How to prevent and treat vitamin deficiency?
According to doctors, most people can get enough vitamin B from dietary sources. For those who cannot, you may be prescribed supplements in the form of oral tablets, sublingual tablets that dissolve under the tongue, or injections.
People who have trouble absorbing vitamins may also need shots. A doctor can advise people on the best way to prevent vitamin deficiency, depending on their dietary choices and health.
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