The winter months often take their toll on the human body. Colds, viruses... even lack of daylight and sunshine heap on the pressure. Making sure you get the right vitamins and minerals is essential whatever the time of year, so a good varied diet, or supplements if you don't eat one particular food group, is essential. Keeping an eye on any symptoms is also advisable and one report suggests that checking for B12 deficiency could be easy as opening your mouth.
Our bodies need a range of vitamins to keep us in top condition, and to help us perform vital tasks that keep us healthy. We need vitamins in small amounts, and most people get all the nutrients needed from their diets. However, sometimes people can be deficient in certain vitamins.
Vitamin B12 is essential for a number of the body's functions. As well as keeping blood and nerve cells healthy, it also helps prevent anaemia, which can make people feel tired and weak, reported Liverpool Echo. Common symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency include fatigue, pins and needles, and weight loss. But two signs that show up in your mouth can also suggest you are lacking the nutrient.
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A sore and red tongue, medically referred to as glossitis, could be a sign of a deficiency, according to NHS guidance. When a person has glossitis, the tongue changes colour and shape, making it painful, red and swollen.
The inflammation also makes the tongue look smooth, as the tiny bumps on the tongue that contain the taste buds stretch out and disappear. Mouth ulcers are also a potential symptom.
Those who don't get enough B12 can develop anaemia, and an additional symptom of this is a reduced sense of taste. Some people develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. According to the NHS website, a diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products, usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient. If you have a vegan diet and do not take vitamin B12 supplements or eat foods fortified with vitamin B12, you could also be at risk.
The NHS website states that "Both vitamin B12 deficiency and folate deficiency are more common in older people, affecting around 1 in 10 people aged 75 or over and 1 in 20 people aged 65 to 74." If you suspect you aren't getting enough B12, you should contact your GP. Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia is usually treated with injections of vitamin B12 or with tablets to replace the missing vitamins.
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