Many around the world are grappling with vitamin B12 deficiency, yet some are unaware of what's causing their mysterious symptoms.
A growing number are sharing their stories on social media in the hope of empowering others to seek a diagnosis.
This includes Kyle, who discovered the condition after becoming plagued with symptoms that wouldn’t clear with sleep.
He'd been caught in the grips of debilitating brain fog for a while, but kept putting this down to overexertion at work.
Suboptimal B12 levels can cause wide-ranging symptoms
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“I began noticing numbness in my feet and this strange kind of brain fog I just couldn’t improve, even with sleep,” he told GB News.
“It entered my pattern slowly over time, so I was brushing it off as normal fatigue from being overworked.
“Eventually, I couldn’t escape the low-grade pain that made everything like a chore.”
He continued: “After my testing and starting to treat for B12 deficiency, things didn’t flip like a light switch overnight, but I started regaining my energy and clarity within weeks.
“I think for me, the biggest surprise I experienced was the emotional impingement. I felt off but could not explain it.
“I had no clue that mood swings and memory lapses could be associated with something like B12.”
“This experience has given me more empathy for our residents who struggle to verbalise vague symptoms, especially those who are dealing with stigma or are frequently dismissed,” he reflected.
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Kyle's first symptoms included numbness in the feet
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Beyond tingling feet and brain fog, B12 shortages cause poor memory and depression, and severe mental disorders like psychosis.
But a lack of international consensus on what defines B12 deficiencies continues to cause delays in diagnosis.
Sadly, people can go on to develop incurable neurological complications like Alzheimer's if left untreated.
"See your GP if you think you may have a vitamin B12 or folate deficiency," states the NHS.
"These conditions can often be diagnosed based on your symptoms and the results of a blood test."
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