Facing unexplainable mood disorders? You may be low on Vitamin B 12: Doctors

Vitamin B12 plays a key role in producing brain chemicals that affect mood and other brain functions said doctors on SaturdayVitamin B12 also known as cobalamin plays a crucial role in the formation of red blood cells cell metabolism nerve function and the production of DNASome common symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency include strange sensations numbness or tingling in the hands legs or feet difficulty walking staggering balance problems anaemia difficulty thinking and reasoning cognitive difficulties memory loss weakness or fatigueldquoVitamin B12 and other B vitamins play a crucial role in producing brain chemicals that affect mood and other brain functions Low levels of B12 as well as other B vitamins like vitamin B6 and folate may be linked to depressionrdquo Dr Anshu Rohtagi Senior Consultant Department of Neurology Sir Ganga Ram Hospital told IANSldquoThe deficiencies can result from poor diet or difficulties in absorbing the vitamins consumed So maintaining adequate B12 level is essential for overall wellbeing including mood regulationrdquo she addedVitamin B12 is majorly found in poultry meat fish and dairy products It is available as an oral supplement as injections or nasal sprayPeople who consume a vegetarian or vegan diet may be more prone to deficiency as plant foods do not contain vitamin B12 The elderly and people with digestive tract conditions that affect the absorption of nutrients also are susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiencyldquoVitamin B12 plays a crucial role in producing brain chemicals like serotonin which helps regulate mood When B12 levels dip these chemicals can become imbalanced potentially leading to symptoms like mood swings irritability and even depressionrdquo Dr Guruprasad Hosurkar Additional Director Neurology Fortis Hospital Bannerghatta Road Bengaluru told IANSImportantly the doctor explained that the ldquoconnection is not genderspecific Both men and women can experience mood changes due to B12 deficiencyrdquoWhile research is ongoing studies suggest a link between low B12 and depression with some showing improvement in mood with B12 supplementationHowever its important to note that mood swings can have many causes and a doctor should be consulted to rule out other factors and determine if a B12 deficiency is present Dr Guruprasad saidldquoVitamin B12 deficiency causes several neurological symptoms such as tingling numbness burning of feet imbalance memory impairment mood disorders psychosis seizures and Parkinsonismrdquo explained Dr Sudhir Kumar from Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals Hyderabad in a post on social media platform XldquoIn a patient presenting with neurological or psychiatric symptoms suspect vitamin B12 deficiency as a cause especially if there is no obvious cause identified Early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment rapidly improves patients symptomsrdquo he addedThe doctors also stressed the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and advised key behaviours such as managing high blood pressure and blood sugar quitting smoking and alcohol staying physically active getting adequate sleep and managing stress