B12 Vitamin Deficiency and Hair Loss

Losing your hair is one of the concerns shared by many of us in today's society, by males and females alike. And as losing your hair could be the result of a B12 vitamin deficiency, you should get your condition checked out by your doctor.

Whilst your body requires very low levels of vitamin B12 on a daily basis, it is nevertheless an essential vitamin required for your body to function. If you begin to experience hair loss, mental confusion, fatigue or anemia, it can be your body's way of telling you that it has a B12 vitamin deficiency.

So what does your body need the vitamin B12 for? Well this vitamin is essential for maintaining a healthy nervous system as well as being essential for the normal metabolic function of all your cells. Due to its importance for your system, your body has developed a way of recycling the vitamin from other sources in your body, such as bile, and is able to store it for up to six years.

If your body does such a good job in both the recycling and storing of this vitamin, you may then wonder how you can develop a deficiency of this vitamin.

Generally a B12 vitamin deficiency is more likely to occur with people who have intestinal or stomach problems. Healthy intestines contain an enzyme which is needed for your body to absorb vitamin B12 and without this enzyme it is likely that you will develop a vitamin deficiency. So whilst your hair loss may be a visible sign of something being wrong, there could be a more serious underlying medical condition that needs to be looked at and treated.

Sufferers from pernicious anemia are more at risk at developing a B12 vitamin deficiency. For these people simply boosting your intake of the correct foods may not be enough to combat the deficiency and vitamin B12 injections may be required. In addition, once you reach the age of 50 you are more likely to develop a deficiency in this vitamin since your body begins to limit the secretions that are required to separate out the vitamin from other food proteins.

If your medical doctor establishes that a B12 vitamin deficiency is causing your hair loss then s/he will probably recommend a change in your diet to boost your intake of certain foods. Generally the best sources of vitamin B12 are considered to be meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk and other dairy products. Failing this, a vitamin supplement may be recommended.