Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia

Vitamin B12 or B9 (commonly called folate) deficiency anaemia occurs when a lack of vitamin B12 or folate causes the body to produce abnormally large red blood cells that can’t function properly.

Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body using a substance called haemoglobin.

Anaemia is the general term for having either fewer red blood cells than normal or having an abnormally low amount of haemoglobin in each red blood cell.

There are several different types of anaemia, and each one has a different cause. For example, iron deficiency anaemia, which occurs when the body doesn’t contain enough iron.

Symptoms

Vitamin B12 and folate perform several important functions in the body, including keeping the nervous system healthy.

A deficiency in either of these vitamins can cause a wide range of problems, including:

extreme tiredness a lack of energy pins and needles (paraesthesia) a sore and red tongue mouth ulcers muscle weakness disturbed vision psychological problems, which may include depression and confusion  problems with memory, understanding and judgement

Some of these problems can also occur if you have a deficiency in vitamin B12 or folate, but don’t have anaemia.

Read about the symptoms of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia


Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia can cause a wide range of symptoms. These usually develop gradually but can worsen if the condition goes untreated.

Anaemia is where you have fewer red blood cells than normal or you have an abnormally low amount of a substance called haemoglobin in each red blood cell. General symptoms of anaemia may include:

extreme tiredness (fatigue) lack of energy (lethargy) breathlessness feeling faint headaches pale skin noticeable heartbeats (palpitations) hearing sounds coming from inside the body, rather than from an outside source (tinnitus) loss of appetite and weight loss


If you have anaemia caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency, you may have other symptoms in addition to those listed above, such as:

a pale yellow tinge to your skin a sore and red tongue (glossitis) mouth ulcers pins and needles (paraesthesia) changes in the way that you walk and move around disturbed vision irritability depression changes in the way you think, feel and behave a decline in your mental abilities, such as memory, understanding and judgement (dementia)

Some of these symptoms can also occur in people who have a vitamin B12 deficiency, but have not developed anaemia.


Additional symptoms in people with anaemia caused by a folate deficiency can include:

symptoms related to anaemia reduced sense of taste diarrhoea numbness and tingling in the feet and hands muscle weakness depression