What is vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12, a water soluble vitamin, helps in the formation of red blood cells and in the maintenance of the central nervous system. Deficiency is due to inadequate dietary intake or impaired absorption of Vitamin B12 resulting in megaloblastic anemia due to inhibition in red blood cell production.

How do members experience vitamin B12 deficiency?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with vitamin B12 deficiency*

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Top treatments taken by people for vitamin B12 deficiency*

*Data from patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Compare treatments taken by people with vitamin B12 deficiency*

Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment

(Vitamin B12 Prescription (cyanocobalamin))
Perceived effectiveness
for vitamin B12 deficiency (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
2
Tried for
vitamin B12 deficiency (16)
Treatment

(Medivitan)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
vitamin B12 deficiency (5)

*Data from patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Who has vitamin B12 deficiency on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 2
20s 52
30s 170
40s 291
50s 448
60s 362
70+ 159

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 220
Female 1,238

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What is vitamin B12 deficiency?

Vitamin B12, a water soluble vitamin, helps in the formation of red blood cells and in the maintenance of the central nervous system. Deficiency is due to inadequate dietary intake or impaired absorption of Vitamin B12 resulting in megaloblastic anemia due to inhibition in red blood cell production.



Common symptoms reported by people with vitamin B12 deficiency

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it

Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.
Last updated:



Treatments taken by people for vitamin B12 deficiency

Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Vitamin B12 Prescription (cyanocobalamin))
Type
Supplement
How many have tried
434
Tried for
vitamin B12 deficiency (16)
Treatment name(s)

(Medivitan)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
366
Tried for
vitamin B12 deficiency (5)

Data from patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:


Compare treatments taken by people with vitamin B12 deficiency

Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Vitamin B12 Prescription (cyanocobalamin))
Perceived effectiveness
for vitamin B12 deficiency (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
2
Tried for
vitamin B12 deficiency (16)
Treatment name(s)

(Medivitan)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
vitamin B12 deficiency (5)
  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
  • Severe
  • Moderate
  • Mild
  • None

Data from patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:



Who has vitamin B12 deficiency on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 3 new patients joined this month
  • 239 say vitamin B12 deficiency is their primary condition

Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 2
20s 52
30s 170
40s 291
50s 448
60s 362
70+ 159
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom Proportion # of patients
0-19 years 38
20-29 years 88
30-39 years 127
40-49 years 110
50-59 years 51
60-69 years 14
70+ years 3

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 220
Female 1,238

Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 657
Not Diagnosed 30

These charts show data from vitamin B12 deficiency patients who have completed their condition history
Last updated: