One day in our hospital, a 50 year old lady complained of weakness, decreased sensation, pareshthesia. She was having no neurological problems before, nor the family history suggestive of any neurological disorder. I took her dietary history and she came out to be pure vegeterian. She was not taking any non-veg diet since many years before. I sent her serum B12 level and it came out to be very low.
Vitamin B12 is one of the B-complex vitamins present in animal foods like meat, fish milk,eggs. It is synthesized by our gut microorganisms to some extent. But it is usually absent in vegeterian foods.
Deficiency symptoms include weakness, pareshthesia, sensory deficit, tingling,numbness, sensory ataxia,lethargy. Deficiency is termed as megaloblastic anemia.
The pure vegeterians are having any neurological manifestation should consult the physician to check their serum B12 levels.
The gut microbiome synthesize to some extent but the level may be depleted after few years. They should be aware of the problems and take necessary precautions.
The purpose of this article is to create health awareness in the society.
Thanks
A very good advice to all the vegetarians