BBC Morning Live's Dr Punam warns fatigue and vision issues could be lack of vital vitamin

BBC Morning Live resident GP, Dr Punam Krishan, has warned people that symptoms including issues with your vision, being tired all the time and headaches could actually be down to the fact that you are not having enough of one vital vitamin. Speaking on the show today (Friday, November 8), the health expert said that a vitamin B12 deficiency is fairly common and something many of us don't think about.

Speaking to hosts Rav Wilding and Sara Davies, the doctor said that the vitamin deficiency "can affect anyone at any stage and very much depends on the cause but it's more common in older adults". She explains that "being low in vitamin B12 can cause B12 deficiency anaemia. A lot of people tend to think of iron when they see anaemia but there are different types of that. When it comes to the word anaemia, it just means that you’ve not got enough healthy red blood cells in the body to deliver oxygen to all of your vital organs."

"B12 is involved in the formation of new red blood cells so if you’ve not got enough B12 then you’re not forming them fast enough, she explains saying that they "die a lot sooner so then you end up in a drop of red blood cells and that’s why you get all of these side-effects and symptoms."

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What are B12 deficiency symptoms?

• feeling weak or tired

• palpitations

• problems with your vision

• diarrhoea

• a sore or red tongue

• shortness of breath

• headaches

• indigestion

• a loss of appetite

The deficiency can also affect your brain health and nervous system with common symptoms including:

• pins and needles

• numbness

• low mood

• anxiety

• problems with memory

• problems with balance and coordination

• incontinence

What causes B12 deficiency?

The NHS explain: "Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia occurs when a lack of either of these vitamins affects the body's ability to produce fully functioning red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. Most people with vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia have underdeveloped red blood cells that are larger than normal. The medical term for this is megaloblastic anaemia."

Pernicious anaemia

Dr Punam mentioned that pernicious anaemia is the most common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency which is an autoimmune condition that affects your stomach meaning that your immune system, the body's natural defence system that protects against illness and infection, attacks your body's healthy cells.

The NHS further explain this writing: "Vitamin B12 is combined with a protein called intrinsic factor in your stomach. This mix of vitamin B12 and intrinsic factor is then absorbed into the body in part of the gut called the distal ileum. Pernicious anaemia causes your immune system to attack the cells in your stomach that produce the intrinsic factor, which means your body is unable to absorb vitamin B12.

"The exact cause of pernicious anaemia is unknown, but it's more common in women around 60 years of age, people with a family history of the condition and those with another autoimmune condition, such as Addison's disease or vitiligo."

The doctor also warned that if you have a restricted diet or you're vegan, "you are at a higher risk and that’s because the source of vitamin B12 tends to come from foods like meats, poultry, fish and dairy products. So if you’re not getting enough of that then you are at risk."

What foods contain vitamin B12?

The Scottish GP, who took part in this year's Strictly Come Dancing series, says that "if you have a healthy, balanced diet, you should be fine because you should be able to get enough vitamin B12 from that. But if you are following a restricted diet or a vegan, it can be a struggle."

Common foods that carry a good source of B12 include:

• Fish

• Eggs

• Milk

• Meat

• Poultry

• Fortified breakfast cereals

You can find out more about B12 and what to do if you think you're low here. You can also watch the full episode of the BBC Morning Live show with Dr Punam here on BBC iPlayer.