Vitamin B12 Side Effects

Vitamin B12 belongs to the group of vitamin B complex. One of the many sources of vitamin B12 are meat and dairy products. Vitamin B12 is also found in eggs, poultry, meat, shellfish, milk and dairy products. Also, fermented soy products and seaweeds are considered to contain a good amount of vitamin B12. However, the vegetarian sources of vitamin B12 are unreliable, and hence people following a strict vegetarian diet often suffer from vitamin deficiency. The side effects of B12 can occur if natural sources or supplements of vitamin B12 are over or under consumed. Many times people experience some allergic reactions to vitamin B12 injections as well.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Side Effects
The symptoms and diseases related to vitamin B12 deficiency are:

• Nutritional deficiencies of vitamin B12, iron and folic acid cause canker sores
• The deficiencies also lead to diarrhea and anemia
• Deficiencies of vitamin B12 causes neurological abnormalities like ataxia and coma
• Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms also include depression, numbness or tingling sensation in the toes or fingers
• Appetite loss, weight loss
• Sore tongue, mouth and throat
• Bleeding gums
• Frequently occurring headaches, lightheaded feeling
• Weakness
• Dementia
• Abnormal heartbeats, weak pulse

Vitamin B12 Overdose Side Effects
The overdose side effects cases of vitamin B12 are rare, as it is a water soluble vitamin. However, when it gets stored in the body, there are certain overdose dangers of vitamin B12, which are as follows:

• The kidneys of person not functioning properly, can be a sign of vitamin B12 overdose
• A person can also experience symptoms like giddy feeling and headache, due to overdose
• Abnormal functioning of the heart, is also a side effect of vitamin B12
• A person can also get tingling sensation in the extremities
• Excessive intake of this vitamin leads to vitamin B12 toxicity, and there is a high possibility of it transgressing into cancer
• When vitamin B12 is given to people suffering from anemia, the overdose can lead to leukemia
• A person who has vitamin B12 overdose, and is consuming a diet which is high in cholesterol, has chances of stomach and esophagus cancer

Vitamin B12 Injection Side Effects
Here, are the common symptoms of vitamin B12 injection side effects:

• Pain and warm feeling, at the body part where the person received the injection
• Feeling of nausea
• Headache
• Pains in the joint
• Upset stomach
• Mild diarrhea

People who suffer from vitamin B12 deficiencies are given these injections. These injections are painful as they are injected in a muscle. Mentioned above are the common side effects of the vitamin B12 overdose, and if the symptoms become severe, seek medical attention.

Recommended Dosage for Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is an important vitamin required by the body, and to avoid deficiency or overdose side effects, one needs to take it in the recommended dosage:

Age Group	Dosage (micrograms per day)
0 - 6 months	0.4
7 - 12 months	0.5
1 - 3 years	0.9
4 - 8 years	1.2
9 - 13 years	1.8
14 years and older	2.4

Source: The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine

If you are suffering from the overdose side effects, do not discontinue the intake of vitamin B12. Instead, consult your doctor and ensure that you ingest all the required vitamins in the right dose.