When vitamin B12 levels are low, your hair follicles may not be able to grow new hair as efficiently, resulting in hair loss. A vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms of anemia, which is associated with low iron levels, hair thinning, and hair loss.

Although a deficiency in B12 may lead to hair loss, research does not suggest that people who do not have a deficiency can improve their hair growth by using a supplement. Nevertheless, getting enough vitamin B12 is essential for overall health. Good sources of vitamin B12 include meat, dairy, and other animal foods.

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

• Weakness, tiredness, or lightheadedness.
• Heart palpitations and shortness of breath.
• Pale skin.
• A smooth tongue.
• Constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or gas.
• Nerve problems like numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, and problems walking.
• Vision loss.

The condition can be reversed by taking oral vitamin B12 supplements and adding foods containing B12. When the anemia is severe and the red blood cell count is extremely low, blood transfusions may be necessary for the first couple of days until the vitamin B12 injections begin working.

Once you begin treating your vitamin B12 deficiency, it can take up to six to 12 months to fully recover. It is also common to not experience any improvement during the first few months of treatment.

Safety and side effects. When taken at appropriate doses, vitamin B-12 supplements are generally considered safe. While the recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms, higher doses have been found to be safe. Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine …

Not having enough B12 can lead to anemia, which means your body does not have enough red blood cells to do the job. This can make you feel weak and tired. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause damage to your nerves and can affect memory and thinking.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to serious complications such as nerve damage, anemia and fatigue, which is why those at risk should add a high-quality B12 supplement to their diet ( 2 ).

Keep your scalp healthy by using conditioner to keep it moisturized and gentle scalp scrubs with a brush or comb to exfoliate it. When your scalp is healthy, your follicles will hold onto strands of hair and this will lead to less hair shedding.

Vitamin B12 helps in the formation of red blood cells, which, in turn, boost hair growth. At the base of hair follicles, we have tiny blood vessels that connect to the roots of each hair strand.

Vitamin B3 is also known as Niacin. Your body can generate a small volume of this vitamin from the amino acids. But it is not enough to provide thickness to the hair. The lack of Vitamin B3 can result in the thinning of hair strands.

Let’s take a look at the most common nutritional deficiencies that cause hair loss: Iron: Everyone knows that iron deficiency causes anemia; this is typically characterized by pale skin and fatigue, and a vulnerability to repeated infections.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is more common in older people and affects around one in 10 over 75s. The most common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency is pernicious anaemia, an auto-immune condition that affects around one in 10,000 people.