Why should you be careful about intake of Vitamins B?

Upasana Kaura

Do you often have cramps in stomach, scaly lips, develop cracks at the corners of mouth or face skin rashes? Well, it is time you get yourself tested for the deficiency of Vitamins B. Yes, these vitamins play an important role in your overall health though most people are not aware of it. In fact, the deficiency of B vitamins may lead to nerve damage.
Further, among all the other B vitamins, it is B12 deficiency which is extremely common in India, thanks to the wrong diet and lifestyle pattern. And mind you, contrary to the common belief, vitamin B12 is not found in fruits.

 
Dr Satish Khadilkar

“Besides other factors, people with Vitamin-B deficiencies have a higher probability for nerve impairments. Special nutritional habits or malnutrition can lead to deficiencies in certain essential vitamins, like the neurotropic-B vitamins, which play a very important role in keeping your nerves healthy and protected,” says Dr Satish Khadilkar, Dean and HOD Neurology, Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences.
“Like most vitamins, B12 can’t be made by the body. Instead, it must be gotten from food and supplements. Therein lies the problem as while some people don’t consume enough vitamin B12 to meet their needs, others can’t absorb enough, no matter how much they take in.
Agreeing with Dr Khadilkar is Dr Mangesh Tiwaskar, Honorary General Secretary, Association of Physicians of India (API). “Vitamin B12 deficiency may be one of the main reasons leading to nerve problems. The nerve damage caused by a lack of Vitamin B12 may become permanently debilitating,” he says, adding that due to lack of awareness, people usually don’t select the right kind of diet.

Sources of Vitamins B
Milk; cheese; eggs, chicken and red meat; fish such as tuna, mackerel, and salmon; oysters and clams; dark green vegetables such as spinach and kale; beets, avocados, and potatoes; whole grains and cereals; beans such as kidney beans, black beans, and chickpeas; nuts and seeds; fruits such as citrus fruits, banana, and watermelon; soy products etc