Vitamin B12 – the one sign of deficiency revealed on your tongue

Vitamin B12 is required by the body to make red blood cells, according to the NHS.

It’s also used to keep the nervous system healthy, and helps with the production of DNA.

Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include headaches, fatigue, and a loss of appetite.

But, you could reveal your risk of the condition by looking at your tongue, it’s been revealed.

You may need to add more vitamin B12-rich foods to your diet if you have a smooth tongue, said nutritionist Helen West.

The deficiency can cause the tongue to become inflamed.

The condition can make the tongue appear smooth, as the taste buds stretch out and disappear, she said.

Patients may also experience mouth ulcers, a burning sensation in the mouth, or pins and needles in the tongue.

“Glossitis is a term used to describe an inflamed tongue,” said West.

“If you have glossitis, your tongue changes colour and shape, making it painful, red and swollen.”

“The inflammation can also make your tongue look smooth, as all the tiny bumps on your tongue that contain your taste buds stretch out and disappear.

“As well as being painful, glossitis can change the way you eat and speak.

“Studies have shown that a swollen and inflamed tongue that has long straight lesions on it could be an early sign of vitamin B12 deficiency.”

Other signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency include looking pale, having a ringing in the ears, or heart palpitations.

If symptoms left untreated, it could lead to nerve and psychological problems, added medical website Patient.info.

A deficiency could be caused by pernicious anaemia – where the body’s immune system attacks healthy stomach cells – or by not getting enough vitamins in your diet.

You could top up on vitamin B12 bye eating more beef, liver, salmon, egg or dairy foods.

See a GP if you’re worried that you may have a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Most cases can be easily treated with vitamin B12 supplements and diet changes.

It’s important for the condition to be diagnosed early, as it can lead to heart conditions and temporary infertility on rare occasions.