This test checks your vitamin B12 levels, crucial for functions like making red blood cells, DNA, and nerves. Since the body can’t make B12, we need it from animal foods or supplements. Foods like dairy, eggs, fish, meat, and chicken are rich in B12. Vegans and vegetarians may need supplements.

If you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, you could become anaemic. This can result in symptoms including:

• Weakness, tiredness, or lightheadedness
• Heart palpitations and shortness of breath
• Pale skin
• A smooth tongue
• Constipation, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, or flatulence
• Nerve problems like numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, and problems walking
• Vision loss
• Mental problems like depression, memory loss, or behavioural changes

As you age, your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12 decreases and heavy drinking can exacerbate this problem. Risk factors that may lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency:

• Atrophic gastritis, a condition in which your stomach lining is inflamed
• Pernicious anaemia, a type of anaemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency
• Crohn’s disease or celiac disease, causing inflammation of your intestine
• Immune system disorders eg. Graves’ disease or lupus
• Taking medications that interfere with the absorption of vitamin B12, including some heartburn medicines such as proton pump inhibitors, H2 blockers and certain diabetes medicines