UK faces rising vitamin B12 deficiency affecting one in 20 adults

A 45‑year‑old pet caregiver in Sussex, Zita Wells, collapsed while shopping after months of unexplained fatigue and breathlessness. Blood tests revealed severe vitamin B12 deficiency, a condition that is essential for red‑blood‑cell production, DNA repair and nerve function.

Health experts say around one in 20 Britons now have the deficiency, rising to as many as one in five people over 50. Hospital admissions for B12 deficiency have tripled since 1999. The disorder often goes undetected because its symptoms—fatigue, brain fog, tongue soreness, tingling—are vague and the standard blood test correctly identifies the condition only about 50 % of the time.

Risk groups include older adults, vegans and vegetarians, people on acid‑reducing medication, metformin users and those whose diets are high in ultra‑processed foods. Experts urge better awareness and more reliable testing to prevent irreversible nerve damage, heart failure and death.