Vitamin B12 deficiency

Failure to diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to irreversible neurological damage, including:

• brain damage in young children whose mothers had undiagnosed B12 deficiency
• degeneration of the spinal cord, in a person of any age, resulting in severe neuropathy
• dementia and neuropsychiatric disorders, especially in the elderly

Untreated vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause a secondary folate deficiency.

Folate deficiency

Failure to diagnose folate deficiency can lead to:

• neural-tube defects such as spina-bifida
• potentially life-threatening anaemia

In addition, undiagnosed vitamin B12 or folate deficiency can cause a wide range of debilitating symptoms that can often be reversed with correct diagnosis and treatment.