Vitamin B12 is vital for a number of functions in the body, including keeping the nervous system healthy.
A deficiency is common in older people and those who follow a plant-based diet.
Symptoms associated with not getting enough B12 are wide-ranging.
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Some of the first signs that levels are low include a tingling sensation in the body’s extremities, due to nerves becoming damaged.
But one simple foot symptom could also mean you're not getting enough of the all-important nutrient, according to the Express.
A case report published in the Canadian Family Physician documents some of these disturbing effects.
In the report, skin lesions on the feet were the only clinical signs of vitamin B12 deficiency.
A skin lesion refers to any skin area that has different characteristics from the surrounding skin, including colour, shape, size, and texture.
The case report involved a 34-year-old woman who complained of skin lesions that had developed on both her feet over the past 1.5 months.
On examination, she had non-itchy, hyperpigmented lesions predominantly on the toes of both feet.
Hyperpigmentation, or skin pigmentation, is when certain areas of your skin are darker than the rest.
The woman's vitamin B12 level was considered low. After receiving treatment for her deficiency, the "hyperpigmented lesions improved within two weeks", stated the case report.
A vitamin B12 deficiency can be avoided in many people by eating enough bread, cereals and other grains that have been fortified with the nutrient.
Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products and eggs are also good sources of B12.
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