Lightheadedness and dizziness are common symptoms that can have many different causes. While several vitamin deficiencies have been linked to feelings of lightheadedness, the most likely culprit is a lack of B vitamins.
What are B vitamins?
B vitamins are a group of 8 essential nutrients that play important roles in cell metabolism and nerve function. The main B vitamins include:
- B1 (thiamine)
- B2 (riboflavin)
- B3 (niacin)
- B5 (pantothenic acid)
- B6 (pyridoxine)
- B7 (biotin)
- B9 (folate/folic acid)
- B12 (cobalamin)
Many foods provide B vitamins, especially whole grains, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Since they are water-soluble vitamins, excess amounts are generally excreted in urine.
Why B vitamin deficiency causes lightheadedness
B vitamins play essential roles in energy production throughout the body. They are involved in metabolizing fats, proteins and carbohydrates into usable energy. B vitamins are also needed to maintain healthy blood cells and nerves.
When the body lacks B vitamins, energy production suffers. Nerves and blood cells may also become dysfunctional. This can result in symptoms like fatigue, muscle weakness, numbness or tingling, depression, and lightheadedness or dizziness.
Specifically, deficiencies in thiamine (B1), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), folate (B9) and cobalamin (B12) seem most likely to cause lightheadedness and dizziness when deficient.
Thiamine (B1)
Thiamine plays a critical role in converting nutrients from food into energy. It also supports nerve cell and brain function.
Low thiamine levels can lead to a condition called beriberi, which may cause dizziness along with muscle weakness, fatigue, irritability and impaired sensory perception.
Niacin (B3)
Niacin helps convert nutrients into energy and make DNA. A deficiency can cause pellagra, with symptoms like diarrhea, dementia and dizziness.
Pyridoxine (B6)
Pyridoxine helps make neurotransmitters, which facilitate communication between brain cells. A lack of B6 may contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders like depression and seizures, which can include dizziness.
Folate (B9)
Folate plays many important roles related to cell growth and division. Inadequate folate levels may lead to anemia, which can sometimes cause lightheadedness.
Cobalamin (B12)
Cobalamin helps make DNA and red blood cells and supports neurological function. Deficiency can cause anemia and nerve damage, potentially leading to dizziness and faintness.
Other vitamin deficiencies linked to lightheadedness
While B vitamin deficiencies seem most likely to cause lightheadedness and dizziness, inadequate levels of other vitamins may also contribute in some cases.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps regulate calcium absorption and supports muscle and nerve function. Very low levels may potentially contribute to fatigue, muscle weakness or tingling, which can make you feel lightheaded when standing up.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E has antioxidant properties and helps prevent damage to cells. There is some evidence that vitamin E deficiency could potentially lead to nerve problems, which may cause dizziness in some instances.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is important for immune health and antioxidant protection. Severe deficiency can cause scurvy, which may result in symptoms like fatigue and fainting spells.
Who is at risk of B vitamin deficiencies?
Certain groups have an increased risk of developing B vitamin deficiencies:
- Older adults – absorption decreases with age
- Alcoholics – excess alcohol affects absorption and increases excretion
- Smokers – can have lower levels of B vitamins
- Pregnant women – higher vitamin needs
- Vegans or vegetarians – may not get enough from diet
- Those with health conditions affecting nutrient absorption like celiac disease or Crohn’s disease
- People taking certain medications like antacids, metformin, birth control pills
However, even generally healthy adults can become deficient in one or more B vitamins if intake is inadequate over time.
Assessing your B vitamin status
Since multiple B vitamin deficiencies often occur together, doctors may check your overall B vitamin status rather than individual levels. Common blood tests include:
- Complete blood count (CBC) – helps identify anemia
- Homocysteine – elevated levels indicate B vitamin deficiency
- Methylmalonic acid (MMA) – high levels indicate vitamin B12 deficiency
Your doctor may also directly test blood levels of specific B vitamins like folate, vitamin B12 or thiamine if deficiency is suspected.
Best food sources of B vitamins
Eating a balanced diet with a variety of the following nutrient-dense foods can help prevent B vitamin deficiencies:
| Vitamin | Food Sources |
|---|---|
| Thiamine (B1) | Pork, sunflower seeds, trout, black beans, green peas, lentils, acorn squash |
| Riboflavin (B2) | Beef liver, milk, yogurt, eggs, spinach, almonds, mushrooms |
| Niacin (B3) | Chicken breast, tuna, peanuts, mushrooms, avocado, dates, sunflower seeds |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | Shiitake mushrooms, sunflower seeds, avocado, yogurt, lentils, split peas |
| Pyridoxine (B6) | Pistachios, tuna, poultry, potato, bananas, spinach, bell peppers |
| Biotin (B7) | Egg yolks, salmon, beef liver, sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, almonds |
| Folate (B9) | Lentils, asparagus, spinach, black-eyed peas, Brussels sprouts, romaine lettuce |
| Cobalamin (B12) | Beef liver, sardines, salmon, eggs, nutritional yeast, fortified plant-based milk |
Supplements
In addition to eating a nutritious diet, supplements can help fill any gaps in B vitamin intake, especially for those at higher risk of deficiency. Multivitamins provide a mix of B vitamins, while individual supplements allow you to target specific ones you may need more of.
Always talk to your healthcare provider before taking new supplements, especially in high doses. They can help determine the right type and dosage based on your health status and lab results.
Treatment
Treating an underlying B vitamin deficiency is key for reducing lightheadedness and dizziness. Your doctor will likely recommend both diet changes to optimize your vitamin intake, along with supplementation to restore healthy B vitamin levels.
For severe nutrient deficiencies, initial high-dose vitamin supplements may be used to rapidly correct the deficiency. These will eventually be reduced to a standard maintenance dosage once blood levels normalize.
Depending on what’s causing impaired vitamin absorption, your doctor may also need to treat the underlying condition. For example, a person with celiac disease would need to avoid gluten to allow the small intestine to heal and properly absorb nutrients again.
When to see a doctor
Lightheadedness usually goes away on its own and has many benign causes. However, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor if you experience:
- Frequent or persistent lightheadedness
- Lightheadedness along with fainting or loss of consciousness
- Lightheadedness after standing up, which could signal low blood pressure
- Lightheadedness with chest pain, palpitations or shortness of breath
- Increasing fatigue or muscle weakness
- Risk factors for B vitamin deficiency like alcoholism, certain health conditions or medications
Evaluation of your symptoms along with medical history, a physical exam and possibly blood tests can help identify or rule out underlying causes like vitamin deficiency.
Prompt treatment can help resolve symptoms and prevent complications. Your doctor can also advise any diet and lifestyle changes needed to help prevent a recurrence.
When to seek emergency treatment
In some cases, lightheadedness may be a medical emergency requiring immediate care. Go to the emergency room if lightheadedness occurs along with:
- Loss of consciousness or fainting
- Chest pain
- Difficulty speaking or confusion
- Sudden, severe headache
- Vision changes or loss of vision
- Difficulty walking or loss of balance
- Numbness or weakness, especially on one side
These types of symptoms can indicate a serious medical issue like stroke, seizure, heart arrhythmia or hemorrhage. Seek emergency care even if the symptoms resolve, as the underlying cause needs to be determined.
Prevention
You can help prevent B vitamin deficiencies and associated lightheadedness by:
- Eating a balanced diet with a variety of whole grains, meat, dairy, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats
- Choosing fortified foods like breakfast cereals and nutritional yeast
- Limiting alcohol intake
- Quitting smoking
- Taking supplements if at higher risk of deficiency
- Getting bloodwork periodically to check for deficiencies
Talk to your doctor about any medications or health conditions that could affect your vitamin levels. Follow their guidance on dietary changes or supplements tailored to your individual health status.
Conclusion
Lightheadedness and dizziness are common sensations that are not usually cause for concern. However, frequently feeling lightheaded or dizzy to the point of affecting your daily function could indicate an underlying nutrient deficiency.
In particular, inadequate intake or absorption of B vitamins like thiamine, niacin, B6, folate and B12 seem most likely to cause lightheadedness. Other vitamin deficiencies could potentially contribute as well.
It’s important to see your doctor if you have persistent or worsening lightheadedness. Getting appropriate testing and treatment can identify and address the root cause, such as low vitamin levels, and help resolve your symptoms.
Eating a nutrient-rich diet and taking supplements when needed can help prevent vitamin deficiencies and associated lightheadedness in most people. But those with health conditions or medications affecting vitamin levels may require more vigilance and guidance from their healthcare provider.
With an appropriate treatment plan to correct any deficiencies, along with lifestyle measures to optimize your vitamin intake, lightheadedness caused by inadequate B vitamins or other nutrients can often be effectively managed or reversed.