Vitamin and C dissolve into the water when a vegetable is boiled, and are then lost when the water is discarded. The body's stores for different vitamins vary widely; vitamins A, D, and B are stored in significant amounts, mainly in the liver, and an adult's diet may be deficient in vitamins A and D for many months and B in some cases for years, before developing a deficiency condition. However, vitamin B (niacin and niacinamide) is not stored in significant amounts, so stores may last only a couple of weeks. For vitamin C, the first symptoms of scurvy in experimental
Vitamin B12 deficiency Vitamin B12 deficiency Vitamin B deficiency, also known as cobalamin deficiency, is the medical condition of low blood levels of vitamin B. In mild deficiency a person may feel tired and have a reduced number of red blood cells (anemia). In moderate deficiency there may be inflammation of the tongue and the beginning of neurological problems including abnormal sensations such as "pins and needles", while severe deficiency may include reduced heart function and greater neurological problems. Neurological problems may include changes in reflexes, poor muscle function, memory problems, decreased taste, and in extreme cases psychosis. Sometimes temporary infertility may also