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Sometimes it may be the only marker for this deficiency. Vitamin B-12 deficiencyĪccording to a 2016 study, dark knuckles can be an important marker for vitamin B-12 deficiency.
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It’s thought that high levels of insulin may affect the growth of skin cells. The relationship of dark knuckles and diabetes isn’t fully understood. This is important, because lifestyle changes can help regulate your blood sugar levels and prevent prediabetes from progressing to diabetes. Prediabetes means that your blood sugar levels are higher than normal.Īccording to the Mayo Clinic, prediabetes often has no symptoms, so darkened knuckles can be a warning sign. Prediabetes and diabetesĭark knuckles are most prevalent among people who have diabetes or who have several risk factors for diabetes. But it’s often a symptom or a warning sign of another condition, such as diabetes. It’s thought to be related to mutations in a gene that involves fibroblast growth factor.
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In a 2010 study, AN was diagnosed in 19.6 percent of the study participants, in all age groups. It may also feel itchy or have an odor.ĪN is fairly common. Acanthosis nigricansĪcanthosis nigricans (AN) is a condition that involves darkening and thickening of the skin in one or more areas on the body, including the knuckles. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common causes. It can also be caused by a vitamin deficiency and certain drugs. Dark knuckles can be a symptom of a variety of health conditions.
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