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Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia

Pernicious anaemia

Pernicious anaemia is the most common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency in the UK.

Pernicious anaemia is an autoimmune condition that affects your stomach. An autoimmune condition means your immune system (the body’s natural defence system that protects against illness and infection) attacks your body's healthy cells.

Vitamin B12 is absorbed into your body through your stomach. A protein called intrinsic factor attaches itself to vitamin B12 so it can be absorbed from food you eat.

Pernicious anaemia causes your immune system to attack the cells in your stomach that produce the intrinsic factor. This means your body cannot absorb vitamin B12 which causes a deficiency.

The exact cause is not known, but certain things increase your risk of developing pernicious anaemia, including:

being 60 years of age – pernicious anaemia is most common at this agebeing female – pernicious anaemia affects slightly more women than menhaving a family history of the condition – nearly a third of people with pernicious anaemia also have a family member with the conditionhaving another autoimmune condition, such as Addison’s disease or vitiligo – there is an association between pernicious anaemia and other autoimmune conditions

Diet

The body usually stores enough vitamin B12 to last approximately two to four years. However, it is important to have vitamin B12 in your diet to ensure the store is kept at a healthy level.

A diet that includes meat, fish or dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12. People who may not have enough vitamin B12 in their diet include vegans (people whose diet only contains food from plants) or those who have a very poor diet for a prolonged period of time.

Conditions affecting the stomach

Some stomach conditions or stomach operations can prevent the absorbtion of enough vitamin B12. For example, a gastrectomy (a surgical procedure where part of your stomach is removed) increases your risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia.

Conditions affecting the intestines

Some conditions that affect your intestines (part of the digestive system) stop you from absorbing as much vitamin B12 as normal. For example, Crohn’s disease (a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system) can sometimes result in your body not having enough vitamin B12.

Medication

Some types of medicine can reduce the amount of vitamin B12 in your body. For example, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (a medication that treats indigestion) can make a vitamin B12 deficiency worse. PPIs inhibit the production of stomach acid, needed to release vitamin B12 from food you eat.

Your GP will be aware of medicines that can affect your vitamin B12 levels, and will monitor you if they think it necessary.

 

Medica.UK

11 years ago. Rating: 5
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Causes of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency can have a number of possible causes. Typically it occurs in people whose digestive systems do not adequately absorb the vitamin from the foods they eat. This can be caused by:

Pernicious anemia, a condition in which there is a lack of a protein called intrinsic factor. The protein, which is made in the stomach, is necessary for vitamin B12 absorption.
Atrophic gastritis, a thinning of the stomach lining that affects up to 30% of people aged 50 and older.
Surgery in which part of the stomach and/or small intestine is removed.
Conditions affecting the small intestine, such as Crohn's disease, celiac disease, bacterial growth, or a parasite.
Excessive alcohol consumption.
Autoimmune disorders, such as Graves' disease or systemic lupus erythematosus
Long-term use of acid-reducing drugs.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can also occur in vegetarians, because the best food sources of the vitamin are animal products. Strict vegans (people who don't eat any animal products, including meat, eggs, or milk) are at greatest risk. Vegetarians who eat eggs and milk products are also at risk, because, on average, they consume less than half the adult Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin B12.

Babies born to mothers who are vegetarians may also be deficient in vitamin B12. 

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/vitamin-b12-deficiency-symptoms-causes

11 years ago. Rating: 1
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sometimes mono will cause it. ; sometimes anemia. Sometimes if you've had a hemmorhage that got under control......or that you got blood transfusions for.

11 years ago. Rating: 0
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