Lack of Vitamin B12 May Cause Pernicious Anemia
When one lacks vitamin B12 in the body, this can result in a
condition known as pernicious anemia. Pernicious anemia can be
detected by a blood test due to the presence of huge immature red
blood cells in one’s blood. Such blood cells show inefficiency at
carrying oxygen.
Pernicious anemia can be triggered by a dearth of food in one’s
diet that has vitamin B12. Or another cause could be a lack of
intrinsic factor in one’s stomach. Those who are at risk for this
condition are vegans.
One treatment for pernicious anemia is consuming large amounts of
folacin to assist red blood cells in growing to the right shape
and size. Still, even the right amounts of folacin will not repair
any nerve damage attributed to vitamin B 12 deficiency. The most
severe effects of Vitamin B12 deficiency are irreversible nerve
and brain damage.
In reality it will take up to 5 years for the condition to develop,
depending on the amount of B12 still stored in one’s body. This in
turn is dependent on how much food with vitamin B12 you actually
consume. Animal products supply the largest amounts of vitamin B12
since this nutrient is not really found in vegetables. (This
explains why vegans are at risk for the disease.)
For one to absorb the vitamin into the body, intrinsic factor is
required in the person’s stomach. This factor is actually a
protein produced in the human stomach. However, if a person’s
stomach has been partially or wholly removed, then the capacity to
produce intrinsic factor is lessened or totally eliminated.
Without intrinsic factor, a person can still end up with vitamin
B12 deficiency even if he were to constantly consume foods
abundant in vitamin B 12. Should one’s stomach be removed through
surgery, he can receive vitamin B12 shots that must be
administered for life at intervals of every three weeks. By
injecting the vitamin into the bloodstream, it is guaranteed that
it will circulate in the person’s system even without the
intrinsic factor.
It is remarkable enough to note that a pound of calves liver per
day has enough vitamin B12 that even those who don’t have the
intrinsic factor will be able to absorb the right amounts of the
vitamin to avoid pernicious anemia.
Among other things, the deficiency is caused by: fish tape worm;
Crohn’s disease, abdominal or intestinal surgery that may hamper
the production or absorption of intrinsic factor; and chronic
alcoholism.
The importance of a well-balanced diet that incorporates animal
products cannot be overstressed for preventing the condition.
(Vegans, since they are at risk, should consult a good dietician to
avoid developing pernicious anemia.)
Spotting the condition early on and quickly treating it may reduce
its severity while forestalling neurologic complications. The
impact on the central nervous system could become irreversible
should treatment not be started within 6 months from when symptoms
are first detected. Furthermore, Vitamin B12 deficiency may
trigger a false-positive Pap smear due to the condition’s effect
on epithelial cells.