Why Do People Develop Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

Without Vitamin B12, a lot of processes in the body will be hampered. These include the production of healthy red blood cells and the building of myelin sheaths needed for maintaining the nervous system. Furthermore, without the vitamin, one’s homocysteine levels will significantly increase, and high homocysteine levels are associated with heart disease and stroke. The other serious health conditions linked to deficiency of the vitamin include anemia and permanent nerve damage. The common symptoms of the deficiency include fatigue, upset stomach, pale skin, and swollen tongue.

So why do people become deficient of the vitamin?

There are several factors that contribute to Vitamin B12 deficiency. One of them is diet. The vitamin is naturally found in animal-based foods such as meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, and milk. Thus, vegans are more likely to develop the deficiency. Another factor is age. Although the vitamin may be stored in the liver for a long period of time, one’s levels of it tend to go down as they grow older. The elderly, especially those who have atrophic gastritis, may not be able to produce sufficient levels of gastric acid needed for the proper absorption of the vitamin.

Pernicious anemia is another factor in the deficiency of the vitamin. An autoimmune disorder, pernicious anemia reduces the ability of the body to produce intrinsic factor, a glycoprotein necessary for the absorption of the vitamin. Use of antacids and metformin may also contribute to the deficiency as they inhibit the production of gastric acid. Being bound to a protein, the vitamin requires sufficient amounts of gastric acid and intrinsic factor for it to be released and be absorbed by the body.

There are ways that people can avoid developing the deficiency, though. One of these is by taking a Vitamin B12 supplement. Furthermore, consuming B12-fortified foods such as breakfast cereals may be very beneficial for vegans.

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