Are You Cobalamin Deficient

Vitamin B-12 is a B vitamin that’s responsible for assisting the body in making enough healthy red blood cells. Deficiency in this vitamin is common among people who:

• are vegans
• have had gastric surgery
• are over 60 years old
• have diabetes and take metformin (Glucophage)
• have a long history of antacid use
• lack intrinsic factor

Intrinsic factor is a transport protein secreted by the stomach cells. It binds to B-12 and takes it to the small intestine for absorption. This is the way the body is able to absorb and utilize B-12.

Adequate calcium intake at meals is required for intrinsic factor to assist in B-12 absorption in the small intestine.

A deficiency in this vitamin may cause pernicious anemia. This is a type of anemia caused by a decreased ability to absorb B-12 efficiently. Pernicious anemia is more common in people with autoimmune disorders and inflammatory or digestive diseases.

Symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency include:

• fatigue and weakness in extremities
• dizziness
• shortness of breath
• weight loss
• nausea or poor appetite
• sore, red, or swollen tongue
• pale or yellowish skin

Left untreated for too long, vitamin B-12 deficiency may cause irreversible damage to the nervous system. More severe symptoms include:

• difficulty walking
• muscle weakness
• irritability
• dementia
• depression
• memory loss

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