Pernicious Anemia – Caused by Vitamin B12 Deficiency

There are many articles found on the Internet regarding the importance of vitamin b12. Articles on the affects of vitamin b12 deficiency are even more readily found. I’ve compiled a few of the articles I’ve found while searching Google for "vitamin b12 deficiency." Some of these articles are listed below.

During my search, I’ve yet to find an article that says vitamin b12 is not an important vitamin. All of the articles I’ve read during my searches have stated the seriousness of a deficiency of vitamin b12. Before we get into the articles lets take a look at some of the vitamin b12 deficiency symptoms.

Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms, like those of many other treatable health conditions, can be virtually identical to age dementia symptoms, senile dementia symptoms and Alzheimer symptoms. As many as 20% of people over age 65 have low Vitamin B12 levels. Correcting the deficiency can help older people resume a full and normal lives.

Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include:

• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Numbness and tingling of hands and feet
• Paleness
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Sore mouth and tongue
• Confusion or change in mental status in severe or advanced cases. This is sometimes confused with dementia. More importantly, even a moderate deficiency of this important vitamin and its counterpart, folic acid, may ultimate contribute to the onset of Alzheimer disease or other related dementia.

The absorption of dietary vitamin B12 occurs in the small intestine and requires a secretion from the stomach known as intrinsic factor. If intrinsic factor is deficient, absorption of vitamin B12 is severely diminished. Vitamin B12 deficiency impairs the body’s ability to make blood, accelerates blood cell destruction, and damages the nervous system. The result is pernicious anemia (PA).[1]

Pernicious anemia (per-NISH-us uh-NEE-me-uh) is a condition in which the body does not make enough red blood cells due to a lack of vitamin B12 in the body. It usually occurs in people whose bodies have lost the ability to absorb vitamin B12 from food.[2]

Low stomach acid, known as hypochlorhydria, interferes with the absorption of B12 from food but not from supplements. Aging is associated with a decrease in the normal secretion of stomach acid. As a result, some older people with normal levels of intrinsic factor and with no clear cause for malabsorption will become vitamin B12-deficient unless they take at least a few micrograms per day of vitamin B12 from supplements.

From U.S. Army Health Clinic, Darmstadt, Germany.

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency is a common cause of macrocytic anemia and has been implicated in a spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders. The role of B12 deficiency in hyperhomocysteinemia and the promotion of atherosclerosis is only now being explored. Diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency is typically based on measurement of serum vitamin B12 levels; however, about 50 percent of patients with subclinical disease have normal B12 levels. A more sensitive method of screening for vitamin B12 deficiency is measurement of serum methylmalonic acid and homocysteine levels, which are increased early in vitamin B12 deficiency. Use of the Schilling test for detection of pernicious anemia has been supplanted for the most part by serologic testing for parietal cell and intrinsic factor antibodies. Contrary to prevailing medical practice, studies show that supplementation with oral vitamin B12 is a safe and effective treatment for the B12 deficiency state. Even when intrinsic factor is not present to aid in the absorption of vitamin B12 (pernicious anemia) or in other diseases that affect the usual absorption sites in the terminal ileum, oral therapy remains effective.[3]

From the Department of Internal Medicine, New York University School of Medicine.

Recent evidence suggests that vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly is more than classic pernicious anemia. Instead, it is a continuum from negative B12 balance to frank deficiency, which can be detected by low serum B12 levels long before changes occur in hemoglobin levels. Current findings in the literature suggest that subtle B12 deficiency is indeed clinically significant. Treatment may prevent significant neurologic and/or hematologic disease.[4]

From the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria.

Low serum vitamin B12 levels are not uncommon in the elderly. Patients with vitamin B12 deficiency manifest a spectrum of clinical findings. Pernicious anemia and malabsorption syndrome are the usual causes of vitamin B12 deficiency. Pernicious anemia is confirmed by the presence of intrinsic factor blocking antibody or abnormal results on the Schilling test. Patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency may have a normal Schilling test and no evidence of macrocytic anemia. In such patients, vitamin B12 deficiency is confirmed by determining serum levels of homocysteine and methylmalonic acid.[5]

From all of my research, pernicious anemia is usually easy to treat with vitamin B12 supplements or shots, although some people develop permanent nerve damage before they find out they have the disease and get treatment. Since pernicious anemia does increase the risk of developing stomach cancer, doctors may do periodic cancer tests to check for it. Overall, however, people with pernicious anemia who get proper lifelong treatment can have a normal life span.

I’m not a doctor or even a healthcare professional, but I am a thinker and I do a lot of research. Because of my age, I’m trying to prevent issues that may arise as a result of the aging process. With that in mind, I’ve taken the initiative to research pernicious anemia, a fairly common condition in the aging process.

If you or someone you know is affected by this condition, spend some time doing the research on your own. There are many b12 supplements, but not many have the same patented delivery system as TriVita’s® Sublingual Vitamin B12, a safe and effective means of getting vitamin b12 into your body. You can learn more about Vitamin B12 Deficiency by clicking on the previous link.

REFERENCES:

[1] https://www.publix.com/wellness/notes/Display.do?id=Concern&childId=Vitamin_B12_Deficiency

[2] https://www.medicinenet.com/pernicious_anemia/article.htm

[3] PMID: 12643357 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE], https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12643357?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=2&log$=relatedreviews&logdbfrom=pubmed

[4] PMID: 2680773 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE], https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2680773?ordinalpos=16&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

[5]PMID: 2278533 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE], https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2278533?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

pernicious anemia

After further review and research, vitamin b12 is an important nutrient to help in the prevention of several diseases.

Pernicious anemia is a decrease in red blood cells that occurs when the body cannot properly absorb vitamin B12 from the gastrointestinal tract. Vitamin B12 is necessary for the formation of red blood cells.

Pernicious anemia is caused by a lack of intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is a protein produced by the stomach that helps the body absorb vitamin B12. When stomach does not have enough intrinsic factor, it cannot properly absorb the vitamin. Nerve and blood cells need vitamin B12 to function properly.

Jeffrey Sloe

Your body needs B vitamins for protection against illnesses and conditions that are associated with B vitamin deficiency. And according to studies, B vitamin deficiency is common – more common than you might think!

According to the WebMD web site (www.webmd.com), “Having vitamin B12 deficiency means that your body does not have enough of this vitamin. You need B12 to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen through your body. Not having enough B12 can lead to anemia, which means your body does not have enough red blood cells to do the job. This can make you feel weak and tired.”

What are your options for obtaining this all important vitamin? The most popular method is B12 shots. If you’re B12 deficient, you may “get a shot every day for 1 week, then once a week for a month, and then once every month. You can also learn to give yourself shots and/or have a family member learn how to do it.”

Another method to receive vitamin b12 is by taking pills. However, the majority of individual’s bodies, DO NOT absorb the b12 vitamin thought the stomach, so other alternatives, like TriVita’s sublingual B12, can be the answer.

“Sublingual” means “under the tongue.” By simply placing a TriVita® sublingual B-12, B-6 & Folic Acid tablet under your tongue and allowing it to dissolve completely, your body will absorb these essential B vitamins directly into your bloodstream. TriVita’s original patented Sublingual B-12, B-6 & Folic Acid was specially formulated to produce results quickly.

Regular oral B-12 tablets have to take a long trip through your complex digestive system before being absorbed by your body. And, your ability to absorb B vitamins from food and regular oral pills decreases as you age.

With the TriVita® original patented formula, you don’t have to worry about your B-12 going through a digestive system obstacle course – or the pain and expense of a B-12 injection. These essential nutrients go directly into your bloodstream, where they start working right away!

So, if your suffering from B12 deficiency and don’t what to go through the pain and expense of B12 shots, check out TriVita’s sublingual Vitamin B12 by clicking on the previous link.

Jeffrey Sloe
TriVita Independent Business Owner, 12871028
Visit My TriVita Product Site

Sources:
www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/vitamin-b12-deficiency-anemia-topic-overview

The above information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

“Dr. Alfred Libby was a medical doctor and substance abuse therapy specialist who worked primarily with heroin addicts – searching for new therapies to improve the detoxification process. He was aware that most addicts were not getting the B-12 they needed through food, but he was extremely reluctant to give them any kind of injection. In the late 1970s, Dr. Libby began to explore an alternative delivery system for vitamin B-12. The goal was to bypass the stomach where this essential nutrient is not easily absorbed.”

“In early spring of 1980, Dr. Libby approached his colleagues with his theory that B-12 could be delivered to the bloodstream sublingually (under the tongue). Biochemists and his medical colleagues were quick to dismiss the idea. However, he was persistent and they eventually decided to give his theory a try, although they were convinced it would fail.”

“Six weeks later the first study was underway. Shortly after, Dr. Libby’s sublingual delivery method was deemed a complete success – blood levels of B-12 increased dramatically. Dr. Libby significantly improved his formula with the addition of B-6 & Folic Acid and was issued a patent in 1984 for his sublingual process.”

“And now, from the experts that brought you the original sublingual B-12 comes TriVita’s sublingual B-12, in a super dose. With the original, patented delivery system, super B provides more B-12 than the average B-12 shot. Studies show that these important nutrients can be measured in the bloodstream in as little as 30 minutes! Plus, it’s the first and only B-12 product to combine both major forms of B-12 with B-6, folic acid and ginseng.”

“Thanks to Dr. Libby’s original, patented delivery system, thousands of people have experienced increased stamina, mental clarity, improved memory and much more”!

The information listed above is from the TriVita® web site (www.trivita.com/superb/getsuperb.com/dr_libby.aspx), and the reason I bring this up is because of my wife’s son, who has been told that he may have to continue receiving Vitamin B-12 shots the rest of his life. He’s only 25! YIKES!

Here’s his short story. Eighteen months ago he was in the hospital with what was diagnosed as a bleeding ulcer. The doctors found and repaired the problem, no worries. Fast forward to the present (one month ago) – seventeen months later – his condition returned. This time it was much worse, as he was hospitalized for five days, and was given six units of blood. As the doctors continued to monitor his one month progress, they find out that his blood levels are too low (whatever that means).

That leads us to where I started his story. The doctors feel that he “may need vitamin b12 shot the rest of his life.” So with that said, I suggested TriVita’s patented Sublingual B12. Is it recommended by the doctors? Will it be as effective as a true vitamin b12 shot? I guess only time will tell. If “TriVita’s b12 provides more B-12 than the average B-12 shot” he should be fine, and should be getting enough b12 into his system to discontinue the painful shots.

To learn more about TriVita’s Sublingual Vitamin B12, click on the previous link.

Jeffrey Sloe
440-725-3729
Independent TriVita Business Owner, 12871028
Visit My TriVita Product Site