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Anemia Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

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Common types of anemia which cause constant fatigue, light-headedness, and dizziness include vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, low iron anemia, or anemia associated with chronic illness. To find out the cause of low red blood cells, it’s important to get diagnosed and receive proper treatment.

Anemia Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention- B12 Patch

Also read Is it Anemia from Vitamin B12 Deficiency, or Low Iron?

Please note: The following information is not medical advice; if you suspect you suffer from anemia, then please speak to a physician immediately.

What are the symptoms of anemia?

Anemia symptoms occur when you’re not able to sustain adequate amounts of red blood cells, carriers of hemoglobin which supply your body with much-needed oxygen. Symptoms of decreased oxygen, hypoxemia, may vary according to severity.

Common symptoms indicating anemia include:

  • Chronic, overwhelming fatigue
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Heart palpitations
  • Chest pain
  • Icy hands and feet
  • Pale skin

How is anemia diagnosed?

In order to diagnose anemia, your doctor will need to run a series of tests, including:

  • Blood screening for vitamin B12 deficiency
  • Complete blood count (CBC)
  • Iron level test
  • Reticulocyte count
  • Bilirubin
  • Tests for autoimmune disorders

Can anemia be cured?

In most cases, symptoms of anemia can be treated easily.

If anemia results from a vitamin B12 deficiency, then immediate vitamin B12 supplementation will eventually alleviate fatigue, vertigo, and heart conditions associated with anemia.

Often, treatment for pernicious anemia from low vitamin B12, or for other vitamin deficiencies requires lifelong supplementation, in order to prevent a relapse of anemia symptoms.

Sometimes, anemia is caused by a chronic condition, such as Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or leukemia. In such cases, treatment of the primary illness is necessary for complete recovery, as advised by your physician.

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Like this? Read more:

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Understanding Anemia: Types, Symptoms and Treatment

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Is it Anemia from Vitamin B12 Deficiency, or Low Iron?

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Constant fatigue, dizziness, and brain fog may be a sign that you’re suffering anemia, either from vitamin B12 deficiency, low iron, or one of many other factors that cause your red blood cell supplies to dip to dangerously low levels. Listed below are some of the major types of anemia, including pernicious anemia, and some of the risk factors involved.

Is it Anemia from Vitamin B12 Deficiency, or Low Iron? B12 Patch

Please note: The following information is not medical advice; if you suspect you suffer from anemia, then please speak to a physician immediately.

What is anemia?

Basically, anemia is a set of conditions that occur when your body doesn’t have a healthy supply of red blood cells. Anemia can occur from blood loss, exposure to toxins, autoimmune illness, or vitamin deficiencies, such as low vitamin B12 or iron.

Overall, there are over 400 types of anemia, all of which can be broken down into three categories:

Anemia caused by loss of blood, such as following an injury or complications during pregnancy

Anemia caused by depleted red blood cells, either as a result of slowed production or deformed blood cells (such as with pernicious anemia)

Anemia caused by damaged red blood cells

What causes anemia?

Different types of anemia are categorized according to their cause. For example, pernicious anemia is caused by low levels of vitamin B12, and folate deficiency anemia is caused by insufficient folic acid.

Shocking Must-See Video on Vitamin B12 Deficiency Crisis

The many types of anemia include:

•Pernicious anemia, a type of megaloblastic anemia, which occurs when the body produces large, irregularly shaped red blood cells that are unable to deliver oxygen. This used to be considered a fatal condition, but thanks to the discovery of vitamin B12 supplementation, the mortality rate associated with pernicious anemia has dropped considerably, although there are still rare cases of infants failing to thrive as a result of unaddressed vitamin B12 deficiency in the mother while pregnant or nursing.

•Iron deficiency anemia symptoms occur because your body is not getting enough iron, an essential mineral for producing hemoglobin. Increasing your dietary or supplemental intake of iron is necessary in order to reverse symptoms of fatigue, dizziness, and loss of concentration.

•Chronic disease anemia results from a chronic condition interfering with red blood cell production; examples include anemia associated with Crohn’s disease, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.

•Anemia from blood loss can result from excessively heavy menstruation, childbirth complications, severe injury, or ulcers.

•Aplastic anemia is an extremely rare condition that occurs when your bone marrow is not able to produce red blood cells; this is a fatal type of anemia that may result from autoimmune disorders, infections, or dangerous drug interactions.

•Sickle cell anemia is a genetically-inherited condition, and results from deformed red blood cells that are unable to thrive.

•Bone marrow disease anemia happens when red blood cell production in the bone marrow either slows down, or comes to a complete halt. Illnesses associated with bone marrow disease are leukemia, multiple myeloma, and lymphoma.

Find out how anemia is diagnosed, treated, and prevented in our next installment.

Your turn!

Do you have any questions or suggestions?  Please leave your comments below.

Share with your friends!

If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, twitter, or Facebook.

Like this? Read more:

Pernicious Anemia and Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Which Causes Which?

Can Vitamin B12 Repair Nerve Cells?

Is it Pernicious Anemia or Multiple Sclerosis? Part 1

Sources:

Understanding Anemia: Types, Symptoms and Treatment

Anemia Causes, Types, Symptoms, Diet, and Treatment

Image courtesy of rpongsaj/flickr


Revved up on Energy from Vitamin B12, says Celeb Supermodel

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She’s not the first celebrity to notice the energy-boosting benefits of vitamin B12, nor will she be the last. British model Kelly Brook attributes her stamina and mental clarity to regular vitamin B12 supplementation.

Revved up on Energy from Vitamin B12, says Celeb Supermodel- B12 Patch

What do Madonna, Kate Perry, Justin Bieber, and Victoria Beckham all have in common?

Besides all being unnervingly good-looking and talented, they’re also die-hard fans of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) supplements for everlasting energy.

Now, TV star and supermodel Kelly Brook joins the ranks of famous vitamin B12 devotees. Recently, she told reporters that routine doses of vitamin B12 “make you feel amazing and make you go from a little bit groggy to ‘ding!’”

And because the extra vitamin B12 gives her the energy she needs to perform her ballet workout, she doesn’t have to worry excessively about counting calories or weight gain.

B12: Celebs Say it’s the New C

For years, stars have touted the benefits of B12 mega dosing. Madonna introduced Justin Timberlake to the benefits of vitamin B12 in a recording studio, when she initiated an on-the-spot vitamin B12 shot in the bum, and he’s been hooked ever since.


Why does it work?

Vitamin B12 helps your body synthesize energy, and also promotes DNA metabolism for cellular integrity.

Vitamin B12 is also needed for red blood cell production– without it, you feel groggy, disoriented, and irritable due to lack of oxygen to the brain.

In fact, vitamin B12 is responsible for so many crucial biochemical responses throughout your body, that health experts recommend topping up your stores of vitamin B12 regularly…

…to ensure sustained energy, normal neurological functioning, and cognitive endurance, not to mention avoiding symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency which can make you feel depressed, forgetful, achy, and dizzy.

To maintain normal levels of vitamin B12 for maximum energy, doctors recommend taking at least 1,000mcg of vitamin B12 on a weekly basis, or as desired.

Your turn!

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Like this? Read more:

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Can B12 deficiency Cause Dementia? Some Helpful Facts

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Dementia is not an illness, but rather a set of conditions that cause cognitive impairment. There are several causes of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and reversible vitamin B12 deficiency.

Can B12 deficiency Cause Dementia? Some Helpful Facts- B12 Patch

Listed below are common causes of reversible dementia, including vitamin B12 deficiency.

Dementia symptoms

There are several forms of dementia; irreversible dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease and treatable dementia-like conditions caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, depression, and medication overuse.

Symptoms of dementia, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) include:

• Memory loss
• Aphasia- language problems, loss of vocabulary
• Apraxia- difficulty directing arm and leg movements
• Agnosia- inability to recognize once-familiar faces and objects, impaired visual perception
• Impaired executive functioning, decision making
• Decline in social behaviors

Types of dementia

Alzheimer’s disease is the most serious form of dementia, and also the most common; it is an incurable illness that causes brain atrophy, shrinking of the brain. Aside from dementia, symptoms of Alzheimer’s may include paranoia, mood swings, depression, and aggression.

Alzheimer’s usually strikes in old age, but not always; some people may notice the signs of dementia as early as their 40s and 50s.

Vascular dementia is cognitive impairment caused by reduced or blocked oxygen supplies to the brain, usually because of a stroke. Symptoms include blindness, disorientation, vertigo, and speech difficulties. After Alzheimer’s, vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is the second-most common type of dementia.

Depression can also simulate symptoms of dementia in elderly individuals, resulting in a high rate of misdiagnosis. Depressed senior citizens may experience symptoms of confusion, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue that are easily treatable with psychiatric care.

Vitamin B12 deficiency dementia may result from poor red blood cell circulation, as decreased hemoglobin caused by megaloblastic anemia limits the amount of oxygen supplies to the brain.

In addition to memory loss, confusion, and slow thinking, other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency may include poor hand-eye coordination, depression, anxiety, fatigue, heart palpitations, and frequent numbness and pain in the extremities.

Unlike age-related dementia, memory loss from vitamin B12 deficiency can be reversed easily with routine vitamin B12 supplementation.

Your turn!

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Like this? Read more:

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Image courtesy of stockimages/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Separating Forgetfulness from Dementia

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One day you can’t remember your age, and the next you forget your best friend’s last name. Is it the early signs of age-related dementia, or could it be a sign of an underlying disorder, such as vitamin B12 deficiency from malabsorption?

Separating Forgetfulness from Dementia- B12 Patch

The notion that forgetfulness is a common side effect of aging is a widely assumed myth. Many elderly individuals have sharp minds into their 80s or 90s, and many middle-aged people in their 40s or 50s can begin experiencing the earliest signs of dementia.

Only a doctor can diagnose dementia. While it’s normal to forgetful from time to time,  this does not mean you’re suffering the effects of Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. Here are some examples to help you understand the difference:

  • Forgetfulness: Frequently forgetting where you left your car keys or cell phone.
  • Dementia: Not being able to search for your keys, or think of logical places where you may have left them.
  • Forgetfulness: Having a word on the tip of your tongue, but not being able to remember it quickly enough to use in conversation.
  • Dementia: Not being able to have a normal conversation with anybody.
  • Forgetfulness: Occasionally forgetting what day it is.
  • Dementia: Being unaware of the relative time period, such as the decade, season, or who the president is.
  • Forgetfulness: Missing a credit card payment occasionally.
  • Dementia: Experiencing a steep decline in basic math and organizational skills, to the point of not being able to manage one’s own household budget.
  • Forgetfulness: Walking into a room and forgetting why you entered.
  • Dementia: Being unable to comprehend the difference between past events and real time; finding yourself in a room and not knowing how you got there.

Your turn!

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Share with your friends!

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Like this? Read more:

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40 Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency: the Ultimate Checklist

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So, you think fatigue and painful tingling and numbness are the only real symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency? Guess again. According to most recent data, prolonged vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to multiple problems all over your body, affecting your nervous system, mood, fertility, and cardiovascular health, and more.

40 Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency: the Ultimate Checklist- B12 Patch

Vitamin B12 is needed for many important tasks all over your body, including sustaining neurological health, promoting normal red blood cell production, synthesizing energy, and supporting cognitive integrity.

It’s no wonder that over time, a sustained deficiency in vitamin B12 levels can lead to a virtual body breakdown, causing debilitating symptoms that impair the way you think, behave, and function throughout your days.

Listed below are the top 40 most common symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. If you recognize any of these signs, then you may need to increase your intake of vitamin B12 supplements.

  1. Chronic fatigue
  2. Painful tingling and numbness in the extremities
  3. Muscle weakness
  4. Slow, abnormal reflexes
  5. Unstable gait, difficulty walking
  6. Difficulty controlling arm movements
  7. Altered sense of taste
  8. Burning mouth syndrome
  9. Vision problems
  10. Restless leg syndrome
  11. Dizziness, disorientation
  12. Brain fog, confusion
  13. Short-term memory problems
  14. Tremors, spasms
  15. Poor balance
  16. Decreased motor control
  17. Difficulty controlling bladder or bowels
  18. Fertility problems, difficulty conceiving
  19. Premature births
  20. Frequent miscarriages
  21. Sore, bloated red tongue
  22. Difficulty swallowing
  23. Depression
  24. Anxiety
  25. Paranoia
  26. Irritability
  27. Psychosis
  28. Hallucinations
  29. Mania
  30. Unusually aggressive behavior
  31. Changes in personality
  32. Low red blood cell count
  33. Enlarged red blood cells
  34. Shortness of breath
  35. Pale complexion
  36. Developmental delay in children and infants
  37. Seizures in babies and older children
  38. Loss of appetite
  39. Difficulty gaining weight
  40. In children, speech difficulties

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Image(s) courtesy of David Castillo /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

4 Causes of Cognitive Decline in Middle-Aged Adults

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So, you think you’re too young for memory loss? According to reports, even mild vitamin B12 deficiency and stress can result in cognitive decline, or “brain fog” in adults under the age of 50. By understanding the risk factors that contribute to brain fatigue, disorientation, memory loss and other symptoms of early dementia, you can learn how to slow down the effects of cognitive decline and restore mental clarity.

4 Causes of Cognitive Decline in Middle-Aged Adults- B12 Patch

What is brain fog?

It’s normal to feel tired after a particularly stressful ordeal, but if overwhelming fatigue seems to follow you around for days, weeks, and months- if you feel like you’re in a haze, and have trouble remembering things or concentrating on a regular basis, then you may be experiencing symptoms of early cognitive decline.

Memory loss, chronic fatigue, trouble making quick decisions, forgetfulness, mental slowness, and mood swings are all symptoms that sometimes indicate a breakdown in cognitive skills.

But I’m too Young for Memory Loss…Right?

Listed below are four common risk factors for dementia-like symptoms.

B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 is one of the most essential brain nutrients, and we have seen countless examples of a deficiency in vitamin B12 causing problems all over the nervous system.

For one, vitamin B12 helps to protect your neurons from harm while also promoting healthy intercellular communication throughout the peripheral and central nervous system.

Vitamin B12 is also needed for red blood cell production. When vitamin B12 levels are low, oxygen-carrying hemoglobin levels also plummet, resulting in insufficient oxygen to the brain.

In oft-cited scientific studies, researchers have noted a direct link between low vitamin B12 and increased risk for age-related dementia caused by brain atrophy.

Memory Loss Tips and Tricks for the B12 Deficient

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency that impair cognitive skills include:

  • Chronic fatigue
  • Memory loss
  • Dizziness
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Brain fog
  • Poor concentration
  • Paranoia
  • Difficulty remembering numbers

Smoking

According to a UK study which followed over seven thousand test subjects, scientists observed increased impairment of global cognition and executive function in cigarette smokers, versus non-smokers, leading researchers to conclude that smoking increases one’s risk for early-onset dementia.

Obesity

Overweight individuals suffering from hypertension are extremely high risk factors for age-related dementia, according to a study which focused on over six thousand middle-aged adults.

Aging begins at 45- Tips on how to Prevent Early Memory Loss

Stress

Many scientists also believe that psychosocial stress can increase your risk for cognitive decline, particularly in obese patients, attributing high cortisol levels to impaired memory skills.

Your turn!

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Share with your friends!

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Image(s) courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How does Vitamin B12 Benefit Children with Autism?

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One of the fastest-growing natural treatments for autism is vitamin B12 supplementation. That’s because vitamin B12 is one of the most essential nutrients for the brain, making it an ideal supplement for children with autism-spectrum disorder, as well as ADD, ADHD, or other sensory processing issues.

How does Vitamin B12 Benefit Children with Autism? B12 Patch

Vitamin B12 supports the brain

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) plays many roles in your body’s healthy maintenance- it’s needed for your nervous system, blood cell production, and energy synthesis, among many other fundamental biochemical activities.

For children with autism, supplementation with vitamin B12 is especially important for improving cognition, language skills, mental focus, environmental awareness, and general mood.

How does B12 benefit the brain? In several ways- first, vitamin B12 supports myelin, a fatty substance which coats your nerve cells, protecting your nervous system from damage and improving communication between the brain and sensors in your hands, feet, eyes, and ears.

When vitamin B12 levels are low, as they are with many children with autism, you notice a correlation in functional deterioration, including slower responses, difficulty walking, vision problems, ear ringing, and painful tingling and numbness in the hands and feet.

Vitamin B12 is also crucial for producing plenty of healthy red blood cells. Often, symptoms of fatigue, attention disorders, aggression, moodiness, and lack of spatial awareness in autistic children result from a comorbid vitamin B12 deficiency.

Additionally, vitamin B12 helps to correct nerve damage (neuropathy) associated with symptoms of autism. In a study on optic neuropathy and autism, scientists noted positive results in visual perception when autistic children were given high doses of vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 deficiency with autism

There are several reasons why children with autism have an increased risk for developing vitamin B12 deficiency. They include:

  • Damaged gastrointestinal system, resulting in vitamin B12 malabsorption
  • Restrictive diet low in vitamin B12-rich foods such as beef and seafood
  • Picky eating habits
  • Autoimmune disorders, including intrinsic factor antibodies

Treatment

To reverse vitamin B12 deficiency and sustain healthy levels of B12, doctors recommend taking at least 1,000 mcg of cobalamin per week, although initial supplementation might require a much higher dose for the first month.

Suggested methods include vitamin B12 shots, sublingual vitamin B12, or other non-dietary forms of vitamin B12 which are available without prescription.

Your turn!

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Share with your friends!

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Sources:

Vitamin B12 optic neuropathy in autism.


Image(s) courtesy of Salvatore Vuono/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What Causes Vitamin B12 Malabsorption?

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If you have a family history for pernicious anemia or other autoimmune disorders, then your chances of developing vitamin B12 deficiency are higher than normal, even if you eat a diet rich in foods containing this vital nutrient. Below are common risk factors for vitamin B12 malabsorption.

What Causes Vitamin B12 Malabsorption? B12 Patch

Vitamin B12 malabsorption

Several factors can interfere with your ability to digest vitamin B12, regardless of your diet. Vitamin B12 malabsorption can result from autoimmune disorders, old age, gastritis, or certain medications.

  • Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disorder which prevents you from manufacturing or accessing intrinsic factor correctly, resulting in severe vitamin B12 deficiency.  Sometimes, pernicious anemia is caused by gastrointestinal damage (atrophic gastritis) from Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
  • Old age is another risk factor for vitamin B12 malabsorption, as elderly individuals often do not make enough digestive enzymes to break down vitamin B12.
  • Surgeries involving removal of the ileum, such as gastric bypass surgery, also impair your ability to digest vitamin B12 naturally, necessitating vitamin B12 supplementation.
  • If you take protein pump inhibitors (PPIs) for GERD, or metformin for diabetes, then you may be at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency, as certain medications interfere with vitamin B12 absorption.
  • Scientists have found a high correlation between various autoimmune disorders and increased risk for vitamin B12 deficiency.
  • Vitamin B12 malabsorption is one of many damaging effects of alcoholism, as recognized by many scientists.

Treating vitamin B12 malabsorption

If vitamin B12 deficiency is caused by an underlying condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or acid reflux, then it is necessary to treat the primary illness in order to improve your ability to digest vitamin B12.

However, in the case of autoimmune disorders such as pernicious anemia, where intrinsic factor antibodies are diagnosed as the cause of vitamin B12 malabsorption, there is no “cure.”

In any case, only immediate and complete vitamin B12 supplementation can effective raise your vitamin B12 levels back to where they should be.

To maintain healthy levels of vitamin B12 in the blood, and avoid debilitating symptoms of fatigue and chronic pain, it may be necessary to continue with a regimen of non-dietary vitamin B12 for life.

Your turn!

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Share with your friends!

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Like this? Read more:

Absorbing Vitamin B12, a Metabolic Gastrointestinal Journey

Sources:

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6 Steps of Vitamin B12 Absorption, in a Nutshell

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Patients of vitamin B12 deficiency from pernicious anemia often wonder exactly what gets in the way of vitamin B12 absorption- why is it that you can eat rich sources of vitamin B12 found in beef, fish, and chicken, and still suffer from chronic fatigue, muscle pain, memory loss, and disorientation from low vitamin B12 levels?

6 Steps of Vitamin B12 Absorption, in a Nutshell- B12 Patch

How do we absorb vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 absorption begins in the mouth. When you eat animal-based foods such as lean beef, fish, and poultry, an R-protein in your saliva called haptocorrin, also known as transcobalamin-1, binds to the vitamin B12, creating vitamin B12-haptocorrin complex.

Step 2 of vitamin B12 absorption takes place in the esophagus, where the new vitamin B12-haptocorrin duo travels to the stomach.

In step 3, the vitamin B12 you ate is protected from caustic elements of the stomach, such as hydrochloric acid, which is produced by the parietal cells of the stomach. The stomach also produces intrinsic factor (IF), a protein which will be crucial in binding and digesting vitamin B12.

Next, in step 4 of vitamin B12 absorption, intrinsic factor and vitamin B12-haptocorrin travel from the stomach to the duodenum, the uppermost section of the small intestine, where vitamin B12 then separates from the R-protein and binds with intrinsic factor, forming a new compound- IF-Vitamin B12 complex.

In step 5, upon reaching the bottommost part of the small intestines, the ileum breaks down intrinsic factor, and releases vitamin B12, which then binds to transcobalamin-2.

Finally, in step 6, vitamin B12 is directed to the blood supply, the liver, bone marrow, or to several other cells of the body which require vitamin B12 for healthy maintenance.

What causes vitamin B12 malabsorption?

This will be covered in the tomorrow’s post…

Your turn!

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Share with your friends!

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Like this? Read more:

Absorbing Vitamin B12, a Metabolic Gastrointestinal Journey

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