all causes of B12 deficiency anemia (most common) listed in the following:
Inadequate dietary intake (ie, vegetarian diet)
Atrophy or loss of gastric mucosa (eg, pernicious anemia, gastrectomy, ingestion of caustic material, hypochlorhydria, histamine 2 [H2] blockers)
Functionally abnormal IF (IF = intrinsic factor , the factor that is secreted in the GI tract which binds to b12 and helps b12 be absorbed in the intestine)
Insufficient pancreatic protease (eg, chronic pancreatitis, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome)
Bacterial overgrowth in intestine = this will eat away the B12 preventing it from being absorbed adequately
Disorders of ileal mucosa (eg, resection, ileitis, sprue, lymphoma, amyloidosis, absent Intrinsic factor receptor, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome)
Disorders of plasma transport of cobalamin which is b12
Dysfunctional uptake and use of B12 by cells
Anemia - B12 deficiency
Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues.
Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia is a low red blood cell count due to a lack of vitamin B12
Your body needs vitamin B12 to make red blood cells. In order to provide vitamin B12 to your cells:
* You must eat enough foods that contain vitamin B12, such as meat, poultry, shellfish, eggs, and dairy products.
* Your body must absorb enough vitamin B12. Your body uses a special protein, called intrinsic factor, released by cells in the stomach. The combination of vitamin B12 attached to intrinsic factor is absorbed in the last part of the small intestine.