B12: Difference between revisions
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===Symptoms of deficiency=== | ===Symptoms of deficiency=== | ||
*[[Paraesthesia]] ([[pins and needles]]) | ====At first...==== | ||
*Sore red tongue | |||
*[[Enlarged spleen]] | |||
*[[Paraesthesia]] ([[pins and needles]]), leading to peripheral neuropathy | |||
*Tiredness and fatigue | *Tiredness and fatigue | ||
*Depression | *Depression | ||
*Sleep disturbances | *Sleep disturbances | ||
*Symptoms of [[anaemia]] | *Symptoms of [[anaemia]] | ||
Later stages | ====Later stages==== | ||
*Symptoms of cord degeneration | *Symptoms of cord degeneration - due to '''[[subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord]]'''. | ||
*Confusion (later stage) | *Confusion (later stage). | ||
===Causes of deficiency=== | ===Causes of deficiency=== | ||
*Poor diet - especially vegans, since its found in eggs, meat and milk. | *'''Poor diet''' - especially vegans, since its found in eggs, meat and milk. | ||
*Coeliac disease, or | *'''[[Coeliac disease]]''', or [[Crohn's disease]], since these inflammatory bowel disorders irritate the end of the ileum, where B12 is absorbed. | ||
*Terminal [[ileum]] resection (since this is where most of the absoprtion happens). | *Terminal [[ileum]] resection (since this is where most of the absoprtion happens). | ||
*Taking the [[diabetes]] medication [[metformin]]. | *'''Autoimmune atrophic gastritis''' - this is one cause of pernicious anaemia, where the parietal cells in the [[stomach]] are killed off by the immune system. More common in Northern Europe. Leads to no intrinsic factor being released. | ||
*'''Taking the [[diabetes]] medication [[metformin]]''' can inhibit absorbtion of B12. | |||
*Parastitic infestation. | *Parastitic infestation. | ||
===Management=== | ===Management=== | ||
Sort out the cause. | |||
Give them some B12 tablets, or B12 injections. If you give 1mg of B12 orally a day, as opposed to normal diet intake of 5μg (about 500 times more), it doesn't matter if there's no intrinsic factor or ileum, enough still goes in. | |||
Latest revision as of 15:15, 22 May 2010
What is B12
B12 is a B vitamin!
Symptoms of deficiency
At first...
- Sore red tongue
- Enlarged spleen
- Paraesthesia (pins and needles), leading to peripheral neuropathy
- Tiredness and fatigue
- Depression
- Sleep disturbances
- Symptoms of anaemia
Later stages
- Symptoms of cord degeneration - due to subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord.
- Confusion (later stage).
Causes of deficiency
- Poor diet - especially vegans, since its found in eggs, meat and milk.
- Coeliac disease, or Crohn's disease, since these inflammatory bowel disorders irritate the end of the ileum, where B12 is absorbed.
- Terminal ileum resection (since this is where most of the absoprtion happens).
- Autoimmune atrophic gastritis - this is one cause of pernicious anaemia, where the parietal cells in the stomach are killed off by the immune system. More common in Northern Europe. Leads to no intrinsic factor being released.
- Taking the diabetes medication metformin can inhibit absorbtion of B12.
- Parastitic infestation.
Management
Sort out the cause.
Give them some B12 tablets, or B12 injections. If you give 1mg of B12 orally a day, as opposed to normal diet intake of 5μg (about 500 times more), it doesn't matter if there's no intrinsic factor or ileum, enough still goes in.