This vitamin converts your food consumption into sugar which is used as fuel and helps to keep your body running efficiently
Because many of the symptoms associated with B12 deficiency are also common symptoms of other conditions, confirming or ruling out those potential causes is also important
Risk factors for vitamin B12 deficiency include a decreased ability to absorb this vitamin due to low hydrochloric acid secretion, certain medications, or gastrointestinal disease and surgeries
Vegans and vegetarians may not get enough B12 from their diet
Several factors can impair B12 absorption: Reduced stomach acid production (achlorhydria or hypochlorhydria), common in older adults and those taking proton pump inhibitors or H2-receptor antagonists long-term, impairs the release of B12 from food proteins Pernicious anaemia , an autoimmune condition destroying parietal cells and reducing intrinsic factor production, completely blocks the primary absorption pathway Gastrointestinal disorders including Crohn's disease, coeliac disease, or surgical removal of stomach or ileum sections directly damage absorption sites Metformin , commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes, may reduce B12 absorption through unclear mechanisms
