Low levels of vitamin B-12 can be caused by:
*Diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.
*Pernicious anemia. This condition occurs when the body's immune system attacks cells in the stomach that produce a substance called intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is a protein made in the stomach. It is needed to absorb vitamin B12.
*Gastric surgeries. This part of the small intestine is where vitamin B12 is absorbed. It also can reduce the amount of intrinsic factor produced.
*Intestinal problems. Crohn's disease and celiac disease can interfere with absorption of vitamin B-12.
The risk of developing vitamin deficiency anemia gets higher as the people grow older. Pregnant women are at a higher risk for developing the condition because their bodies need more vitamins during pregnancy.
The deficiency causes the body to produce abnormally large red blood cells (megaloblastic anemia) that cannot function properly. With these types of anemia, the red blood cells don’t develop normally. They are very large.
Other types of megaloblastic anemia may be associated with type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease, and a family history of the disease.
B12 deficiency can cause a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, depression, pale or yellow skin, mental impairment, and pain and inflammation in the mouth and tongue.
Vitamin-deficiency anemia
