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Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia means your body doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells because you lack vitamin B12. These cells transport oxygen throughout the body. When there aren't enough red blood cells, the body doesn't get the oxygen it needs to function as it should. Anemia can make you feel tired, weak, and short of breath.
1. Causes of anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency
You can develop vitamin B12 deficiency anemia if you don't get enough vitamin B12 in your diet from foods like milk, eggs, and meat. More likely to be deficient in this vitamin in the elderly, or vegetarians. It can also happen if the body cannot absorb enough from food.
The intestines absorb vitamin B12 from food. A protein that the stomach makes. When there is not enough, it leads to anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency called pernicious anemia.
You can have pernicious anemia if:
You have an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to attack the cells your stomach makes. You had surgery to remove part of the stomach, where intrinsic factor was performed.
Phẫu thuật cắt bỏ khiến dạ dày không tổng hợp đủ vitamin B12 cho cơ thể
The body may not absorb enough vitamin B12 if: You have a disease that affects the way the intestines absorb nutrients, such as Crohn's disease, HIV or certain infections. You have some bad bacteria in your gut. You take certain medications, such as antibiotics and anti-seizure medications. You had surgery to remove part of your bowel. You have been infected with tapeworms.
2. How to diagnose?
Anemia can make you feel tired and short of breath. Here are some other signs:
Skin looks pale or yellow. Feeling dizzy . No appetite. Lose weight without trying. Hands and feet feel numb or tingling. Your heart is beating too fast or you have chest pain. Weak muscles. There are often mood swings. Confused or forgetful.
Thiếu máu gây ra triệu chứng mệt mỏi chóng mặt
Because these can also be symptoms of other conditions, see your doctor for a diagnosis. Your doctor will do a physical exam and order one or more of the following tests:
Complete blood count . This test checks the size and number of red blood cells. If you are deficient in vitamin B12, your red blood cells will not be normal. They will be much larger and have a different shape than healthy people.
Vitamin B12 levels. This test checks to see if you have enough of it in your blood.
Infiltration factor antibodies . These proteins cause the immune system to attack intrinsic factor. If you have pernicious anemia, you will have them in your blood.
Try Schilling. This test uses a radioactive form of B12 to see if the body has enough of the intrinsic factor.
Methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels. This test measures the amount of MMA in the blood. When your vitamin B12 levels are low, your MMA levels go up.
3. How is the treatment?
Usually, vitamin B12 deficiency anemia is easy to treat with diet and vitamin supplements. To increase the amount of vitamin B12 in the diet. You should eat more foods containing it, such as:
Beef, liver and chicken
Thịt gà là nguồn bổ sung vitamin B12 tuyệt vời cho cơ thể
Fish and shellfish such as salmon, trout, tuna and clams Breakfast cereals Low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese Eggs Your doctor may recommend a vitamin B12 supplement. It comes in pills or nasal sprays. If your body has very little of this vitamin, your doctor may give you a higher dose of vitamin B12.
You may also need to be treated for the cause of your anemia. But increasing vitamin B12 levels is an important thing you can do. If anemia persists for too long, it can damage the heart, brain, nerves, bones, and other organs in the body. With treatment, you will feel better and avoid any long-term problems.
Customers can directly go to Vinmec Health system nationwide to visit or contact the hotline here for support.
Reference source: webmd.com
See more:
Harm of vitamin B12 excess or deficiency Anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency: Causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment Brain anemia should eat what? Advice from doctor Vinmec Nutrition for people with physical weakness
