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Vitamin B12 deficiency and pernicious anaemia

goodtoknow says: If you're feeling tired, run down and have a sore mouth, you may have this form of the blood deficiency, anaemia. Pernicious anaemia is an autoimmune disease that affects your absorption of the vitamin B12, an essential vitamin as it makes new blood cells. You may be getting enough B12 in your diet from meat, fish, eggs and milk, but your body can't process it properly. More women get this than men and it often runs in families. Your doctor can give you Vitamin B12 injections which will help enormously. You'll need them about every three months.

For a full medical explanation of the causes, symptoms and treatments of pernicious anaemia from patient.co.uk, read on.

A lack of vitamin B12 ('B12 deficiency') is one cause of anaemia. Pernicious anaemia is the common form of vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency is easily treated by regular injections of vitamin B12.

Understanding blood

Blood is made up of a fluid called plasma which contains:

• Red blood cells - which take oxygen around the body.
• white blood cells - which are part of the immune system and defend the body from infection.
• Platelets - which help the blood to clot if we cut ourselves.
• proteins - and other chemicals that have various functions.

Red blood cells are made in the bone marrow, and millions are released into the bloodstream each day. A constant new supply of red blood cells is needed to replace old cells that break down. Red blood cells contain a chemical called haemoglobin. Haemoglobin binds to oxygen, and takes oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body.
To constantly make red blood cells and haemoglobin, you need a healthy bone marrow, and nutrients from food such as iron and certain vitamins, including vitamin B12.

What is anaemia and vitamin B12 deficiency?

Anaemia means:

• you have less red blood cells than normal, or
• you have less haemoglobin than normal in each red blood cell.

In either case, a reduced amount of oxygen is carried around in the bloodstream. There are a number of different causes of anaemia (such as lack of iron or certain vitamins).
Vitamin B12 is essential for life. It is needed to make new cells in the body such as the many new red blood cells which are made every day. Vitamin B12 is found in meat, fish, eggs, and milk - but not in fruit or vegetables. A normal balanced diet contains enough vitamin B12. A lack of vitamin B12 leads to anaemia, and sometimes to other problems.

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?

Symptoms due to anaemia

These are caused by the reduced amount of oxygen in the body.

• Common symptoms include: tiredness, lethargy, feeling faint, becoming easily breathless.
• Less common symptoms include: headaches, palpitations, altered taste, and ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
• You may look pale.

Other symptoms

Cells in other parts of the body may be affected if you lack vitamin B12. Other symptoms that may occur include a sore mouth and tongue. If left untreated, problems with nerves can develop. For example: confusion, numbness and unsteadiness. These are rare as treatment is simple, and usually started when the anaemia is found, and before nerve problems develop.

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