Such blood cells show inefficiency at
carrying oxygenPernicious anemia can be triggered by a dearth of food in one's
diet that has vitamin B12 Or another cause could be a lack of
intrinsic factor in one's stomach Those who are at risk for this
condition are vegansOne treatment for pernicious anemia is consuming large amounts of
folacin to assist red blood cells in growing to the right shape
and size Still, even the right amounts of folacin will not repair
any nerve damage attributed to vitamin B 12 deficiency The most
severe effects of Vitamin B12 deficiency are irreversible nerve
and brain damageIn reality it will take up to 5 years for the condition to develop,
depending on the amount of B12 still stored in one's body This in
turn is dependent on how much food with vitamin B12 you actually
consume Animal products supply the largest amounts of vitamin B12
since this nutrient is not really found in vegetables (This
explains why vegans are at risk for the disease)For one to absorb the vitamin into the body, intrinsic factor is
required in the person's stomach This factor is actually a
protein produced in the human stomach However, if a person's
stomach has been partially or wholly removed, then the capacity to
produce intrinsic factor is lessened or totally eliminatedWithout intrinsic factor, a person can still end up with vitamin
B12 deficiency even if he were to constantly consume foods
abundant in vitamin B 12 Should one's stomach be removed through
surgery, he can receive vitamin B12 shots that must be
administered for life at intervals of every three weeks By
injecting the vitamin into the bloodstream, it is guaranteed that
it will circulate in the person's system even without the
intrinsic factorIt is remarkable enough to note that a pound of calves liver per
day has enough vitamin B12 that even those who don't have the
intrinsic factor will be able to absorb the right amounts of the
vitamin to avoid pernicious anemiaAmong other things, the deficiency is caused by: fish tape worm;
Crohn's disease, abdominal or intestinal surgery that may hamper
the production or absorption of intrinsic factor; and chronic
alcoholismThe importance of a well-balanced diet that incorporates animal
products cannot be overstressed for preventing the condition
(Vegans, since they are at risk, should consult a good dietician to
avoid developing pernicious anemia)Spotting the condition early on and quickly treating it may reduce
its severity while forestalling neurologic complications The
impact on the central nervous system could become irreversible
should treatment not be started within 6 months from when symptoms
are first detected Furthermore, Vitamin B12 deficiency may
trigger a false-positive Pap smear due to the condition's effect
on epithelial cells
Dave Poon is an accomplished writer who specializes in the latest in Fitness and Health For more information regarding Lack of Vitamin B 12 please drop by at http://wwwgohealthspherecom/
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