What Is Vitamin B 12?
Vitamin B-12 is an important vitamin that is mainly found in fish, shellfish, meat and dairy products. Vitamin B-12 helps make red blood cells, make DNA and keeps your nervous system working properly.
Vegetarians, vegans and the elderly are at risk for low vitamin B-12. Most people with low vitamin B-12 levels either do not consume meat and dairy products or they have trouble absorbing vitamin B-12 from their stomach or small intestines.
What Can Cause Problems With Absorbing Vitamin B 12?
The following are some things that can cause vitamin B-12 absorption problems:
A disease called pernicious anemia can destroy the cells in your stomach that help you absorb vitamin B-12.
Using medication for heartburn and ulcers for a long time.
Having had surgery on your stomach or your intestines.
Your doctor will find out why you have a low vitamin B-12 level by asking questions about your health, giving you a physical exam and taking a blood sample, if necessary.
What Happens If My Vitamin B 12 Level Is Low?
You might not have any symptoms if your vitamin B-12 level is just a little bit low. However, a very low vitamin B-12 level can cause anemia, depression, dementia or problems with your nervous system.
Some people with low vitamin B-12 also have high levels of homocysteine (say: ho-mo-sis-teen), an amino acid (a building block of protein) in the blood. If you have both of these problems, you may have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
Can I Just Take One Multivitamin Pill Every Day To Raise A Low Vitamin B 12 Level?
No. Over-the-counter multivitamins do not contain enough vitamin B-12 to raise a low level. To get enough vitamin B-12, you will need to take special vitamin B-12 pills.
You can also get shots of vitamin B-12. Usually, these shots are given every 1 to 2 days for about 2 weeks. After this, a shot is given once every month. Your doctor can help decide whether pills or shots are right for you.
الثلاثاء يونيو 14, 2011 1:42 am
