How long b12

Preparing for the holidays? Vitamin B12 is needed to produce an adequate amount of healthy red blood cells in the bone marrow. Vitamin B12 is available only in animal foods meat and dairy products or yeast extracts such as brewer's yeast. Vitamin B12 deficiency is defined by low levels of stored B12 in the body that can result in anemia, a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells.

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If you have both of these problems, you may have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. Your doctor may check your blood to see if your vitamin B 12 level is low. If your vitamin B 12 level is close to low, and you have symptoms, your doctor may also check your blood to find out why your vitamin B 12 level is low. Vegetarians who do not eat meat or dairy products are at risk for low vitamin B 12 , usually about two years after they become vegetarians. However, most people who have low vitamin B 12 are not strict vegetarians.

Most people with low vitamin B 12 levels have trouble absorbing vitamin B 12 from their stomach or small intestines. Here are some reasons you might have trouble absorbing vitamin B 12 : A disease called pernicious anemia say this: per-nish-us ah-nee-mee-ah could destroy the cells in your stomach that help you absorb vitamin B If you use medicine for heartburn and ulcers for a long time, you may begin to have trouble absorbing vitamin B If you have had surgery on your stomach or your intestines, you may have trouble absorbing vitamin B Your doctor will be able to find out why you have a low vitamin B 12 level by asking questions about your health, giving you a physical exam, and checking your blood, if necessary.

To raise your vitamin B 12 level, you have to take at least 1, mcg of vitamin B 12 every day. Over-the-counter multivitamins do not have this much vitamin B To get enough vitamin B 12 , you will need to take special vitamin B 12 pills.

You can also get shots of vitamin B Usually, these shots are given every 1 to 2 days for about two weeks. After this, a shot is given once every month. Your doctor can help you decide what is the best treatment for you. Vitamin B12 deficiency can occur in vegans who do not take supplements or as a result of an absorption disorder. Anemia develops, causing paleness, weakness, fatigue, and, if severe, shortness of breath and dizziness.

A severe vitamin B12 deficiency may damage nerves, causing tingling or loss of sensation in the hands and feet, muscle weakness, loss of reflexes, difficulty walking, confusion, and dementia. Vitamin B12 cobalamins , with folate, is necessary for the formation and maturation of red blood cells Formation of Blood Cells Red blood cells, most white blood cells, and platelets are produced in the bone marrow, the soft fatty tissue inside bone cavities.

Two types of white blood cells, T and B cells lymphocytes Vitamin B12 is also necessary for normal nerve function. Good sources of vitamin B12 include meats especially beef, pork, liver, and other organ meats , eggs, fortified cereals, milk, clams, oysters, salmon, and tuna. The recommended dietary allowance RDA —the amount most healthy people need each day to remain healthy—has been determined for most vitamins. A safe Unlike most other vitamins, B12 is stored in substantial amounts, mainly in the liver, until it is needed by the body.

People should not take high doses of vitamin B12 as a cure-all, but otherwise the vitamin does not appear to be toxic; consuming excess amounts of B12 is not recommended. Vitamin B12 occurs in foods that come from animals. Normally, vitamin B12 is readily absorbed in the last part of the small intestine ileum , which leads to the large intestine. However, to be absorbed, the vitamin must combine with intrinsic factor, a protein produced in the stomach.

Without intrinsic factor, vitamin B12 moves through the intestine and is excreted in stool. Because vitamin B12 is necessary for the formation of mature blood cells, deficiency of this vitamin can result in anemia Vitamin Deficiency Anemia Vitamin deficiency anemia results from low or depleted levels of vitamin B12 or folate folic acid. People may be weak, short of breath, and pale.

Nerves may malfunction. Blood tests can detect The anemia is characterized by abnormally large red blood cells macrocytes and abnormal white blood cells. Anemia may not develop until 3 to 5 years after the deficiency begins because a large amount of vitamin B12 is stored in the liver.

Vitamin B12 deficiency develops in people who do not consume any animal products vegans unless they take supplements. If a vegan mother breastfeeds her infant, the infant is at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Deficiency due to inadequate consumption is unlikely in other people.

The most common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency is inadequate absorption. The following conditions can cause absorption to be inadequate:. It is only found in animal products like eggs, meat, dairy, or shellfish. The B12 is bound to the protein molecules. During the digestion process, Vitamin B12 is separated from the protein and absorbed into your bloodstream. To ensure proper absorption, you must eat sufficient foods that are rich in B12, your body must have sufficient stomach acid, and you must have the intrinsic factor necessary to utilize B B12 can be created synthetically.

Synthetic B12 allows medical professionals to efficiently supplement in people with a deficiency, a difficulty absorbing B12 through food, or with underlying conditions that impact B12 absorption. When your body does not receive enough Vitamin B12, it will develop a deficiency. Although treatable, a long-term deficiency can cause irreversible damage. Even slightly low levels of B12 can cause symptoms throughout your body.

People with digestive issues or celiac disease may not be able to process and absorb B Vegetarians or vegans will not be getting sufficient B12 in their diets. As you age, you produce less stomach acid, which is critical for the absorption of B Adults over 50 are at a higher risk for a B12 deficiency.

Oral contraceptives that are high in estrogen put women at risk of a B12 deficiency. B12 is stored in the liver. People who drink regularly may be depleting their B12 stores. Various medications can put you at risk for a B12 deficiency. People with gastrointestinal diseases may have trouble absorbing B The symptoms of a B12 deficiency include exhaustion and difficulty concentrating. Early symptoms may be as subtle as feeling worn out and weak. Pernicious means dangerous; this anemia can be life-threatening.

Pernicious anemia is a red blood cell anemia that originates in the stomach. Depleting your B12 can lead to nerve damage, which is why one symptom of a deficiency is numbness or tingling. A long-term deficiency can cause permanent damage to your body, including insomnia, neurologic damage, erectile dysfunction, and difficulty with bowel and bladder control. A B12 deficiency can also leave you at a higher risk of infections. Any oral supplement must be ingested and absorbed through your digestive tract.