Article for vegeterians

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Prevent a Vitamin B12 Deficiency

A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anemia and nerve damage. Learn why and find

out the warning signs.

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Medically reviewed by

<http://www.everydayhealth.com/medical-reviewers.aspx> Lindsey Marcellin,

MD, MPH

You need vitamin B12 to produce blood cells and for your nervous system

(which controls pretty much everything) to function properly. In order for

the body to use vitamin B12, the vitamin must bind to a protein substance called

intrinsic factor, which is produced in the lining of the stomach.

<http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/vitamins-andmeds/vitamins/vitamins\

-and-minerals-basics.aspx>

A true dietary deficiency is rare, as most of us get plenty of vitamin B12

in our diets. Very high levels of vitamin B12 are found in foods like liver,

clams, and other mollusks, but beef, fish, and fortified breakfast cereals

are also good sources of the complex vitamin.

" The body only needs a small amount, " explains , EdD, RD, a

dietitian and scientific consultant with the National Institutes of Health's

Office of Dietary Supplements. Yet most Americans consume four to five

micrograms a day [of vitamin B12] - " and we only need two to three, " says

Pash Penniman, MS, RD, LD, a dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic

in Ohio. " Our body can store several years' worth of B12. "

Vitamin B12: Who's At Risk for Deficiency?

As we age, the lining of the stomach produces less intrinsic factor, which

can greatly reduce the body's absorption of vitamin B12. Also, those who

follow a strict vegan diet with no animal products may be at risk for

developing a vitamin deficiency.

Others at risk include people with certain medical conditions that do not

permit sufficient vitamin B12 absorption, such as:

.. Pernicious anemia

.. Crohn's disease

.. Fish tapeworm infection