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That includes folks with an autoimmune disorder called pernicious anemia, who are unable to absorb B12, and people who take a lot of over-the-counter stomach-acid reducers, like famotidine ...
Pernicious anemia is the most common cause of clinically evident vitamin B 12 deficiency worldwide. [14] Pernicious anemia due to autoimmune problems occurs in about one per 1000 people in the US. Among those over the age of 60, about 2% have the condition. [ 8 ]
Vitamin B 12 deficiency can be determined, but not always. [14] This means it measures forms of vitamin B 12 that are "active" and can be used by the body, as well as the "inactive" forms, which cannot. [150] Vitamin B 12 deficiency can be found within normal levels, so clinical symptoms should be taken into account when a diagnosis is made. [2]
[2] [7] Only some archaea and bacteria can synthesize vitamin B 12. [8] Vitamin B 12 deficiency is a widespread condition that is particularly prevalent in populations with low or no consumption of animal foods. [9] Such diets can be due to a variety of reasons, such as low socioeconomic status or personal choice (i.e., veganism, vegetarianism).
“A B12 deficiency can cause physical and neurological symptoms, and research is also growing to support that it can also cause psychological issues as well,” says Shapiro. The list of ...
Over time, a deficiency of B12 can cause problems with balance, confusion, depression, poor memory and possibly dementia, and it can even cause permanent damage to the nervous system, Somers says.
Famotidine, sold under the brand name Pepcid among others, is a histamine H 2 receptor antagonist medication that decreases stomach acid production. [4] It is used to treat peptic ulcer disease , gastroesophageal reflux disease , and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome . [ 4 ]
A lack of hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach is one of the most common age-related causes of a harmed digestive system. [6] Among men and women, 27% experience a varying degree of achlorhydria. US researchers found that over 30% of women and men over the age of 60 have little to no acid secretion in the stomach.