Macrocytic anemia

Alternative names

Anemia - B12 deficiency

Definition

Anemia is a drop in the number of red blood cells. This can be caused by a lack of Vitamin B12.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Vitamin B12 is essential for normal nervous system function and blood cell production. The main sources of Vitamin B12 include meat, eggs, and dairy products. For Vitamin B12 to be absorbed by the body, it must bind to intrinsic factor, a protein secreted by cells in the stomach.

Causes of vitamin B12 deficiency include:

• A diet low in Vitamin B12 (for example, a strict vegetarian diet excluding all meat, fish, dairy products, and eggs)
  
• Chronic Alcoholism
  
• Abdominal or intestinal surgery that affects intrinsic factor production or absorption
  
• Crohn's Disease
  
• Intestinal malabsorption disorders
  
• Fish tape worm
  
• Pernicious anemia, which is caused by a lack of intrinsic factor
  

The risk factors are related to the causes.

Symptoms

• Loss of appetite
  
• diarrhea
  
• Numbness and tingling of hands and feet
  
• Paleness
  
• Shortness of breath
  
• Fatigue
  
• Weakness
  
• Sore mouth and tongue
  
• Confusion or change in mental status in severe or advanced cases
  

Signs and tests
A physical evaluation of the patient's neurological signs may show depressed deep tendon reflexes, decreased position sense, decreased vibration sense, or positive Babinski reflex. Other signs and tests include the following: