What can cause a vitamin B-12 deficiency?
Poor eating habits, digestive disorders, alcohol use and drug intake are all factors that can influence the availability of vitamin B12 in the body. Additionally, the absorption of vitamin B-12 is a complex process that is easily interrupted. Here’s what happens. Acids in the stomach separate the B-12 from the protein source, at which point it must combine with “intrinsic factor”—a specific collection of cells in the stomach that are required for B-12 absorption in the small intestine. The vitamin B-12/intrinsic factor complex travels through the intestine and is absorbed in the terminal ileum by cells with specific receptors. The absorbed complex is then transported via plasma and stored in the liver. The interruption of one or any combination of these steps places a person at risk of developing a deficiency. In most cases, vitamin B-12 deficiency is due to an inability of the intestine to absorb the vitamin, which can happen in several ways: 1. As we age, our ability to produce gastr
