Deficiency Anemia Vitamin B12 And Folate

Deficiency Anemia Vitamin B12 And Folate

Understanding Deficiency Anemia Vitamin B12 And Folate

Anemia of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency is a condition that develops when the body lacks vitamin B12 or folate. This is what causes the body to produce red blood cells that are not functioning properly. This type of anemia can occur when your body difficulty absorbing vitamin B12 or processing.

The main symptoms of anemia of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency has be tired and exhausted. If you feel tired and exhausted continuously, you should consult your doctor. Based on the symptoms and results of blood tests, the doctor may give a diagnosis of anemia .

Vitamin B12 deficiency is rare in young children, although undergoing strict vegetarian menu could be at risk of developing the condition. Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency is more common in older people with estimates of 1 in 10 people over the age of 75 years. Impact of vitamin B12 deficiency is the most common and pernicious anemia.

Anemia types Suffered
There are various kinds of anemia and each has its own cause. On this occasion, the themes discussed focused on anemia caused by a deficiency of vitamin B12 or folate substances in the body.

Deficiency of Vitamin B12 or folate
To help the body produce red blood cells, it takes cooperation between vitamin B12 or folate. Vitamin B12 is also useful to help keep the nervous system healthy. This includes the brain, nerves, and spinal cord. On the other hand, folate is also very important for pregnant women. Because folate deficiency can increase the risk of congenital abnormalities or birth defects in an unborn baby.

Vitamin B12 is found in meat, eggs, and dairy products. While the best source of folate contained in green vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and peas.

Ways to treat Deficiency Anemia Vitamin B12 and folate
Anemia is a deficiency of vitamin B12 and folic acid are most easily treated. The treatment of anemia of this type, will initially be given vitamin B12 by injection. Depending on whether the B12 deficiency that affects associated with diet or not, you will probably need a supplement tablet between eating schedule. Or it could also regularly conducts injection of vitamin B12. This treatment may be needed for life.

To restore the level of folic acid, and folic acid tablets takes these tablets should be consumed during the four months to reach normal levels in the body. Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, with or without anemia, can lead to complications although rare. For example, problems with the heart, lungs, and nervous system and increase the risk of infertility. However all treatable complications in general.

Symptoms Of Deficiency Anemia Vitamin B12 And Folate

Symptoms of each type of anemia is highly dependent on the root causes of the condition. For all types of anemia, all of which have some common symptoms are the same. Symptoms included are:

Fatigue
Fatigue
easy fainting
Weight loss
Out of breath or dyspnea
Headache
Loss of appetite
Tinnitus, or the perception of hearing sounds coming from inside the body, not from outside

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia

The symptoms below are specifically caused by anemia due to deficiency of vitamin B12 . Symptoms include:

Tongue sore and red or sore tongue
Skin color becomes yellowish
Thrush in mouth
Tactile feel different or diminished function
The ability to feel pain is reduced
visually impaired
Easy to get angry
Changes in gait and move
Depression : Feeling sad and prolonged
Dementia: Mental ability is reduced, for example about memory, comprehension, and judgment
Psychosis: Conditions that affect the mind and change the mindset, feelings, and behavior
Folate Deficiency Anemia Symptoms

Folate deficiency symptoms are similar to common symptoms of anemia. But this condition can also cause decreased ability to sense of touch, for example, decrease or loss of sense of touch and pain. And also the ability of muscle weakness and feeling depressed.

Causes Deficiency Anemia Vitamin B12 And Folate
There are various kinds of anemia and each has its own cause. Anemia is a deficiency of vitamin B12 or folate can be caused by many things. This condition can affect the body's ability to produce red blood cells healthy and functioning properly.

The following will explain the function of lymph fluid in the blood called plasma. This fluid contains three different cell types.

White blood cells as part of the immune system and fight infection
The red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body with a substance called hemoglobin
Platelets help blood to clot
Causes of Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia
Suffering from pernicious anemia

The body absorb vitamin B12 through the stomach. In order for vitamin B12 to be absorbed from the food you eat, a protein called intrinsic factor will attach itself to the vitamin B12.

Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disease that affects the stomach. An autoimmune disease means that your immune system to attack healthy cells of your own body. In pernicious anemia, your own immune system will attack the cells in the stomach that produce intrinsic factor. Deficiency occurs because the body can not absorb vitamin B12.

There are some things that increase your risk of developing pernicious anemia. Although the underlying cause is not known, the following are some things that can increase the risk of:

Pernicious anemia affects more women than men.
Pernicious anemia is more common in the age above 60 years.
Nearly a third of people suffering from pernicious anemia from families who suffered from the same disease.
Having other autoimmune diseases such as Addison's disease and vitiligo . In fact there is a link between pernicious anemia with other immune diseases.
Factors food consumed

Meat, fish and dairy products is a diet that provides enough vitamin B12. Vegetarians or people who only consume plant foods, may not have enough vitamin B12 in their menu. Or people who have a very simple menu in the long term.

Body typically stores vitamin B12 which lasts for two to four years. To keep the storage of the vitamin remained at a healthy level, it is very important to have vitamin B12 in your diet.

Diseases that affect the intestines

When the body can not absorb vitamin B12 as usual, may be caused by diseases that affect the intestines or part of the digestive system. Eg Crohn's disease . This is a long-term disease that causes inflammation of the digestive system. This condition can make your body vitamin B12 deficiency.

Diseases that affect the stomach

Obstruction of the process of absorption of vitamin B12 can be caused by stomach or abdominal work processes. For example the risk of getting vitamin B12 deficiency anemia caused by gastrectomy or increased operating procedure in which most of the stomach is removed.

Due to the consumption of certain drugs

Vitamin B12 can be reduced from the body due to the consumption of some types of drugs. For example proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), a drug to treat digestive problems, can make vitamin B12 deficiency worsens. Drugs PPIs prevent excessive stomach acid production. Stomach acid is needed to release vitamin B12 from the foods you eat. Your doctor can identify if there are medicines that affect your level of vitamin B12.

Folate Deficiency Anemia
Folate is a water-soluble vitamin. Because the body can not store folic in the long term. Usually, the body stores of folate is enough to last for four months. To ensure the body has enough folic reserves, we have to get folate from food daily. Folate deficiency anemia can develop due to some of the same reasons as vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. Some of the causes are explained below.

Food consumed

Some people may not get folate in everyday life. Some factors that may be the cause is food that is unhealthy and unbalanced. In addition they may just change the type or pattern of daily food, for example for reasons to lose weight

the occurrence of malabsorption

If you suffer from Celiac disease, this condition can affect the digestive system. As a result, the body can not effectively absorb folate.

Excessive urination

For patients with kidney and liver disease, might lose folate from the body. This is due to the effects of the disease makes you urinate excessively. Some things that can make you urinate excessively:

Heart failure congestive, occurs when the heart can not pump enough blood throughout the body
Acute liver damage. Often this is caused by consuming too much liquor to excess
Long-term dialysis: dialysis machine to filter waste products from the blood
Due to the consumption of certain drugs

Folate is sometimes difficult to be absorbed and the amount of folate reduced. This may be caused by some of the effects of drugs. The doctor will watch over you if necessary. Your doctor will know which medicines can affect the levels of folate in the body.

Some other causes

Premature infants born before 37 weeks of pregnancy are likely to develop folate deficiency anemia because their bodies are developing can not meet the needs of the vitamin folate.

Folate deficiency can occur because the body can not meet the needs of the vitamin because sometimes the body needs folate exceed normal levels. The things that make the body needs folate more:

had cancer
when pregnant
Fight infections or health condition that causes inflammation or swelling
Having blood disorders , such as sickle cell anemia. It is hereditary that causes red blood cells to change shape
pregnancy factor

If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, it is recommended to drink a folic acid supplement of 0.4 mg per day. This is done until gestational age of 12 weeks. This will help the baby grow and develop, as well as making sure you and your baby have enough folate in the body.

If pregnancy to certain conditions, the body may need extra folic acid. To prevent anemia does not occur, the doctor will be watching carefully. You can buy folic acid tablets directly or request a prescription from a doctor and take it to the pharmacy, large department stores, or to the health food store. For people with diabetes, you may need folic acid with higher doses. You should consume about 5 mg of folic acid per day.

Diagnosis Anemia Vitamin B12 And Folate Deficiency

Based on the symptoms experienced and the results of blood tests, the diagnosis of anemia of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency can be ascertained. To measure the various types of blood cells from the samples, blood counts should be done fully. In general, the doctor will examine:

Does the size of red blood cells than normal
If the hemoglobin level is too low
How much vitamin B12 in the blood
How much folate in the blood
To determine the type of anemia that you experience, the test results will indicate whether you are deficient in vitamin B12 or folate. To find the cause of basic deficiencies and determine the most appropriate treatment, it is necessary to do further testing. To understand the causes of anemia, you may be referred to see a specialist.

See a specialist doctor digestive system

You referred to a specialist doctor digestive system if there is a suspicion that your digestive system is unable to absorb nutrients from food properly. If so the composition of the vitamin B12 or folate in the body has been reduced.

A specialist haematologist

Hematology physician is a specialist in blood diseases. If you are pregnant and experiencing anemia of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, then you are advised to see a specialist hematology.

If the nervous system such as brain and spinal cord have been infected, you will be advised to see a specialist hematology. Symptoms that may occur is a change in vision, sense of touch is reduced or changed, as well as the inability to control muscles.

Consultation with a nutritionist

The menu of nutritious foods can be recommended by nutritionists. They are medical professionals who are experts in nutrition. If the diet is not healthy, it can cause a deficiency of vitamin B12 or folate. You may be advised to see a nutritionist. To increase the amount of vitamin B12 or folate in the diet, nutritionists can make the diet more appropriate for us.

Treatment Of Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia And Folate

Treatment for anemia, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency depends on what is causing the condition. In most of the replacement effort vitamin for the body, the treatment can be carried out by injection or tablets of vitamin B12 .

Treating Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia

Vitamin B12 injections are given to treat anemia of vitamin B12 deficiency in the form of hydroxocobalamin. Every day for two weeks early, you'll get a shot of this, until the symptoms have ceased. Injections can be done by a doctor or nurse.

Treatment depends on the cause of vitamin B12 deficiency. Whether related to food or not, after initial treatment above.

Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia associated food

Prescription tablet vitamin B12 given to drink each day after meals. This is done if vitamin B12 deficiency caused by lack of vitamins in the diet. Or maybe you hydrococobalamin injected twice a year. For the perpetrators of the vegetarian lifestyle, will find it difficult to get vitamin B12 in food. In these conditions, it may need to take vitamin B12 tablets lifetime.

For vitamin B12 deficiency because of poor diet in the long term, consumption of vitamin B12 can be stopped if the content in the body to normal and the food menu has been changed.

Excellent source of vitamin B12 are meat, eggs, salmon, cod fish and dairy products, including milk itself. For vegetarian or vegan, there are substitute products for meat and dairy products. Foods that contain vitamin B12, such as breakfast cereals rich in iron and soy products. When shopping for food, check the nutrition table to know how much kandugan vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia unrelated food

For vitamin B12 deficiency is not caused by poor diet, may need treatment hydroxocobalamin injections four times a year to a lifetime. There are other types of vitamin injections called cyanocobalamin, but people prefer hydroxocobalamin because it can last longer in the human body. Cyanocobalamin is also available in tablet form.

If you require regular injections of vitamin B12, hydroxocobalamin can be injected once every three months, whereas cyanocobalamin should be given once a month.

Blood specialist doctors can be recommended as a treatment step when vitamin B12 deficiency cause symptoms of neurological disease. For example feet and hands often feel numb or tingling. You may also need vitamin B12 injections every two months. The specialist can advise how long you need to injections of vitamins.

Treating Folate Deficiency Anemia
The doctor will prescribe folic acid tablets to increase the level of folate in the body. Folic acid tablets need to be taken for four months. But you can also eat folic acid tablets for much longer, even a lifetime, if the root causes of folate deficiency anemia persists.

In addition to increasing folate intake, daily food menu you should also be considered. A good source of folate include:

brown rice
Brussels sprouts
Broccoli
Asparagus
Peas
arab beans
Before you start taking folic acid, vitamin B12 level checked whether within normal limits. This check is necessary because folic acid can aggravate the symptoms experienced from vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. The nervous system is affected if vitamin B12 deficiency is not detected and not treated immediately.

Overseeing Conditions During Treatment
A further blood tests are performed to ensure the treatment is successful. Hemoglobin level will be checked with a blood test if it rises at 10 days after starting treatment. To make sure the treatment was successful, a blood test is then performed two months thereafter.

Tests will be performed again at four months after treatment is completed if you are taking folic acid tablets. With the exception of the previous symptoms reappear or ineffective treatment. Most people with vitamin B12 or folate deficiency does not need to be monitored continuously.

Complications Deficiency Anemia Vitamin B12 And Folate
Complications are rare in most cases the deficiency of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, but if you have a deficiency of vitamin B12 or folate in the long term, complications can occur.

Complications Caused Anemia
No matter what the cause, anemia can lead to complications of the heart and lungs due to heart strive harder to pump oxygen into the organs.

Diseases that can develop in patients with anemia is tachycardia or heart rate over 100 beats per minute. Besides it can also occur heart failure or when the heart is not pumping blood around the body properly.

Complications Caused by deficiency of Vitamin B12
Complications that occur below caused due to deficiency of vitamin B12 with or without anemia.

Troubled with fertility

Sometimes a vitamin B12 deficiency can cause infertility for a while.

Disorders of the nervous system

The nervous system such as brain and spinal cord may be affected due to lack of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is important for red blood cell production, in addition to the health of the nervous system. Without proper treatment, complications of vitamin B12 deficiency could become permanent. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause other health problems before they become anemic. Here are the things that may be experienced:

memory loss
Troubled by visions
Ataxia: loss of physical coordination, it can affect the whole body and can cause difficulty talking or walking
Paresthesia: tingling sensation
The emergence of neural tube defects (NTD)

Risk babies have congenital defects (NTD) will increase if when pregnant, the mother of vitamin B12 deficiency in her body. The growth and development of infants affected by this disorder. Some examples of disorders that occur are spina bifida , namely, spinal baby is not fully formed. Besides it can happen anencephaly or baby's brain and cranium is not fully formed.

Complications Caused by Deficiency Folate
Complications can be caused by folate deficiency with or without anemia. Most complications are described below.

Troubled with fertility

Just like a vitamin B12 deficiency, fertility may also be affected due to folate deficiency, but the impact can be overcome by taking vitamin supplements and only temporary.

The emergence of neural tube defects (NTD)

Growth and development of babies in the womb is also influenced by the lack of folate in the body, as well as vitamin B12 deficiency. Congenital abnormality will increase at an unborn baby, such as spina bifida.

Premature delivery

Folate deficiency during pregnancy can increase the risk of babies will be born prematurely or before entering the 37th week of pregnancy. Besides it can also affect your baby's development.

The emergence of cardiovascular disease

According to the study, cardiovascular disease will increase when the body's folate deficiency. Cardiovascular disease is a term describing medical conditions involving blood vessels, heart, and how blood circulates throughout the body.

cause cancer

According to the study, some cancers can be attributed to folate deficiency. One example of stomach cancer. Cancer growth is not only due to folate deficiency, but has the potential to contribute to cancer growth.