Vitamin B12 deficiency- causes?

P

Phil

New member
I recently had a full blood workup when I was tested for Lyme Disease, and the tests showed that I have a Vitamin B12 deficiency. My doctor asked me if I'm a vegetarian (I'm not) or if I have a bad diet (It's kind of in between). But what are the causes of B12 Deficiency? I'm kind of worried because I read that the body usually stores up to 3-5 years of B12 stores. But up until about a year ago, I was taking B Complex Vitamins every day for chronic fatigue, and had been taking them for about a year and a half. I also try to take a multi vitamin and Foilic Acid every day. So how can my B12 levels be so low?

He also said my Homocysteine level was very high, which might have been caused by the B12 deficiency... Are there any other causes for a high Homocysteine level besides low Vitamin B12?

Thanks!
 
Gastritis, pernicious anemia, taking proton pump inhibitors like nexium, prevacid, prilosec, pretty much anything that can cause malabsorption like Celiac disease, parasites, bacterial overgrowth, IBS, Crohn's disease etc.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000574.htm

B vitamins like folic acid, B-6 and B-12 help break down homocysteine in the blood, that's why low B-12 means high homocysteine. Hypothyroid, psoriasis, kidney disease and some inherited familial metabolic disorders can cause high homocysteine. Probably some medications too.
 
Thanks for your reply!
I do have IBS, so that's probably the reason... my doctor is having me take 5000 mcg of B12 supplements a day... do you think that because of the IBS and the vitamin not being absorbed, that more of it will be absorbed now because I'm taking so much of it?
Thanks.
 
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