Vitamin B-12 deficiency

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In medicine, vitamin B-12 deficiency, is a "nutritional condition produced by a deficiency of Vitamin B-12 in the diet, characterized by megaloblastic anemia. Since vitamin B 12 is not present in plants, humans have obtained their supply from animal products, from multivitamin supplements in the form of pills, and as additives to food preparations. A wide variety of neuropsychiatric abnormalities is also seen in vitamin B 12 deficiency and appears to be due to an undefined defect involving myelin synthesis."[1]

Manifestations include pernicious anemia and subacute combined degeneration.

Diagnosis

The MCV is not accurate.[2]

References

  1. Anonymous (2024), Vitamin B-12 deficiency (English). Medical Subject Headings. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
  2. Seward SJ, Safran C, Marton KI, Robinson SH (1990). "Does the mean corpuscular volume help physicians evaluate hospitalized patients with anemia?". J Gen Intern Med 5 (3): 187-91. DOI:10.1007/BF02600530. PMID 2187961. Research Blogging.