fullcortex.net

( 1998 )
My mother has pernicious anemia. She was thinking of purchasing folic acid pills but read that people with pernicious anemia should not take folic acid. Can you discuss this subject?
Pernicious anemia (PA) is due to a deficiency of vitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 is needed for the normal production of red blood cells and healthy function of the nervous system. A vitamin B-12 deficiency can occur for a variety of reasons.
The usual cause of PA is a failure by the digestive tract to absorb dietary vitamin B-12 due to the lack of a substance called intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is normally produced by the lining of the stomach. This problem is usually hereditary, so be sure your doctor is aware of your family history as you are at increased risk of PA because your mother has it.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency can also result from these circumstances:
• Dietary deficiency due to an exceedingly restrictive vegetarian diet.
• Surgical removal of the stomach (total gastrectomy).
• Surgical removal of the lower portion of the small intestine (ileum) where vitamin B-12 is absorbed.
Treatment of pernicious anemia should be withinjected vitamin B-12. After an initial loading dose every day or so for several days, monthly injections suffice. Taking folic acid is not adequate treatment. Although the anemia due to vitamin B-12 deficiency may be corrected by folic acid, damage to the nervous system due to B-12 deficiency is not prevented by folic acid.