cause of low B12

prof

Veteran Member

Joined : Feb 2003

Posts : 1195

Posted 2/8/2008 2:26 PM (GMT 0)

I just got my blood work back. My hemoglobin etc is low ( as always) but now my B12 is low as well. This is a hing. Any good reasons?

Jillybean1887

Regular Member

Joined : Jan 2007

Posts : 56

Posted 2/8/2008 3:24 PM (GMT 0)

Did you have your TI removed? I did and that is why I was started on the B12 injections.

Jill

MikeB

Veteran Member

Joined : Mar 2006

Posts : 1169

Posted 2/8/2008 3:25 PM (GMT 0)

B-12 si absorbed in the terminal ileum. If it is missing or scarred that would reduce the amount absorbed, eventually resulting in low blood levels. This is fairly common in Crohns disease that affects that area.

Zanne

Veteran Member

Joined : Apr 2005

Posts : 3763

Posted 2/8/2008 3:44 PM (GMT 0)

Your body keeps stores of B12 so even if you had your TI removed or it has been diseased/scared for a long period of time, it might be a while before you would need to have B12 shots. I went almost 7 years after my last resection, 10 years from my first resection. It all depends on how severe the disease activity, how long it has been going on and how much of a reserve you have built up.

pb4

Elite Member

Joined : Feb 2004

Posts : 20577

Posted 2/8/2008 7:15 PM (GMT 0)

If there is disease activity in the terminal ileum where B12 is absorbed then that can hinder you as well, also it's fairly common for CDers to have a poor ability to absorb vitamins and nutrients via foods alone because of intestinal inflammation due to the disease and/or because of not getting enough nutritious foods since many CDers say they cannot tolerate nutritious foods like fruits and veggies.

:)

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