Posted by Jai Narayan on January 27, 2004, at 19:38:21
In reply to Re: b12 » justyourlaugh, posted by Miss Honeychurch on January 18, 2004, at 7:34:49
According to "The Merck Manual"
" A B12 deficiency can lead to: pernicious anemia and other anemias, some psychiatric disorders, poor vision.
Folic acid and B 12 function interdependently in the formaiton of normal red blood cells and in the production of an essential building block of DNA, thymidine. A deficiency of either of these vitamins results in a serious anemia (such as pernicious anemia), in which the red blood cells are few in number but large in size.
Symptoms include paleness, weakness, reduced acid secretion in the stomach, and nerve damage (neuropathy). Nerve damage occurs mainly in vitamin B12 deficiency.
treatment of pernicious anemia consists of monthly injections of vitamin B12. Treatment of folic acid deficiency consists of folic acid taken by mouth."
poster:Jai Narayan
thread:301954
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20040102/msgs/306203.html