pernicious anaemia & hair loss

[rcd23]

hi I have recently been diagnosed with pernicious anaemia b12 & folic deficiency I started losing my hair when I was 18 there’s no family history of hair loss I am now 24 and I was wondering if it could be related to the pernicious anaemia and if so will it grow back now that I have started treatment I am currently getting my loading dose of b12 every other day for a month and folic acid tablets 3x a day.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Hair loss/thinning is certainly amongs the symptoms of B12 deficiency and if that is the cause then it should start to reverse but it is something that is likely to happen slowly over time as the body repairs faulty hair folicles with healthy ones.

[wedgewood]

Yes I agree with Gambit62. But I take a vitamin B complex to make sure (belt and braces) Out of curiosity I would love to know if you are getting your B12 injections from the NHS, or privately. Best wishes

[Roblewis31 in reply to wedgewood]

I also noticed my hair thinning and falling out when washing, 1 year later and after B12 injections there is an improvement but slow! If you have PA, will B12 complex be worth taking as I didn't realise it would be absorbed? if so what type would you recommend.

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Roblewis31]

Not sure if you mean B complex. A vitamin B complex will contain B9 (folate) which the body needs to absorb and use B12 - they are used together for a number of key processes which includes cell reproduction - so can help.

Small amounts of B12 (estimated at 1%) are absorbed outside the ileum so flooding the gut with large amounts of B12 can help - however the mechanism for storing and recycling B12 through the liver is dependent on the ileum so that will still be compromised.

[rcd23 in reply to wedgewood]

Hi am getting the b12 injections from the NHS

[rcd23 in reply to wedgewood]

Hi thanks I am getting.my b12 injections from the NHS

[Secondchance]

Yes it might be B12 related. I was losing my hair for a couple of years before discovering I was B12 deficient and things have certainly improved albeit slowly. The first thing was my hair stopped falling out every time I washed it, now it is thickening a bit. Still not as thick as it was but better than the way it was going! My drains need unclogged less often now! TMI

Hair loss is very distressing. Hope yours responds to B12. I think it was about 2 months before I noticed only half usual amount hair fell out when washing it.

[Hidden]

This post has some more information that may help see:

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po...

[Magdabfreitas]

Yes, Gambit62 is correct, i have pernicius anemia and have thesame problem, i already bean treated but still loosing hair sometime...

[Chancery]

Hi rcd, I don't want to add an extra complication into the mix, but hair loss is a major symptom of thyroid deficiency. If you have PA you are more likely to have other conditions like thyroid problems. You can find the information on the web easily, so might be worthwhile checking a thyroid symptom list and just make sure you don't have other symptoms that might suggest a thyroid problem. No point in hoping for B12 to fix another problem entirely, although it might just do that regardless!

[allstarz]

The B12 helped but Biotin has brought my hair back and thicker. I buy it in the vitamin isle at Walmart.

[Funkyfaerie]

Hi, I too had quite a lot of hair loss before I was diagnosed and noticed an improvement with injections that I now have 8 weekly. I also take a liquid iron supplement about 3 times a week now and that has made a significant improvement, thicker and growing long for the first time in years. I did have low iron at the time of diagnosis, but my diet although full of vegetables wasn't great, ate a lot of sugary snacks and not much meat. So I have changed my diet a bit too....just thought I'd let you know there is light at the end of the hair loss tunnel!

[JacqsB12]

I am in that same position, I'm waiting for my 1st 12wk injection following loading doses, but i still haven't been given advise on whether the hair loss is ever going to stop, being female I'm really concerned it will never come back