hi All. Does anyone know if PA and atrophic gastritis stops or hinders the absorption of other nutrients and vitamins etc ?
I’m currently spending a small fortune on supplements and I wondered if I’m wasting my time if they are not absorbed as b12 is not ?
I understood it hinders iron too possibly but apparently my levels are ok so I assume that’s getting through now.
The way I look at it is this... in my usual super healthy homegrown veg and healthy meat/fish and home cooked meals diet, my hashimotos and B12 deficient leaky gut with frequent episodes of what would probably get a diagnosis doesn't absorb enough nutrients from all that good food. So I supplement vitamins in high quantities to get a benefit.
People constantly tell me, ooo but with all the healthy food you eat you don't need to supplement and I have to explain that my absorption is so poor that I wouldn't be able to get the levels I need to maintain good health.
What i do though, is I test these vitamins (B12, Ferritin, Folate, Zinc, D) a couple of times a year via Monitor my Health or Medichecks private blood tests and see where my levels are.
So no, you aren't wasting a fortune, because you are topping up what you don't get, but if you are worried you are taking too much of something, ask the GP, I mentioned how many supplements I took last year and the GP was really surprised and sent away all kinds of tests to check I wasn't suffering 'toxicity' which was her guess... I wasn't, selenium was just tipping over range but everything else was in range, zinc was below range. She'd made me stop everything for 2 weeks and apologised because I was in a right state by then.
Sounds sensible thanks
Yes I agree . Also eat well from allotment.
I have bloods done every 6 months .
Via NHS
Apart from Iron, Vitamin D, Calcium and Vitamin C are worth considering.
ref: med.virginia.edu/ginutritio...
Be aware that checking Calcium does not mean checking serum calcium but checking bone density as Calcium is drawn from bone to maintain serum Calcium homeostasis when diet or absorption is deficient.
Not sure I quite understand. Are you saying bone density should be checked?
Lifegems, if you have confirmed PA and if you had an untreated B12 deficiency for some years then yes I think it is worth checking bone density. IMO (not medically trained but some nutrition training), the issue with Calcium is probably related not to absorption of Calcium per se but to Taurine deficiency consequent to B12 deficiency. Taurine causes troubles with bone as described in the Gastro article I linked above. See video below for more details on a possible Taurine/B12 bone connection.
>> (not medically trained but some nutrition training.)
I am assuming all the medicial advise you give is based on taking a online class(s). Is that correct and if so is your training specific to maintaining a vegetarian diet and what supplementation is needed to not get ill?
That your hobby does not include B12 deficiency treatment other than for vegetarians?
Have you tried testing Vit C to tolerance?, that’s a job for a rainy day 🤣 take 1g an hour until you get gurgling and the runs. Then you know 1 g less than that is what you need to supplement. I usually only need 1g a day but if I come down with a cold or flu I can get up to 6!!
This is where this idea came from: drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Vitamin...
You risk kidney stones with that kind of level of Vitamin C supplementation. Would advise caution.
Agrpeed. Vitamin C can trigger oxalate which forms kidney stones in many individuals. To protect kidneys, a maximum of 250mg/day is recommended (with the exception, I think, of an occasional updose for an opportunistic infection. I know this is controversial, but I have a high oxalate level and am well studied in oxalate formation and kidney stones.
Additionally to Technoids point too much of one Vitamine can cause an imbalance in others. The exception may be b12. I don't have a choice with b12 other than to high dose. Research any Vitamine before high dosing.
Both pernicious anaemia (PA) and atrophic gastritis can significantly affect the absorption of several key nutrients, not just vitamin B12. Since PA involves the destruction of stomach parietal cells, which are responsible for producing intrinsic factor (vital for B12 absorption), this also leads to low stomach acid levels (achlorhydria), impacting other nutrients.
Iron: Absorption of iron can be impaired in atrophic gastritis due to reduced stomach acid, which is essential for converting iron into a form that the body can absorb. Even though your current iron levels seem adequate, it is important to monitor them, as the condition can lead to iron deficiency anaemia over time .
Calcium and Vitamin D: Hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid) can interfere with the absorption of calcium and, consequently, vitamin D. Calcium carbonate, a common supplement form, requires an acidic environment for optimal absorption. This deficiency can contribute to bone health issues like osteopenia or osteoporosis .
Folate and Vitamin C: Folate deficiency is also a concern as low gastric acid can hinder its absorption. Vitamin C can degrade in the stomach if the pH is too high, further impacting its absorption. Since vitamin C aids iron absorption, deficiencies in both could eventually coexist .
Given these absorption issues, it may be worth discussing with your GP whether certain supplements (e.g., iron, calcium, and vitamin D) might need to be in forms more easily absorbed without stomach acid, such as calcium citrate for calcium or intravenous options if oral supplements are not effective. Additionally, you might want to explore periodic monitoring of your levels of these nutrients to ensure they remain within optimal ranges.
med.virginia.edu/ginutritio...
In your appointment, you could ask about:
1. Whether other nutrients (like iron, calcium, vitamin D) should be tested regularly.
2. What supplement forms are best absorbed given your condition.
3. Whether additional treatments or monitoring might help manage nutrient absorption more effectively.
This could help optimise the supplementation you’re currently investing in.
Thanks for this really helpful info. I have problems compounded by being in Portugal and their understanding appears to be even less than U.K. so I’m trying to do a lot of this on my own .
Just to clarify if I get blood tests done to check for the levels of vitamins etc that you suggest would that mean they are ok ? Or is it similar to b12 in as much as if the reading is high it does not necessarily mean your active b12 is adequate?
I seem to be ok at absorbing iron and folic acid, but despite taking Vitamin D at 4,000 units a day my levels are dropping. Apparently changes to the gastric mucosa can prevent its absorption. Off for a jab soon to hopefully stop the bone aches...🤞
I don’t know if it’s a PA thing or just a me thing, but on top of the others mentioned I have benefited from B1, B2, B6 (in a careful way) and magnesium supplements. And coenzymes Q10 or whatever it’s called.
A year into supplementing and I’m beginning to be able to reduce some of the quantities of, for example I’ve halved my B1 and seem to be ok with it.
Absorption issues
Absorption and all of that...
Improving absorption
