Pernicious aeimia or b12

[Sandra49]

Can anyone tell me if pernicious aenemia and b12 are the same thing ?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

You can be low in vitamin B12 for many reasons. One of the causes is called "Pernicious Anaemia". Other possibilities include not having enough vitamin B12 in your diet.

"Vitamin B12 deficiency" can cover anyone who simply does not have enough vitamin B12 including those with Pernicious Anaemia. But sometimes people use "B12 deficiency" to cover everyone who does not have enough B12 except those who have Pernicious Anaemia.

In all cases, the need is to get enough B12 into the body - whether by injection or any form of tablet, spray, lozenge, etc. However, if you have not yet been fully tested, it may be better to wait. Once you start supplementing, B12 testing becomes unreliable.

Rod

[fennel]

pernicious anaemia is a lack of the intrinsic factor which will mean supplementing B12 will not work and you need jabs.

B12 deficiency can be due to being a vegetarian, having a lack of stomach acid, having helicobacter pylori, and other reasons too. A deficiency can be remedied with diet and supplements. People with a thyroid problem are often deficient in B12 and the symptoms of both conditions are very similar.

[ukangell]

Dr chandy classes everything (including PA) as b12 deficiency. Some people that are B12 deficient have PA but failed intrinsic factor tests so drs won't classify them as PA. The test for PA can fail in 50% of the cases.