Experts at the University of Nottingham have stressed that a vitamin B12 shortage can hinder wound healing in various ways. A ...

ANSWER: The DV (a replacement for what we used to call the recommended daily allowance, or RDA) for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg.

Dear I.F.: The DV (a replacement for what we used to call the recommended daily allowance, or RDA) for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg ...

Deficiency develops gradually since the liver stores several years’ worth of vitamin B12. Early symptoms include fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, and weight loss. As deficiency ...

Without enough intrinsic factor, vitamin B12 cannot be properly absorbed, leading to deficiency. Alcohol also damages the intestines, making nutrient absorption even harder.

A critical protein called intrinsic factor (IF), which is produced by stomach cells, attaches itself to vitamin B12. In the absence of IF, vitamin B12 cannot be retained during digestion.

“B12 is absorbed differently than other B vitamins, and that’s because of intrinsic factor, a protein found in the stomach that is needed for proper B12 absorption.

One of the main causes of vitamin B12 deficiency is pernicious anemia, an autoimmune condition. In this condition, the body attacks the cells in the stomach that produce intrinsic factor, a protein ...

As people age, particularly after 40, the number of parietal cells in the stomach decreases. The stomach’s production of intrinsic factor, therefore, declines. In some people, antibodies develop ...

B12 supplements can come in a variety of forms — spray, liquid, capsule — which can make it difficult to know what to buy. That’s why we asked registered dietitians which ones they’d ...

"The B12-intrinsic factor complex is absorbed specifically in the terminal ileum. Conditions affecting this region, such as Crohn's disease or surgical resection, significantly impair absorption ...

M.P. Pernicious anemia (PA) is an autoimmune disease where the body destroys the cells in the stomach that make intrinsic factor (IF) — a glycoprotein needed for the efficient absorption of B12.