Pernicious anemia occurs when the body can't absorb vitamin B12, which is needed to make red blood cells. This leads to a shortage of those cells, which causes symptoms ranging from fatigue to nerve damage and even psychological changes. Luckily, the condition is treatable though it can lead to lasting damage if not caught in time.
Causes
Vitamin B12 is usually absorbed from animal foods like meat, fish, poultry and dairy products. To do that, the body needs a protein called intrinsic factor, which is produced by cells in the stomach. Some people can't produce enough intrinsic factor to absorb vitamin B12 due to a rare genetic condition.
More commonly, people can't produce intrinsic factor because their stomach lining has been weakened or because their immune system is attacking the intrinsic factor or the cells that produce it, according to MedlinePlus.
Anemia symptoms similar to those of pernicious anemia can be caused by diets low in vitamin B12 or other conditions, according to MedlinePlus. But traditionally, pernicious anemia refers to cases caused by a lack of intrinsic factor.
Symptoms
Pernicious anemia can take years to cause symptoms, according to MedlinePlus. Common symptoms are: fatigue, dizziness especially when standing or exercising, lack of appetite, diarrhea or constipation, paleness, difficulty focusing, shortness of breath, a swollen, red tongue, and bleeding gums.
In severe cases, the disease can cause nerve damage, which leads to confusion or even dementia, memory loss, depression, difficulty balancing, as well as tingling, coldness or loss of sensation in the hands and feet. If the disease damages your heart, it can cause chest pain, according to the National Institutes of Health. Pernicious anemia can also increase your risk of stomach cancer.
Risk Factors
You may be at risk of pernicious anemia if you have a family history of the disease, if your descendants were from Scandinavia or Northern Europe, or if you've had part of the stomach or small intestine removed, notes MedlinePlus.
You are also at risk if you have had an autoimmune disease including Addison's disease, Graves’ disease, myasthenia gravis or type 1 diabetes.
Treatment
Pernicious anemia is usually treated with monthly injections or other forms of vitamin B12. The injections may be more frequent at first if the symptoms are severe. Your doctor may also ask you to change your diet.
Sometimes doctors will prescribe B12 to patients with stomach problems that could lead to pernicious anemia to prevent the disease from developing, notes MedlinePlus.
Outlook
Once treatment begins, most symptoms will disappear and you can live a normal life. But you will probably need treatment for the rest of your life, advises MedlinePlus.
However, if the disease has caused nerve damage, it can be permanent, especially if the disease has gone untreated for more than six months after symptoms began, according to MedlinePlus. So it's best to seek immediate treatment if you suspect pernicious anemia.
