Crohn's disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease that commonly affects the intestines, but can occur anywhere along your digestive tract. People who suffer from Crohn's disease often suffer from pain and inflammation, which can lead to vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition. Vitamin B-12 performs many essential functions in the body, including red blood cell production, DNA production, maintenance of the nervous system and metabolism of food for energy. Crohn's disease can often lead to a vitamin B-12 deficiency.
Crohn's Disease
The exact cause of Crohn's disease is unknown, but the National Institutes of Health explains the problem occurs due to the body's immune response. People with Crohn's disease have immune systems that cannot tell the difference between normal body tissue and foreign invaders. This leads to an exaggerated immune response that causes inflammation. There are five different types of Crohn's disease that all affect different areas of the digestive tract. Ileocolitis is the most common form, affecting the lower part of the small intestine and the large colon. This type of Crohn's disease is also more likely to lead to a vitamin B-12 deficiency.
B-12 Absorption
Your body does not create vitamin B-12, so you must consume foods such as eggs, meat and milk products to maintain appropriate B-12 levels. When you eat foods rich in B-12, the body releases a substance known as intrinsic factor from the parietal cells in the stomach, according to the National Institutes of Health. The intrinsic factor binds to B-12 to ready it for absorption in the lowest part of the small intestine. People with Crohn's disease, especially Ileocolitis, cannot always properly absorb vitamins due to the inflammation of this section of the intestine. Over time, this can lead to a condition known as B-12 deficiency anemia.
Symptoms
B-12 is essential for red blood cell production. Red blood cells carry a protein known as hemoglobin, which helps circulate oxygen throughout the body. When your body lacks B-12, you often experience pale skin, shortness of breath and fatigue. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that B-12 deficiency can also lead to neurological problems, such as pain, tingling and numbness in the extremities, loss of motor function and, in severe cases, dementia.
Treatment and Prevention
Treatment for a B-12 deficiency often depends on the severity of the deficiency, as well as the type of treatments the patient is willing to commit to taking long-term. People with Crohn's disease often need to take B-12 supplements to treat an existing deficiency as well as to avoid developing a deficiency in the future, according to the National Institutes of Health. In some cases, physicians may recommend lifelong monthly B-12 injections. However, some people may be able to take high dose oral supplements to avoid a lack of B-12.
Prognosis
Avoiding a B-12 deficiency involves choosing to maintain a proper diet, taking necessary supplements and avoiding foods that can cause inflammation. The prognosis for people treated for a B-12 deficiency is usually excellent. However, people who do not receive treatment within six months of symptom onset can often suffer permanent nerve damage.
