Your immune system is responsible for eliminating damaged cells and pathogenic organisms, such as bacteria, viruses and fungi from your body. In some cases the immune system attacks healthy cells, resulting in an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases can interfere with your body's ability to absorb vitamin B-12, resulting in a condition known as pernicious anemia.
What Are Autoimmune Conditions?
Your immune system attacks bacteria, damaged cells and other harmful substances based on the presence of proteins known as antigens. Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system develops problems distinguishing between healthy human tissue and antigens. As a result, the immune system attacks the healthy cells, causing inflammation and tissue damage. It is not known what causes autoimmune conditions to arise, but it is thought that some kinds of infections can "trigger" an autoimmune disorder, particularly in people who have a genetic susceptibility to this kind of immunological problem.
Autoimmune Diseases and Vitamin B-12
In order for your digestive tract to absorb vitamin B-12, a substance known as intrinsic factor must be present in your intestines. Intrinsic factor is made by cells in your stomach. If these cells are attacked by your immune system as a result of an autoimmune disorder, you won't be able to absorb vitamin B-12 efficiently from your diet, resulting in a deficiency of vitamin B-12. This condition is known as pernicious anemia.
Symptoms
Although your body can store enough vitamin B-12 to last for years, pernicious anemia can gradually deplete your body of vitamin B-12. Some of the signs of a mild vitamin B-12 deficiency are changes in bowel movements, bleeding gums and a swollen tongue. Vitamin B-12 is needed to make red blood cells, so a deficiency can cause fatigue, paleness, weakness and shortness of breath due to low red blood cell levels. As the deficiency gets worse, your nerves may become damaged, resulting in tingling, numbness or pain in your extremities.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Pernicious anemia can be diagnosed by analyzing the number and shape of your red blood cells as well as by measuring the levels of vitamin B-12 in your blood. Your doctor may also look for antibodies that show that your immune system is attacking your stomach. Pernicious anemia is usually treated with vitamin B-12 supplementation. If your deficiency is severe, you may initially need to receive vitamin B12 shots to rapidly rebuild your stores of vitamin B-12.
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