January 2010

B12 deficiency causes a number of common, and some less common, diseases. Restoring the B12 through B12 supplementation can restore health

PA is an autoimmune condition[1] characterised by extreme fatigue, inability to absorb goodness from food (irritable bowel, incontinence, diarrhoea), and progressive degeneration of the nervous system including ‘the fogs’ (a feeling of detachment from the world), confusion (inability to make sense of what’s going on), gloves and socks (numbnes

Pernicious anaemia is a form of megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B₁₂ deficiency, caused by impaired absorption of vitamin B₁₂[1].

Figure 1 - example from Russell et al 1900

No animals can digest the cellulose that makes up plants.  Some animals such as cattle and sheep (ruminants) get around this by filling their stomach with bacteria, fungi and yeasts.  These microbes can digest cellulose and manufacture a whole range of nutrients (including B₁₂) which the cattle and sheep can then absorb.  The microbes get a safe place to live and the cattle and sheep can use the grass and leaves they eat. The microbes produce a lot of B₁₂  and all of that extra vitamin B₁₂ gets stored in the muscle and meat for us to eat.