Long known as the âsunshine vitaminâ because the body makes it when skin is exposed to sunlight, vitamin D might now be dubbed the âsuperstar vitamin,â judging by the amount of attention it has garnered of late from researchers and the general public.
Clinical Information Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test. Vitamin B12 deficiency can be caused by many factors, one of which is pernicious anemia, a condition resulting in deficient production of intrinsic factor in the parietal cells of the stomach. Intrinsic factor is a protein that is needed to assist in the absorption of vitamin B12 into the small intestine.
Pernicious Anemia. Pernicious anemia (PA) is an autoimmune disorder in which the body fails to make enough healthy red blood cells (RBCs). The body requires vitamin B-12 and a type of protein called intrinsic factor (IF) to make red blood cells. Vitamin B-12, or cobalamin, is found in certain foods and medications.