Malabsorption of B 12

by Steve
(Escanaba, MI, USA)

My son, 8 years old, had a blood test drawn about a year ago which showed his B 12 level to be 1300+, but yet he has many symptoms of low B 12 including, but not limited to, tingling of his hands and feet, Vitiligo, and very poor memory(especially names??).


I was once told, shortly after this blood test, that maybe his body wasn't absorbing B 12. At first I thought, that's impossible. How do I find out whether he's getting the benefit of B 12? Urine test? Thank you in advance!

Steve

Comments for Malabsorption of B 12

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Gluten Sensitivity
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Hi Steve,

So, the problem that people have when they don't have the enzyme to absorb vitamin B12 is called Pernicious Anemia, and there are tests to test for this that you can ask your doctor for. However, even if he can't absorb vitamin b12, as long as he is taking sublingual Vitamin B12, it really doesn't matter because it's not going into his stomach. The sublingual vitamins bypass the stomach and go directly into the bloodstream so that even if he does have pernicious anemia, he'll still be getting the B12.

However, your son actually sounds like it's VERY likely that he has Gluten Sensitivity or possibly even full blown Celiac Disease if he is having malabsorption problems and so many health problems at such a young age.

Gluten sensitivity is the absolute first thing that I think of when a child has health problems that the doctors can't figure out and/or a child with even a single vitamin deficiency.

This is a serious problem that goes undiagnosed, often for decades, and your doctors will likely think that you are crazy if you even suggest it to them. But this is a VERY real problem that your son could very well have and could cause him a lifetime of problems if not addressed.




Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System
Side Effects
RE: Malabsorption of B 12
by: Steve

Thanks Kerri.

We had a intestinal permeability test done last fall and it came out good. But that was after 6 months of going gluten free. We thought maybe going gluten free would heal any possible permeability.

Steve
It would have been helpful
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

It would have been helpful to let me know that before I took the time to answer your question....
Malabsorption of B 12
by: Steve

Sorry Kerri,

I had no idea that those would be related. As I mentioned in my first question, his blood level of B 12 was high, yet he shows many signs of low B 12. You mentioned that sublingal B 12 would bypass the stomach directly into the blood stream. But, he seems to have plenty in his blood stream already, at least according to the blood test. Excuse my ignorance if I don't quite understand.

Thanks again Kerri!
Steve
Here's some possible info
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

So, here's some possible info for you on the High B12 and Folate Blood Levels page that might be of interest to you.

I'm curious, though, why you put him on a gluten free diet to heal intestinal permeability if you didn't see the b12 issue as being related to intestinal permeability? And the title of your thread was B12 Malabsorption, so it certainly sounded to me like you'd put it all together.



Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System
Side Effects
Malabsorption of B 12
by: Steve

Thanks again Kerri,

To answer your question; When my son's troubles started I asked his Dr. to run blood work to check certain vitamins and minerals that, from researching vitiligo, I thought he might be lacking, B 12 being one.

When the test came back his B 12 was very high and the only items that were low were Iron and Copper. His Dr. convinced us that there was nothing wrong with B 12 being high. It wasn't until just the other day that I came across an article regarding symptoms of low B 12 and it fit my son to a T.

In researching this, I came across your website. We also visited a Bioset technician who claimed our son was Gluten intolerant, which is why we went gluten free for 6 months. I can't thank you enough for your help, sometimes it feels as if I'm looking for a needle in a haystack with no help from our Dr..

Steve

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