Dana, I'm sorry your Dad is having a hard time.
The best thing to do is to get him to a hematologist. A low red blood cell count is not a disease but a sign that something else is going on. It can mean any number of things, including colon cancer. A hematologist can run some basic tests like a peripheral blood smear to actually LOOK at the red blood cells and see what's going on with them. There are many types of anemia too, not only iron deficiency anemia. Sure, an internist can run some of these tests but if this is a chronic situation, it's best to go directly to the specialist. That way, you aren't paying for two doctors and two sets of tests!
He should have his vitamin B12 and folic acid levels checked. You need both of those nutrients. Without one, you can get a deficiency of the other and vice versa. Also, they could check for blood in his stool to see if he's losing blood that way (Hemoccult test).
B12 may or may not help. Again, you have to figure out WHY there is a low number of RBC's.
How old is your Dad? People who are older can have a low level of stomach acid. Stomach acid is needed to break down food sufficiently so you can absorb B12 and other nutrients in the small intestine. Another thought is that celiac disease is common in Northern Europeans, which causes all sorts of deficiencies!
I'm sorry but there's not really an easy answer to your question.
B12 does not "help" with MG. What B12 is important for is the health of every single cell in the body. Before B12 supplements were available, people did die of a B12 deficiency. It wasn't until Thomas Addison (yes, he discovered Addison's disease and Pernicious Anemia) figured it out and that high doses of liver could help patients, that patients with a B12 deficiency had half a chance.
I had a severe B12 deficiency in 1997-99. The cyanocobalamin shots didn't do squat for me - my levels did not go up very far. My body was sort of like nature after a drought and the doctors were basically "sprinkling" B12 on me instead of dousing me with it.
So what I have taken since 2000 is two 5 gram (5000 mcg) methylcobalamin sublingual tablets twice a day. But that's what I need. Everyone is different. You can't get too much B12. It's not like B6 that can make a neurological condition worse if you get too much. I get mine at
www.iherb.com because they have great prices, good brands and free shipping on orders above a certain amount. They are prompt and very professional. I use the Jarrow Formulas brand but Source Naturals is good too.
I could go on and on about this topic. IF your Dad does have a deficiency and WHEN you figure out what is going on with him, come on back. There are a lot of people here who have experiences to share on this topic. But you have to get his doctors to figure out exactly what is going on before you try to "fix" it, okay?
For example, what if my doctor had given me Provigil for being tired and Neurontin for my peripheral neuropathy during my B12 deficiency? I'd be fairly more awake and have less pain but, eventually, I'd be dead! And a B12 deficiency is not a disease in and of itself either, unless it's pernicious anemia. My deficiency was caused by no stomach acid.
I hope you can figure out what's going on with your Dad. A lack of red blood cells, BTW, can reduce the amount of oxygen available for the body. Have they checked his oximetry while he is moving around? A low O2 is very hard on the heart and brain, not to mention that it makes breathing very difficult! Please make sure they are thorough in his care.
Annie
Also, taking iron with vitamin C helps absorb it. Don't take calcium at the same time you take iron because it won't absorb as well. For some people, liquid iron works the best. Too much iron isn't good for you either. Another reason a hematologist is good to talk to.