[karsten]

Originally Posted by mrsD

In the first paragraph is a statement that supplements do not work for Pernicious Anemia. The author of this article has not yet discovered, passive absorption is possible with no intrinsic factor? This article is from 2008. There are studies from before that date showing oral B12 works.

There are studies that show oral supplements of B12 work for those with pernicious anemia:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20708373

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17475180

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17375844

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16897048

I thought the end of the atricle regarding alcohol consumption was rather amusing. It could be inperpreted by some as drink more and you will live longer!

[NeuroLogic]

Originally Posted by karsten

I thought the end of the atricle regarding alcohol consumption was rather amusing. It could be inperpreted by some as drink more and you will live longer!

It seems like every month a new study comes out advocating drinking.

On an unrelated note...

Does anyone here know if parasites commonly cause B12 deficiency?

I read one testimonial, but don't know if the patient's interpretation is correct. The claim is made it's a common problem.

An another site, the question is asked by a parent if parasites should be dealt with first before B12 supplementation.

I know supplementation works; I just wonder if people will get quicker results without parasites.

[mrsD]

The tapeworms actually steal B12 from the GI tract.

Other parasites like Giardia, inflame the lining of the intestines
and reduce absorption that way... called malabsorption.

Anything that inflames the GI lining... gluten, food intolerances, toxins from bacteria, or parasites, can reduce B12 absorption.

[NeuroLogic]

"Patients with a history of intestinal surgery, strictures, or blind loops may have bacterial overgrowth that can compete for dietary vitamin B12 in the small bowel, as can infestation with tapeworms or other intestinal parasites....

"Use of methylmalonic acid and homocysteine levels in the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency has led to some surprising findings..."

http://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0301/p979.html

[karsten]

My aunt has a tapeworm when she was in her middle 20's. She lives in Germany and it was in the late 1950's when it happened. She got really skinny. Back then the doctor suspected the problem. She was put on a strict diet of salted herring. Apparently, these parasites can't tolerate the excess salt and it came out after about a week or so.

It was a scary event from what she told me. The tapeworm was very large. I think tapeworms are pretty rare, but it is possible.

[mrsD]

With sushi now popular, the fish tapeworm is more common.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphyllobothrium

There is also a beef tapeworm, and that is less common in US.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taenia_saginata

I bet it was truly unpleasant for your aunt. Parasitical diseases are
all rather creepy!

[NeuroLogic]

I was going to get tested in 1996, but I moved, and still haven't got around to it.

Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, in his book From Fatigued to Fantastic, says:

"Most laboratories miss parasites when they do stool testing." (p. 133)

He tells how he'd send samples to local labs, which had a good rep, and they'd come back negative. So he stopped testing. But then he decided to do his own tests, and even though they'd take as long as five hours, they'd be positive.

The reason why so many labs fail? He says a technician told him their training lasts only one hour!

Bottom line: choose a lab that specializes in parasitology. Two he likes are: Parasitology Center and Genova Labs (formerly Great Smokies).

I just read that parasitic infections can cause chronic inflammation, so I think I'm going to get tested. (I went off gluten, milk, sugar, and foods that I was allergic to for six months, but still have what appears to be chronic inflammation.)