How do you test for B12 absorption?
Your doctor might have recommended the Schilling test if you had a vitamin B12 deficiency. The test can help them determine whether your stomach is producing “intrinsic factor.” Intrinsic factor is a type of protein required for vitamin B12 absorption.
What is the Schilling test represent?
The Schilling test can determine whether the body absorbs vitamin B12 normally. It helps assess the cause of vitamin B12 deficiency. This test is rarely, if ever, done today.
What is the site of absorption of vitamin B12?
The ileum is the major site of absorption of vitamin B12 analogues.
Which disease is detected by using the Schilling test?
The Schilling test is a medical investigation used for patients with vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency. The purpose of the test is to determine how well the patient is able to absorb B12 from their intestinal tract. It is named for Robert F. Schilling.
Why does my body not absorb B12?
People who have pernicious anemia can’t absorb enough vitamin B12 from food. This is because they lack intrinsic (in-TRIN-sik) factor, a protein made in the stomach. A lack of this protein leads to vitamin B12 deficiency. Other conditions and factors also can cause vitamin B12 deficiency.
How is the absorption of vitamin B12 affected?
In the body, the absorption of vitamin B12 is highly complex and can be disturbed at several points. Absorption problems significantly reduce the amount of vitamin B12 taken in by the body, even if there is a plentiful dietary supply from food sources. Consequently, vitamin B12 deficiency occurs. Vitamin B12 Malabsorption Causes
How is the bioavailability of vitamin B12 determined?
The estimated bioavailability of vitamin B12 from food varies by vitamin B12 dose because absorption decreases drastically when the capacity of intrinsic factor is exceeded (at 1–2 mcg of vitamin B12) [ 16 ]. Bioavailability also varies by type of food source.
Is there a way to test for vitamin B12?
The most comfortable way of doing this is by measuring the methylmalonic acid (MMA) in the urine, which determines how much vitamin B12 the cells actually receive. The test can be carried out comfortably and quickly at home; though must be ordered online and can be expensive.
Which is the most sensitive marker of vitamin B12 deficiency?
Levels of serum methylmalonic acid (MMA), a vitamin B12-associated metabolite, are the most sensitive markers of vitamin B12 status, and an MMA level greater than 0.271 micromol/L suggests vitamin B12 deficiency [ 6-8 ]. However, MMA levels also rise with renal insufficiency and tend to be higher in older adults [ 6, 9, 10 ].
