How does folate mask b12 deficiency

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Ingeborg Brouwer , Ingeborg Brouwer. Oxford Academic. Petra Verhoef. Cite Cite Ingeborg Brouwer, Petra Verhoef, Folic acid fortification: is masking of vitamin B deficiency what we should really worry about?

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By continuing to use our site, or clicking "Continue," you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy Continue. Twitter Facebook. This Issue. March 19, Charles O. Brantigan, MD. But the addition may be causing an unintended problem for people at the other end of the age spectrum. Folic acid and vitamin B are needed to produce sufficient numbers of normal red blood cells, and a shortage of either can cause anemia. Too little B can also cause such neurological problems as dementia.

Consuming a high amount of folic acid can eliminate the anemia and its symptoms, leaving individuals and their doctors without the most obvious sign of too little B But an individual can continue to suffer from less noticeable neurological deterioration, Dr. Ralph Green, chairman of the department of pathology at the UC Davis Health System said in a presentation last month at the annual meeting of the American Assn.

Most often, a B deficiency is only recognized when a patient complains about fatigue, a classic symptom of anemia, said Green. Vegetarians are also more likely to be deficient.

Over time, a vitamin B deficiency can cause a deterioration of the brain and nervous system, leading to dementia and even paralysis.

In addition, recent evidence strongly suggests that too little B can lead to high levels of homocysteine in the blood. People with high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid, are at a greater risk for heart disease.