[Marlene]

Hi Tom,

Pretty much anyone over the age of 50 will have some level of absorption issues with nutrients. The liver can store approximately a five year supply of B12. So by the time your B12 shows up as being low to low-normal, you've probably had some issue going on for awhile.

Off the top of my head, here are some reasons for low B12 absorption:
1 - you lack intrinsic factor. Either due to damage to the lining of stomach or a possible auto-immune issue which destroys it.

2 - Over growth of the wrong kind of gut bacteria, candida as well as h.pylori. The bad stuff eats up B12 so it gets to it before you do and compromise the gut lining.

3- You do not have sufficient HCI (stomach acid) to break down your food. People on acid reflux drugs will have an issue at some point. I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but alternative doctors will treat heart burn and acid reflux with HCI. You need B1, zinc and iodine to make stomach acid. If you don't have adequate stomach acid, you won't absorb zinc either.

4- Digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas are insufficient. Raw foods can help because they contain enzymes that will help break down food.

5 - Celiacs disease/gluten intolerance will destroy the lining of gut and small intestine causing all kinds of issues as well as destroy the cell responsible for making intrinsic factor. And as you know, wheat and grain are inflammatory to many. Most people won't test positive for Celiac but benefit greatly when stopping gluten. It can a long time to heal from this.

6 - Antibiotic use, aspirin, NSAIDs and alcohol abuse can mess things up.

Other reasons....you're a vegetarian, had gastric by-pass surgery or have genetic MTHFR issues.

So healing the integrity of the digestive track is very important to your health on many levels. It keep bad pathogens in check and prevents undigested proteins from getting into the blood stream.

I'm sure I missed something so if anyone can add to this, please do.