Vitamin B12 deficiency
- Replace cobalamin promptly
- Oral high-dose or IM therapy both can work
- Neurologic symptoms favor prompt reliable replacement
- Identify pernicious anemia, malabsorption or dietary cause
- Folate can correct anemia while B12 neurologic injury worsens
- Lifelong therapy if the cause is irreversible
Use at a glance
- Replace cobalamin promptly
Treatment options
- Oral high-dose or IM therapy both can work
- Neurologic symptoms favor prompt reliable replacement
Practical pearls
- Identify pernicious anemia, malabsorption or dietary cause
- Folate can correct anemia while B12 neurologic injury worsens
Choosing treatment
- Lifelong therapy if the cause is irreversible
Self-check
- What should be replaced promptly in Vitamin B12 deficiency?
Cobalamin. - When is lifelong B12 therapy needed?
When the cause is irreversible.
Drugs used for this (2)
All clinical uses · Open Vitamin B12 deficiency in the interactive console ↗