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Cobalamin Absorption and Acquired Forms of Cobalamin Malabsorption

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Folates and Cobalamins

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Abstract

Cobalamin (Cbl), or vitamin B12, cannot be synthesized in the human body, and the only possible source for this vitamin is thus the diet. Daily requirements are 1-3 µg [31]. Dietary sources are primarily animal proteins. Liver, mammalian kidneys, and seafood are especially rich in this vitamin. Meat, fish, milk, and dairy foods also contain vitamin B12, but in lesser amounts. Plants however, have no vitamin B12, a finding which accounts for the megaloblastic anemias often observed in strict vegetarians. The principal dietary forms of this vitamin are adenosyl-Cbl and hydroxo-Cbl. Cyano-Cbl prescribed therapeutically and for physiologic properties is a synthetic form; its absorption is similar to that of of adenosylated and hydroxylated forms of the vitamin.

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Authors
  1. J. Belaïche
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  2. D. Cattan
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division d’Hématologie et d’Oncologie médicale, Hôpital Royal Victoria et Département de Médecine interne et de Physiologie, Université McGill, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    Bernard A. Cooper

  2. Laboratoire d’Hématologie, Hôpital Henri Mondor et Faculté de Médecine, 94010, Créteil, France

    Jacqueline A. Zittoun

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Belaïche, J., Cattan, D. (1989). Cobalamin Absorption and Acquired Forms of Cobalamin Malabsorption. In: Cooper, B.A., Zittoun, J.A. (eds) Folates and Cobalamins. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74364-1_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74364-1_5

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