Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin B12
For the health condition: Pernicious Anemia

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 5

Vitamin B12 for Pernicious Anemia: Scientific Evidence

Pernicious anemia is a type of megaloblastic anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, most commonly resulting from the inability to absorb B12 due to a lack of intrinsic factor in the stomach. The relationship between vitamin B12 and pernicious anemia is one of the best-established in all of medicine. The deficiency leads to impaired DNA synthesis, resulting in characteristic large, immature red blood cells (megaloblasts) and subsequent anemia, as well as potential neurological complications if untreated.

Vitamin B12 supplementation—historically through intramuscular injections, but now also via high-dose oral routes—has been the cornerstone of pernicious anemia treatment since the 1920s, when George Minot and William Murphy demonstrated dramatic clinical recovery in patients fed animal liver, which is rich in B12. Isolation and synthesis of vitamin B12 soon followed, and its administration has been proven to resolve both hematologic and neurological symptoms. Multiple randomized controlled trials and extensive clinical experience confirm that B12 supplementation corrects laboratory abnormalities and clinical symptoms in pernicious anemia. Guidelines from major hematological associations universally recommend lifelong B12 therapy for affected individuals.

Therefore, the use of vitamin B12 to treat and support pernicious anemia is backed by overwhelming scientific validation, with a rating of 5 on the evidence scale. Its mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety profile are exceptionally well-understood and documented in both research literature and clinical practice.

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