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Hypocalcemia is a medical condition characterized by low calcium levels in the blood serum. [5] The normal range of blood calcium is typically between 2.1–2.6 mmol/L (8.8–10.7 mg/dL, 4.3–5.2 mEq/L), while levels less than 2.1 mmol/L are defined as hypocalcemic.
Vitamin B 12 deficiency can be determined, but not always. [14] This means it measures forms of vitamin B 12 that are "active" and can be used by the body, as well as the "inactive" forms, which cannot. [151] Vitamin B 12 deficiency can be found within normal levels, so clinical symptoms should be taken into account when a diagnosis is made. [2]
Disorders of calcium metabolism occur when the body has too little or too much calcium. The serum level of calcium is closely regulated within a fairly limited range in the human body. In a healthy physiology, extracellular calcium levels are maintained within a tight range through the actions of parathyroid hormone , vitamin D and the calcium ...
Serum vitamin B 12 is a medical laboratory test that measure vitamin B 12 only in the blood binding to both transcobalamins. [1] Most of the time, 80–94% of vitamin B 12 in the blood binds to haptocorrin, while only 6–20% is binds to transcobalamin ll. [2] Only transcobalamin ll is "active" and can be used by the body. [1]
Therefore, serum B 12 values above the cut-off point of deficiency do not necessarily confirm adequate B 12 status. [2] For this reason, elevated serum homocysteine over 15 micromol/L and methylmalonic acid (MMA) over 0.271 micromol/L are considered better indicators of B 12 deficiency, rather than relying only on the concentration of B 12 in ...
Pernicious anemia is the most common cause of clinically evident vitamin B 12 deficiency worldwide. [14] Pernicious anemia due to autoimmune problems occurs in about one per 1000 people in the US. Among those over the age of 60, about 2% have the condition. [8] It more commonly affects people of northern European descent. [2]
Hydrocortisones and valproic acid are also two drugs that can cause moderate bleeding from the gut. Amoxicillin and phenytoin have the ability to cause a vitamin B12 deficiency. [citation needed] Other common causes are thyroid disorders, lead toxicity, infectious diseases (e.g. malaria), alcoholism, and vitamin E deficiency. [citation needed]
The same cells in the stomach that produce gastric hydrochloric acid, the parietal cells, also produce a molecule called the intrinsic factor (IF), which binds the B 12 after its release from haptocorrin by digestion, and without which only 1% of vitamin B 12 is absorbed. Intrinsic factor (IF) is a glycoprotein, with a molecular weight of 45 kDa.