Vitamin deficiency anemia

[Tina]

Vitamin deficiency anemia results from low or depleted levels of vitamin B12 or folate (folic acid).

People may be weak, short of breath, and pale.
Nerves may malfunction.
Blood tests can detect abnormal cells that indicate vitamin deficiency anemia.
The deficient vitamin is replaced.

(See also Overview of Anemia.)
Vitamin B12 deficiency and folate (folic acid) deficiency cause megaloblastic anemia. In megaloblastic anemia, the bone marrow produces red blood cells that are large and abnormal (megaloblasts).
Deficiency of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency most often develops due to a lack of these vitamins in the diet or an inability to absorb these vitamins from the digestive tract. Deficiency of folate (folic acid) is sometimes caused by drugs used to treat cancer.