Long known as the âsunshine vitaminâ because the body makes it when skin is exposed to sunlight, vitamin D might now be dubbed the âsuperstar vitamin,â judging by the amount of attention it has garnered of late from researchers and the general public.
Clinical Information Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test. Vitamin B12 deficiency can be caused by many factors, one of which is pernicious anemia, a condition resulting in deficient production of intrinsic factor in the parietal cells of the stomach. Intrinsic factor is a protein that is needed to assist in the absorption of vitamin B12 into the small intestine.
How is it used? An intrinsic factor antibody (IF antibody) test may be used to help determine the cause of a vitamin B12 deficiency and to confirm a diagnosis of pernicious anemia. Pernicious anemia is caused by vitamin B12 deficiency due to a lack of intrinsic factor. This condition occurs primarily when the body's immune system targets its own tissues and develops antibodies directed against the parietal cells and/or the intrinsic factor.