# Meat eaters can still suffer vitamin B12 deficiency due to poor absorption 2026-08-27T05:37:08+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Eating meat does not guarantee adequate vitamin B12 levels, as poor absorption rather than inadequate intake can cause deficiency, said Dr J Saravanan, gastroenterologist at VS Hospitals. Absorption is a complex process requiring stomach acid to release B12 from proteins, binding to intrinsic factor, and uptake in the terminal ileum. Conditions like atrophic gastritis, pernicious anaemia, Crohn's disease, and long-term use of proton-pump inhibitors or metformin can block this process. Age also increases risk. Low B12 may cause fatigue, numbness, balance problems or cognitive issues without obvious anaemia. Doctors should investigate gastric disorders, autoimmune disease or medication use as root causes, not merely treat the lab value, said Dr Saravanan. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Vitamin B12 absorption hinges on stomach acid, intrinsic factor, and a healthy ileum, not just intake. Atrophic gastritis or pernicious anaemia, an autoimmune condition that destroys intrinsic-factor-producing stomach cells, can derail absorption even in heavy meat eaters. Long-term use of proton-pump inhibitors for acidity or metformin for diabetes, both common prescriptions in India, adds further risk. Neurological symptoms such as numbness or cognitive fog may appear without the classic anaemia, making deficiency easy to miss. A doctor assessing low B12 should test for gastric disorders and consider a malabsorption workup, not just recommend dietary changes, because treating the root cause, not the number, prevents recurrence. ## Coverage - timesnownews.com Leads with a public health question, not a government or political angle, frames deficiency as an absorption issue explained by cited medical expert. This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Atrophic Gastritis, Pernicious Anaemia, vitamins Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/meat-eaters-can-still-suffer-vitamin-b12-deficiency-due-to-poor-absorption/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/meat-eaters-can-still-suffer-vitamin-b12-deficiency-due-to-poor-absorption/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/