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Folate Deficiency (Folic Acid)

Lovely Lettuce Briming With Folates.
Lovely Lettuce Brimming With Folates.

What Is Folate?

[dropcap]F[/dropcap]olate, also called folic acid or vitamin B9, is a family group of essential water-soluble B vitamins needed to produce healthy blood cells and other tissue cells.

Folate is required for healthy blood cells, the metabolism of at least 5 amino acids, the production of DNA, RNA and tRNA (genetic material), the normal development of a baby in the womb, male and female fertility, and regulation of homocysteine (amino acid) by reduction of harmful blood levels in conjunction with vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.

Urinary excretion of folate cannot be detected when vitamin intake is below the required levels. On the other hand, when intake exceeds saturation in the body, the vitamins and/or their metabolites are actively excreted into urine to prevent excessive toxicity of the vitamins.1

What Is Folate Deficiency In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Shibata K, Hirose J, Fukuwatari T. Relationship Between Urinary Concentrations of Nine Water-soluble Vitamins and their Vitamin Intakes in Japanese Adult Males. Nutr Metab Insights. 2014 Aug 5;7:61-75. doi: 10.4137/NMI.S17245. eCollection 2014. [↩]

Xerophthalmia

Parathyroid gland anatomyWhat Is Idiopathic Hypoparathyroidism?

[dropcap]I diopathic hypoparathyroidism is a metabolic condition that results from reduced secretion or impaired action of parathyroid hormone (PTH) which results in a combination of low calcium and elevated phosphorus levels in the body.

Calcium and phosphorus are minerals that act in opposition to each other in the body. Idiopathic means the cause is not known.

Parathyroid hormone is produced by the four pea sized parathyroid glands that are located on the thyroid gland in the front of the neck. Partly because the thyroid and parathyroid glands share the same anatomic place in the body and partly because they have similar names, they are often confused although they have completely different actions.

Q: What does parathyroid hormone do in the body?

A: This vital hormone maintains a correct balance of calcium and phosphorous in the bloodstream and ultimately has an effect on all organs because of the complexity of intracellular calcium physiology.1 

Parathyroid hormone is required to sustain life, therefore undetected or misdiagnosed hypoparathyroidism may pose a significant threat to health outcomes, as its presence may increase disease and mortality in affected individuals.

The clinical consequences of parathyroid hormone deficiency or impaired receptor action involve many body functions. In some patients, however, its manifestation may be non-specific, and in these cases the correct diagnosis may be easily missed.

Digestive manifestations of hypoparathyroidism are few and consist mainly of steatorrhea due to insufficient meal-stimulated cholecystokinin secretion by the duodenal mucosa.2

Laboratory measurements show hypocalcemia (low blood calcium level), hyperphosphatemia (high blood phosphate level), and inappropriately low or undetectable parathyroid hormone levels. Treatment consists of oral calcium supplementation and vitamin D derivatives.3

Idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is rare, although there is a growing incidence of the autoimmune form of hypoparathyroidism, which may occur in combination with other autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease.

What Is Idiopathic Hypoparathyroidism In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Abboud B, Daher R, Boujaoude J. Digestive manifestations of parathyroid disorders. World J Gastroenterol. 2011 Sep 28;17(36):4063-6. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i36.4063. [↩]
  2. Abboud B, Daher R, Boujaoude J. Digestive manifestations of parathyroid disorders. World J Gastroenterol. 2011 Sep 28;17(36):4063-6. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i36.4063. [↩]
  3. Krysiak R, Handzlik-Orlik G, Kedzia A, Machnik G, Okopień B. Hypoparathyroidism: the present state of art. Wiad Lek. 2013;66(1):18-29. [↩]

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia

What Is Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia? [dropcap]V[/dropcap]itamin B12 deficiency anemia is a megaloblastic anemia that is characterized by defective DNA synthesis of red blood cells due to a lack of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is essential… 

Macrocytosis

Comparison of normoblast and megaloblastWhat Is Macrocytosis?

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]acrocytosis is a blood cell disorder characterized by altered blood cell formation that results in abnormally large erythrocytes (red blood cells) circulating in the bloodstream.

The mean corpuscular volume (MCV), which is a measure of the size of red blood cells in the bloodstream, is greater than 100 fL as shown in a complete blood count (CBC) laboratory analysis report.

Macrocytosis produces macrocytic anemias that are classified as megaloblastic or non-megaloblastic:

  1. Megaloblastic anemias result from disorders of DNA synthesis of red blood cell precursors (megaloblasts) in bone marrow due to B vitamin deficiency demonstrated by macro-ovalocytes and hypersegmented neutrophils.1
  2. Non-megaloblastic anemias are or those caused primarily by alcoholism, liver disease and hypothyroidism.2

What Is Macrocytosis In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Kaferle J, Strzoda CE.Evaluation of macrocytosis. Am Fam Physician. 2009 Feb 1;79(3):203-8. [↩]
  2. Davenport J. Macrocytic anemia. Am Fam Physician. 1996 Jan;53(1):155-62. [↩]

Migraine Headache: definition

A neurologic disorder characterized by reduced cerebral blood flow with periodic, one-sided pulsing headache with or without aura, light and noise sensitivity and nausea. Click for full description.