Lakhasly

Vitamin B12 deficiency is a widespread public health issue across many Arab communities, primarily due to poor dietary intake and compounded by economic and political instability that limits access to B12-rich foods.These observations demonstrate that serum transcobalamin-bound B12)Active B12) ,methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine levels are useful in diagnosis This study aims to measure the level of awareness among healthcare professionals and medical students regarding the importance of employing multiple diagnostic tests for the accurate detection of Vitamin B12 deficiency, with particular focus on their understanding of the limitations of Total B12 as a standalone marker and their awareness of the role of complementary tests in enhancing diagnostic precision and identifying subclinical functional deficiency.symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency : Neuropsychiatric symptoms: anxiety, depression, and impaired memory,Central nervous system disturbances: imbalance and visual problem, Sensory symptoms: numbness and burning sensations,Muscular atrophy: progressive loss of muscle mass and strength and Hematological abnormalities:, megaloblastic anemia.This issue is particularly pronounced in Palestine, where the ongoing occupation and harsh living conditions--including blockades and enforced food shortages--have significantly impacted the population's nutritional health.Vitamin B12 Deficiency is caused by either inadequate intake, inadequate bioavailability or malabsorption.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is a widespread public health issue across many Arab communities, primarily due to poor dietary intake and compounded by economic and political instability that limits access to B12-rich foods. This issue is particularly pronounced in Palestine, where the ongoing occupation and harsh living conditions—including blockades and enforced food shortages—have significantly impacted the population’s nutritional health.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency is caused by either inadequate intake, inadequate bioavailability or malabsorption. Disruption of B12 transport in the blood, or impaired cellular uptake or metabolism causes an intracellular deficiency.
symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency :
Neuropsychiatric symptoms: anxiety, depression, and impaired memory,Central nervous system disturbances: imbalance and visual problem, Sensory symptoms: numbness and burning sensations,Muscular atrophy: progressive loss of muscle mass and strength and Hematological abnormalities:, megaloblastic anemia.
The diagnosis of Vitamin B12 deficiency relies on measuring its levels in the blood. A level below 200 pg/mL is considered indicative of deficiency, while a level between 200 and 300 pg/mL is inconclusive and requires additional testing. A level above 300 pg/mL is considered normal.
Recent studies indicate that the clinical picture of vitamin B12(cobalamin) deficiency is much more diverse than previously believed. It is also apparent that many patients with low serum cobalamin concentrations are not cobalamin deficient. Thus, there is a need for additional diagnostic tests to further distinguish patients with low serum cobalamin levels who are actually cobalamin deficient and will benefit from lifetime treatment from those who are not deficient and will not benefit. decreased levels of circulating total B12 and transcobalamin-bound B12)Active B12) and markedly elevated of Serum levels of methylmalonic acid(MMA) and total homocysteine have been shown to be in most patients with cobalamin deficiency, The levels of these metabolites fall to normal if these patients are treated with the appropriate vitamin but remain essentially unchanged if the wrong vitamin is administered. These observations demonstrate that serum transcobalamin-bound B12)Active B12) ,methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine levels are useful in diagnosis
This study aims to measure the level of awareness among healthcare professionals and medical students regarding the importance of employing multiple diagnostic tests for the accurate detection of Vitamin B12 deficiency, with particular focus on their understanding of the limitations of Total B12 as a standalone marker and their awareness of the role of complementary tests in enhancing diagnostic precision and identifying subclinical functional deficiency.