Anemia is related to Stomach Acid

Anemia can be related to low iron levels and/or low levels or certain B vitamins.

These low levels can be caused by not eating enough iron and B vitamins or poor absorption of these nutrients, which is usually caused by low levels of stomach acid.

This is how anemia can progress:

Red Blood Cells are large when they are created.  As the red blood cells mature, they shrink in size.

Vitamin B12 is needed for the red blood cells to mature and shrink in size.  Without B12, the MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume) value will rise in value.  This indicates that there are a less than optimal amount of mature red blood cells.

We believe that anemia is evident when the MCV reading rises above 90.

As another note, the red blood cells cannot properly carry oxygen with a small amount of mature cells.  This is why someone with a high MCV reading feels like they don’t have any energy.

So what causes low levels of vitamin B12 and a high MCV value?

Low levels of the acid produced in your stomach called hydrochloric acid.