Vitamin B12 deficiency: if your surgery involved removal of the terminal ileum, you may not be able to absorb B12 from the foods you eat or the vitamins you take. (Continent Diversion Network (CDN)).(Brief Article)

Our bodies absorb most of the nutrition from our food as it passes through the ileum and only the last 18 inches can absorb Vitamin B12. This portion of bowel is called the terminal, or distal ileum and when diseased, injured or removed, a potential Vitamin B12 deficiency can arise.

Why is Vitamin B12 important? According to the National Institute of Health, B12, or cobalamin, helps maintain normal nerve cells and healthy red blood cells. It's needed to make DNA. This vitamin is also used in the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It assists brain function and maintains epithelial (tissue that covers the external surface of the body and lines hollow …