B12 deficiency may be soon treated by pill

TORONTO, June 19 (UPI) -- Millions of patients receive injections to treat B12 deficiency, but a new oral option may soon be possible, U.S. researchers said.

Currently, physicians rely on B12 shots for people with vitamin B12 deficiency because oral formulations haven't worked well. Past studies have shown that about 1 percent of a vitamin B12 tablet gets absorbed in the bloodstream after traveling through the digestive track.

"Our current studies have shown our oral solid formulation brings vitamin B12 absorption to a range of 7 percent to 30 percent without the discomfort of an invasive route of administration," Cristina Castelli, lead researcher at Emisphere Technologies Inc., said in a statement.

Animal testing has been completed and researchers are now conducting human studies, Castelli said.

The findings are being presented at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists' National Biotechnology Conference in Toronto.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to a wide spectrum of conditions, such as anemia, dementia and reduced cognitive functioning.